pick1936 - Posted - 10/19/2011:  16:01:44

  David, Mine  is  the  compound  Radiused  board.   I  also  have  a  nice  Good  time  with  steel  tone  ring.  I  use  it  for practice  some.  But  for  gettin  on it,  The radius  board   is  best.  For  Me.  its   far  best  for  getting  full  4  finger  chords  for  back  up.  and   best  for  noting  the  strings. most  notable  for Me  is  inside  roll  on  C  two fingers  in  middle  of   5th  fret,  The radius   seems  to  open  up   inside  rolls  anywhere on  the  neck.

So  Roll  On  Buddy.

Nechville.  In  Higginsville.

Lee  Kelso

Edited by - pick1936 on 10/19/2011 16:03:06

pick1936 - Posted - 10/23/2011:  21:38:34

Saturday  I  went  to a  big  out  door pickin   we had  a  great  time. meet   6  new  people.   None  of  them  had  either  heard,  picked,  or   looked at  one.   They  all  liked  it  a  lot.    more  and  more  pickers  try  these  banjo's   They   will  start  catching  on  more.    When  a  wood  ringed  Nechville.  is  picked    along  with   Gibsons -- Deerings,  and  have  their  backs  turned   Most   can  not  tell  any  difference.    try to  find  someone  who has  one, and  try  it.

Nechville.  In  Higginsville.

Lee  Kelso

Edited by - pick1936 on 10/23/2011 21:41:45

jbanjoist - Posted - 10/24/2011:  15:36:34

Lee I played my Vintage last night at a band members church. I also played banjo for another group there,

One of the gentlemen in that group said, "That banjo sounds GOOD".

pick1936 - Posted - 10/27/2011:  21:21:19

Right  J.  Glad  to   hear You  are  pickin  Bluegrass  Gospel.  That's  the   best  kind to  play.    I  will  be  pickin  tomorrow,  and  maybe Saturday?   I have  bee  playing  some  with  a Family  from  church.  Their  three  daughters   ages  16  thru  9   the  nine  year  old  has  had  two  lesson,  is  pickin  Cripple Crreek   fairly good.   fast  learner.   Better  get  off  now.

Nechville.  In  Higginsville.

Lee kelso

zemacar - Posted - 10/28/2011:  00:47:18

Looks like it's been exactly 8 months since I first (and last) posted, so I'm checking in. I play my Zeus nearly every day. I phoned my (former mandolin and now) banjo teacher the day after I won it in a raffle, and I have taken lessons regularly since I first got it. I play several bluegrass instruments at varying levels of proficiency (none very high). I always swore that I had to draw the line somewhere, so I would not play Dobro or banjo. Then I won the Zeus and took the metaphysical hint. I love it, and so does everybody who plays it.

pick1936 - Posted - 10/31/2011:  09:43:10

I bet  You  will  enjoy  that  Nechville  Very  much.     I  like  mine  so  much, I  may  buy  another  one  next  year. a  Nechville  will  spoil You,  to where  You  You  do  not want  to  be  a  nut turner  again.  Ring,, Pop,,  Knock,, Growl,  and  Zing.

Nechville.  In  Higginsville.

Lee  Kelso

StraitsBlueGal - Posted - 10/31/2011:  09:56:08

quote:

---

Originally posted by zemacar

I always swore that I had to draw the line somewhere, so I would not play Dobro or banjo.

---

  I think that the banjo finds us.  It cannot be avoided. It's like a force of nature.

pick1936 - Posted - 11/01/2011:  20:45:02

bump,,  knock,,  ring,,  pop,,  bark,,   Zing..

Nechville.  In  Higginsville.

Lee  Kelso

Yellowhouseroad - Posted - 11/02/2011:  21:15:42

Still loving it! Sounds amazing! What more is there to be said!

pick1936 - Posted - 11/03/2011:  21:39:55

Right  David.  You  said  it  all.  

