John,
Did you see the JLS#12 I posted this morning? One of the pictures
shows JLS #12 etched on the bottom side. Looks very much
like the way Bill Blaylock did his. I assume Stull etched #4 on
his rings made like prewar 4 rings.
Mike Mason, 5twang

When Richie Dotson first got into building banjos he built me one with a jls#12 tone ring. I love it
Heres two examples of how good it sounds. These vids were taken around 15 or so years ago.

I had heard those were good for melodic --that one sure fills the bill there Gary all kinds of extra pretty jingiling

quote:

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Originally posted by 5Twang

John,
Did you see the JLS#12 I posted this morning? One of the pictures
shows JLS #12 etched on the bottom side. Looks very much
like the way Bill Blaylock did his. I assume Stull etched #4 on
his rings made like prewar 4 rings.
Mike Mason, 5twang

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Mike, I did see it and that is one reason I asked.  I bought one that has never been used a while back, and unlike yours mine is just stamped JLS in the channel  ..... not etched like yours.  Also, mine is supposed to be a #12 but it does not have it anywhere stamped or etched that I can find.  It does have its weight (3 lb. 10oz.) in magic marker inside the skirt.  I think Scott Zimmerman (Desert Rose) always used these rings and were his favorite regardless of the price.

I have had several, # 4 & #12, & still have a couple # 12's, the # 4 looks like any other ring, the # 12 looks like a pre-war # 12 more metal in the inside that is flat with the holes drilled partialy into the extra metal casting, hard to describe here !
All the ones I have had had no markings, numbers or anything. I usually write on mine with a sharpie inside & out for someone else ID.
Tom

IF my memory is correct from 15-20 years ago, the JLS rings were not marked. There was discussion here on how to identify them. I know Scott was in the discussions, but not sure if he was the one giving the way to distinguish the differences.

quote:

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Originally posted by lightgauge

IF my memory is correct from 15-20 years ago, the JLS rings were not marked. There was discussion here on how to identify them. I know Scott was in the discussions, but not sure if he was the one giving the way to distinguish the differences.

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Bobby, I guess if you have seen enough of them maybe you can tell the difference, but this is the only one I have ever owned.  Since mine has never been used I assumed it was a new one and was just curious how to identify the 12 and 4.

John B.

They were not marked, if yours is marked , someone else did it.
Post a pic of the inside.
I KNOW & can tell  the difference ! If it's a # 4 , they look like most any other flathead ring, if it's a # 12 they will be  different from all the other rings.

TG

....(insert hijack here:) ... if someone finds a spare JLS #4, please PM me.