I took the day … I mean the WHOLE day doing just that. I started early dumping my tools out of my neck stand to start the jobs. I started by swapping out a 20 hole Bill Blaylock Bear tracks tone ring with a Mitch Meadors 38 special no hole . That whole change over took a little over 2 1/2 hours . It was aggravating. My next job was to remove a Bill Blaylock 30 hole Osborn chief ring from a 35 style 11 and replace it with the bear tracks ring . Well enough. It also took about the same amount of time. I had carefully cleaned both heads leaving my pencil bridge lines , only to realize I turned the head 180 degrees, so the pencil line showed like new money. No biggie I’ll just clean the lines off when I saw to my AMAZEMENT … the Bear tracks tone ring still laying there . I put the same tone ring back in I just took out . Both Unplated Blaylock rings but look totally different. Ok, ok . I hate to be out done , so I started the process over to accomplish what I set out to do . Another 3 hours and the Bear tracks ring is in the 35 style 11. Both banjos back together and sounding decent enough. When I started putting my tools back in my neck stand( turned upside down,) I see a flipping extra nut to a coordinator rod and washer laying there but the washer is a lock washer . I have been over these Dadgum banjos looking for something I left off but its all there. Every nut and washer. I’m going to assume it was possibly from another job ??? This has been one more day . I’ll commence again in the morning trying to figure it out . I would be interested to here your horror stories or if you’ve ever done anything as numb skull-ish ?? Kudos and God bless to everyone that does this on a regular basis.
Edited by - Texasbanjo on 10/08/2026 03:58:14
Haha… well good on you for fighting the good fight and getting it done either way!
But yeah… I’ve done my share of dumb things for sure. I once assembled a pot with the tone ring turned 180-degrees out of whack, so the co-rod notch was down by the tailpiece. Didn’t realize till I went to put the neck on!
And once after a head change, tensioning it up, setting the bridge and tailpiece height, I realized that I put all the hex nuts on backwards (curved facets were towards the flange)… functionally it doesn’t really matter I guess, but it irked me and I redid it “properly”.
So after all that, are you noticing much difference with regard to each banjo’s tone (that you’d specifically attribute to the swapped rings)? Any improvements?
Edited by - TimFoster on 10/07/2026 19:10:30
I have noticed a little brighter tone with the Meadors no hole , the Style 11.. I can’t tell any difference, yet ! Time will tell .
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