Nechville.  In  Higinsville

Lee  kelso

StraitsBlueGal - Posted - 11/04/2011:  07:23:21

I think that I'm coming up to my first Phoenix adjustment this weekend.  It has incredible sustain, but as the notes die down, there is a tone I'd like to improve.  It almost sours a little bit as the notes fade.  The banjo is in tune - think I just need to tweak head tension to get it where I want it (the head has not been adjusted since I've received it, and as a new instrument under temperature changes I'm sure things are still settling in).  Thankfully that head tension project will be pretty quick and easy, and not an all day 24 nut and bracket project....

dpete210 - Posted - 11/04/2011:  08:57:00

Straits gal, you may also be due for a string change to "de-sour" those notes.    

StraitsBlueGal - Posted - 11/04/2011:  09:20:40

Good point, Dave.  The strings are relatively new, but maybe if they've been sitting on the instrument at tension (before I bought it) that had an effect.  Or they may just want to be change.  Not a very time consuming experiment either.

pick1936 - Posted - 11/04/2011:  09:40:14

Blue  Gal .maybe change  strings,  and  tighten  head  just  a  little.   I  tightened  mine  awhile  back, and  it took  a week  of  pickin, and  sitting  for  it  to  seat  in  good.  once  You  get  there  it  is  Great.

Nechvile.  In  Hignsville.

Lee  kelso

larry p - Posted - 11/04/2011:  09:41:08

I've seen this topic several times, and think it's high time I chimed in to say what 'I think about Nechville'-

I first met Tom Nechville years ago-in the early '90s, at the IBMA Convention back when it was in Owensboro, KY...He was gracious enough to take the time to show me his then new 'twist' on banjo design..I must admit that back then I was very much a 'stick in the mud': I'd been brought up around people who thought Gibson made the only 'real' banjo, and Earl Scruggs was,is, and always will be the best banjo player that ever lived, and why would I WANT to take my banjo apart and change the tone ring and bridge like that??

Having heard some 'Stelling' banjos that I thought sounded great in the hands of folks like Sonny Osborne-I was slowly beginning to see that there ARE other ways to build a banjo and get great results-but was nowhere close to being prepared for Tom Nechville's presentation: within minutes he had the tone ring out of the banjo and swapped with another, all done without removing the strings, and demonstrated quite a few tonal/volume characteristics the banjo was capable of producing with a slight turn of that one wrench that at once adjust the whole head..

Since then it's been remarkable and awesome to see how Nechville has continued to develop his incredibly innovative ideas and keep a banjo building company alive and well through our many economic ups and downs..

I've been playing the same old Gibson banjo for many years now-it's served me well-never had another that suited me as well-but IF and when the time comes that I'm prompted to let it move on to wherever it supposed to go next, I do intend to own a Nechville...I LOVE my old Gibson-but really, it's like why insist on keeping a horse and buggy around when there's a brand new hybrid car that can do everything that the horse and buggy can do, only the car can go a lot faster, stop a lot easier, it's much more comfortable, easier to adjust and maintain, and doesn't cost as much..Of course 'Nechville's' aren't for everybody anymore than 'Gibsons' or 'Stellings' or 'Deerings' or 'Hubers' or 'Recording Kings' are for everybody, but heck-if I remember right, with a 'Nechville' a player could, in theory have a 'TrueTone' or 'Timeless Timber' or 'Tony Pass' type rim, and everything from a prewar flat head tone ring to a Stelling archtop ring in and out of a 'Nechville' all within a matter of hours..WOW!

I get the feeling every time I see Tom Nechville that I'm as close to meeting Nicola Tesla as I'll ever get this time around...

pick1936 - Posted - 11/04/2011:  10:05:45

Larry  You  are  right.  I  went  from  the  bronze  ring  to  the  wood  ring  because  of   having  3  back,  and  2  neck surgery's   it  now  weighs about  7  lbs.   I  can  take  mine  apart  clean  it  up put  it  back  together  and  be pickin  in an  hour.  I  have  all  steel  balls  in Mine, but  You  can  get  Delrin -- ceramic, or  a  mix   or  combo.   and  the compound  radius   neck is  great.     There  is  nothing   wrong   I  can  find  with   Nechville.  but  so  much  to  like about  them. You  could  almost  write  a  book.

Nechville.  In  Higginsvill.

