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 .
It's a sickness many of us have. There's always that rim/ring combination just waiting to knock our socks off. It rarely does. I don't know how many times I've done the swap and at first it sounds great but after a few days you realize it's not that great, just different and back on goes the original. My experience tells me it's more the fit of the parts and the setup than it is the brand of tone ring that makes the difference. Every banjo has a unique personality.
Edited by - banjoez on 10/09/2026 00:24:15
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