I think some “modern” players like Bela, Wes, Noam, etc pick far from the bridge, rather than the hard-as-nails approach right in front of the bridge. Could be that others are loosening their heads too.

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Originally posted by 1935tb-11

is it just me or does it sound like the banjos on alot of recordings now are tubbier sounding then the old recordings ?   remember how the banjo would cut and now it seems like it is almost subdued .... softer ...
i ain't saying it sounds bad ,, in fact it blends better with todays bluegrass but it just seem like it has changed ... thoughts ???

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Could it be the recording and banjo construction technology is all completely different? The banjo heads are different, the bridges, the tailpieces and so on. 

I agree, it is different, but personally , I like it better. The old stuff just sounds plinky to me. I prefer to hear the tone of the instrument in the music.

This definitely seems to be the case. Bluegrass players these days seem to go for a full, fat tone. I think a lot of it comes from emulating JD Crowe rather than the old Scruggs recordings, which were definitely tighter and brighter.

I like a lot of different sounds, but a well-rounded setup is the most consistently satisfying for me.

I feel like a lot of the difference in tone has something to do with the recording equipment of today vs. the more primitive recording gear from 3/4 of a century ago.
As far as a difference in the banjos themselves, it could have a lot to do with set up. Some of today's players are still playing prewar instruments. I expect a lot of people have been drawn to the more mellow sound of modern recordings and want their banjos set up for that sound. Components like heads and bridges can make a certain amount of difference.

I think it's two things.
One, it' has to do with blend and two, amplification.
Just about everyone has " plugged-in" to an amp of one sort or another.
You don't have to play as hard to be heard.
You tend to play away from the bridge or use lighter gauge strings.
Step on a foot switch to be heard, then step on again to play your back-up.
This translates into the studio, too. A more homogenized sound.
Folks used to say " mash-it" when the pickers were bearing down, pulling tone.
Now the term that should be used is" smash -it"
Just a little fun.......

Hmmm, uh, could it be that maybe seeing as a few of us now have "matured" ears and all, quite a lot of things don't sound the way they used to...

In my case, what Bart says is definitely one factor in what I hear. Without my hearing aids, my banjos sound quieter and less trebly to me. Truthfully, it's pleasant. I tend to practice with my hearing aids our. With my hearing aids, the banjos have volume and tone that cut through. But I doubt what I'm hearing is really what my banjos sound like.

All that said, I think banjos in modern recordings I hear do have a rounder, fuller, sound than the super bright tone we used to go for decades ago with our tight heads, thinned bridges, and  cranked-down tailpieces.