Lee  kelso

pick1936 - Posted - 11/06/2011:  09:37:47

Pickin  some   nice  gospel  hymns  today.  This  Nechville  just  sounds  so  good.    If  anyone  living  close  to Higginsville,  Mo.  would  like  to try  one  stop  by  and  see  Me.  You can  look it  over take  it apart,  or  play  it.  Cmon  Down.

Nechville.  In  Higginsville.

Lee  Kelso

dmiller - Posted - 11/07/2011:  20:40:55

Speaking of taking a Nechville apart, I did that just the other day to get my "capobility" capo back in action.

Here's a pic of the "capobility capo" - - - - - - > > >

The rubber "O" ring you see there, broke (about 2 or so months ago) rendering the capo useless.  I decided to take off the neck, remove the metal pieces the "O" ring hooked to (riding in the neck rail there), and use a regular (G7th capo) when the banjo was tuned normally.  I did some experimenting with tuning the banjo to a "true" G tuning - - with the fifth string tuned five frets higher than normal.  This was possible, since all five strings on the NUVO go straight to the peghead.

The other day, I decided to replace the "capobility capo", and went to Home Depot to get the rubber ring neccesary to get it all back in operation.  It was more difficult to find to the right sized "O" ring, than it was to disassemble the banjo neck to put it back in place.  When I removed that capo (several months ago), it took me about 5 or so minutes to remove the neck and get rid of the metal "anchors" that slid up and down the rail system there on each side of the neck.

When I re-installed the "capobility capo", it took another 5 or so minutes to remove the neck (and then replace it) with the capo intact and working.  The nice thing about those changes?? I never did have to remove the strings.  Not only did I NOT have to remove the strings, they were pretty much (still) in tune, when I cranked the neck up to where it was before I removed it.  It really DOESN'T get much better than that!    

Edited by - dmiller on 11/07/2011 20:53:29

pick1936 - Posted - 11/09/2011:  13:21:57

Nice  David.  Looks  like  You got  back in  working  order  real  fast.   I  have  been  Neckin   on  Me  Classic  Deluxe  today.   just  great.

Nechville.  In  Higginsville.

Lee  Kelso

pick1936 - Posted - 11/11/2011:  11:44:58

My  wood  ringed  Nechville  reminds  Me  of  the  old  saying   Knock  on  Wood,,  It  also  Rings,, Pops,,,  Barks,,  and  Zings.

Nechville.  In  Higginsvile.

Lee kelso

nechville - Posted - 11/14/2011:  13:05:34

Thanks Lee, again for your fun posts, and Larry, You are too kind, What a heart warmer, Oh I wonder if I can get anyone reading this to reply with their opinions on the subject of

 a travel banjo?

A Practice banjo?

A beginner banjo?

Would you buy one? at what price? any features you'd like to see in one?

Just to give you a hint, If I do one, it would have the quick change neck, interchangeable with other Nechvilles, and would have built in headphone jack and actual banjo tone. beyond that, I am open to suggestions, comments and ideas, Should I pursue such a course?

Va Picker - Posted - 11/14/2011:  16:47:41

Can you imagine getting the Heli-mount on a beginner banjo? Is that possible? I think the beginner market is huge since many buy beginner banjos & never pursue the next level. Look what Deering did to the beginner market with the Goodtime? From what I can tell it's the most recommended beginner banjo. I would think a beginner banjo would have to stay well below $1k...just my opinion.

dmiller - Posted - 11/14/2011:  17:08:09

quote:

---

Originally posted by nechville

Thanks Lee, again for your fun posts, and Larry, You are too kind, What a heart warmer, Oh I wonder if I can get anyone reading this to reply with their opinions on the subject of

 a travel banjo?

A Practice banjo?

A beginner banjo?

Would you buy one? at what price? any features you'd like to see in one?

Just to give you a hint, If I do one, it would have the quick change neck, interchangeable with other Nechvilles, and would have built in headphone jack and actual banjo tone. beyond that, I am open to suggestions, comments and ideas, Should I pursue such a course?

---

An "affordable series Nechville"?  I like the idea.  

Heli-mount and quick change neck would be the two main items to include (imo).

Would this be an openback or one with a resonator?

I agree about the 1K price (thereabouts) to make it a financially attractive package.

Any "practice" or "beginner" Nechville banjo would be an intermediate level by any other name.  

