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Originally posted by msv133

I've read that usually closed-back banjos are preferred in bluegrass, 3 finger picking type music, whilst an open back banjo is preferred for clawhammer and traditional styles. Why is this? Do you think these are valid statements?

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You can play any type of 5-string banjo music on any type of 5-string banjo.

Clawhammer and old time style are typically played on open back as much out of tradition (it's the type of banjo on which these styles were first played) and artistic preference (players of old time, clawhammer, and maybe also original finger style) tend to like the sound of their music played on open back back banjos. Resonator banjos (what you're calling "closed-back") are chosen for bluegrass also for tradition (it's what Earl Scruggs played), performance (resonator banjos project more and cut through large ensembles) and player preference.

But there are no rules. And even my descriptions are only generalizations. I've heard some plenty loud and projecting open back banjos.

Uncle Dave Macon, Stringbean, and Grandpa Jones all played clawhammer style on resonator banjos, not exclusively, but they did use them.
Larry Sigmon of Callaway, Virginia is a contemporary clawhammer banjo player who also favors resonator banjos. He played a Gibson RB100 for years.

The practical consideration is really just that a resonator banjo will have a more direct, cutting, and likely brighter sound, which may not be appreciated in an old-time jam context where the goal is to blend. But if you plan on playing solo, then no problem. Go ahead and play the banjo you have, you can always get a second (or a third, or a fourth) down the line.

What kind of resonator banjo do you have? Not to point out the obvious, but you can always take off the resonator and play it open if you wanted.

quote:

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Originally posted by msv133

I've read that usually closed-back banjos are preferred in bluegrass, 3 finger picking type music, whilst an open back banjo is preferred for clawhammer and traditional styles. Why is this? Do you think these are valid statements?

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I think that in the vast majority of cases these are valid statements... these days.  

Though there are resonated examples from the mid-1800's, in the main, the sort of open-back that is favored by OT players these days dates from roughly the 1880's.  Prior to that, though open-backed, earlier banjoes were quite different with larger diameter rims, no frets, lower tunings, and often longer scale-lengths.  Before the 1830's, the banjo was a gourd bodied instrument.

As to why the open-back is favored for OT/CH, there are a number of reasons.  The folk-music revival of the 1950's/'60's is somewhat responsible as the leading banjoists from that era played open-backed banjoes, and aspiring folkies emulated them.  Vintage open-backed banjoes  were plentiful then and had an aura of antiquity about them.  Many of the old-timers that the music scholars collected from were using vintage open-backs as well, so in an attempt to imitate their sound, similar instruments were sought out.  This has all carried down to the present day. Beyond this, the use of vintage-style openbacks is also an attempt to look old/authentic and add credibility. There are also objective reasons for selecting an open-back instrument- preferred sound (open-backs tend to have more depth and note separation which is also often desired for OT/CH), lighter weight, and appearance.

Resonator banjoes became popular in the early 1900's and were the next in a long line of improvements to the banjo.  The reason for the addition of the resonator was simple- more volume in a time before acoustic reinforcement.  Especially as they were widely used by the professionals of the day, the resonated banjo became the ne plus ultra for many banjoistas.  Almost all of the old-timers I knew, when asked to play a tune on the banjo pulled a resonated instrument from under the bed or out of the closet.  Having something like a Gibson with a resonator also indicated a certain degree of financial success.

Every time someone here asks if resonator banjoes are acceptable for CH, the answer is always an emphatic "yes".   The examples of iconic old-timers who played them is nearly endless.

Banjoes have endless potential for tonal modification.  I once had my 12"dia open-backed Ramsey set up with a cranked down frosted head and steel strings, and it could have made a passable Bluegrass banjo.  Likewise a resonated banjo could be modified with things like a natural skin head / Fiberskyn, No-Knot tailpiece, different bridge, stuffing behind the head, etc., etc., to get just about any sound you might want. A resonator banjo does not have to sound like a machine-gun.

My friend John Bowlin had an 1890's S.S. Stewart fit with a resonator in his extensive collection.  John Burke is holding a similar instrument in the photo on the cover of his "John Burke's Book of Old-Time Fiddle Tunes for Banjo".  The cool thing about these banjoes is that the resonators were low-profile and fit close to the rim, unlike the flanged Mastertone-style.

Hopefully some of the above will be helpful. 

Bottom line- stick with your resonator banjo!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VwlOO8RG-og&list=RDVwlOO8RG-og&start_radio=1&pp=ygUKdG9tIGFzaGxleaAHAQ%3D%3D&ra=m

I own a cheap Harley Benton BJ-55Pro and a Gold Tone OB-150 Orange Blossom; on the Gold Tone, the neck angle is steeper than on my other banjos (including open-back ones).

I don’t think the Gold Tone is well-suited for claw-hammer playing, since it’s basically only playable near the bridge.

I think the question of which resonator banjo to choose is more important.

A flatter angle gives me more room to work with between the bridge and the neck joint.

Just my two cents

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Originally posted by Tuedelband

on the Gold Tone, the neck angle is steeper than on my other banjos (including open-back ones).

I don’t think the Gold Tone is well-suited for claw-hammer playing, since it’s basically only playable near the bridge.

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Your banjo needs some type of repair or adjustment. Maybe the heel re-cut or at least shimmed. Or the coordinator rods set to neutral (in case one rod has been tightened too much to lower the action).

Okay, I’m shamelessly exaggerating again—

the Gold Tone can also be played anywhere, even over the neck.

Unfortunately, I can’t get a photo of it,

but the first string is 3–4 mm lower at the neck joint.

But when I look at it from the side, it looks like a steeper angle, and when playing close to the neck, it feels as if you’re already playing over it.

The Gold Tone is well set up, the truss rod is neutral, the neck is solid, and when played with fingerpicks, it’s a beautiful instrument for bluegrass.

But for clawhammer, I’d prefer the Harley Benton—just not the sound.

Maybe the Gold Tone could also be set up for clawhammer—it feels like more than 3–4 mm; I can hardly believe how different it feels when playing.

The next time I change the strings, I’ll try to measure the angle; right now it plays so well that I won’t change a thing.

Do all modern banjos have the same neck angle?

Well, yes—in any case, you can play clawhammer on resonator banjos,

Each and any type of banjo can be set up tight or loose.

I like to vary styles during each song for emphasis and just general fun.