RaYhOLio - Posted - 11/14/2011:  17:33:34

I think if you could put together a very affordable banjo with some options that are simply not seen in the lower price ranges.. it could be a hit... Things like tunneled 5th.. Radiused fret board.. reliable tuners, are a few of the things we rarely see for under $1000.. and usually start seeing them closer to $2500

The thing is though.. for a "practice banjo" to truely work as a practice banjo, it has to have the same playing charictaristics as the 'performance banjo".. That means almost identical necks, same scale.. etc.

I think the killer for any travel / practice banjo is Price... It has to be sub-500 dollars, and closer to $200 to be justifiable as a 'tear-it-up" banjo..

I have a $300 goldtone CC50RP for my travel banjo... and it sounds like a $300 banjo... that's not the problem though.. The problem is that it is SO different from the Nechville I have that I can't play it well any more. It has different frets, no radius, always out of tune.. etc. So do I ever take it camping, or practice with it? Nope. It's worthless to me.

My next purchase will either be a acoustic guitar bodied banjo, or a solid body electric banjo.. I can't think of a better practice banjo than a solid body.. Silent, and versitle

pick1936 - Posted - 11/17/2011:  13:39:40

I  would  think  for  a  practice  banjo.   The  head  phone jack  would  be  great.   Keep  it  light  and  simple.  But  have  the  nice  Nechville neck.

Nechville.  In  Higginsville.

Lee  Kelso

deadstrings - Posted - 11/17/2011:  16:43:25

One of the best things about the "practice banjo" is that it has a "real" Nechville neck. If you can only afford the practice banjo, you still have the Nechville neck. That way, when you are ready, you can simply buy a Helimount banjo pot and install the very same neck from your practice banjo onto your new Nechville banjo pot! You won't even have to take the tailpiece apart, just leave the strings right on it and do the standard Nechville neck exchange. It is a great "gateway", for your new adventure into the Nechville universe!!

pick1936 - Posted - 11/18/2011:  13:49:13

Man  You  said  it  right.   The  Nechville  Neck  is The  Best neck  ever  made..

Nechvile  In Higginsville

Lee  Kelso

jbanjoist - Posted - 11/18/2011:  14:17:54

I imagine that a beginner Nechville with all the attributes that make a Nechville a Nechville in a fairly low price range, sub-1000 or even sub-1500 dollars would not be an incredibly easy thing to do.

Nechville necks are a work of art in my opinion and I am sure not inexpensive to make. Maybe lower prices can be reached with lower grades, cosmetically but not structurally, of woods.

Same for the resonator. The tone ring, wood of course, but many say they sound great anyway.

I'll be watching.

nechville - Posted - 11/22/2011:  12:21:48

Thanks for the comments, If it were an easy thing to make something good enough to be a Nechville and cheap enough for selling in large volume it would be done already. If such a product were to have a conventional Nechville neck, that accounts for at least $1000, so I imagine such a product wouldn't be considered cheap at $1500 or more- If I do something like this, it will be done right, but based on high quality, I don't see cheap as an option.

pick1936 - Posted - 11/22/2011:  18:46:39

I think  some  here  are  thinking  of  a ( beginner)   banjo?   Tom  said  ( Practice  banjo).   and  of course  quality  is   never  cheap.   It  would  have  to  be  pretty  close   to  The  Nechville  You  play  out  with,  therefore  quality,  and  worth  every  penny.   You do not  get much  for  cheap..

Pick  What  You  Like.

Like  What  You  Pick.

Nechville.  In  Higginsville.

Lee  Kelso

RaYhOLio - Posted - 11/22/2011:  19:40:46

I tend to agree with you Lee.. but he did ask for opinions on practice, beginner, and travel banjos..

I guess I don't understand the concept of a practice banjo? why not practice with your regular banjo?

I understand a camping / beginner banjo (affordable, and won't break your heart if you break it.)

I understand a travel banjo (typically more durable, and usually breaks down to a smaller size)


Is the point of a practice banjo to be silent? Any banjo with a head and a tone ring will make noise.. regardless of the muting tech.. At least that's my experience... If Tom has innovated a way to make that not true.. it would be awesome. :)

To be honest... If I had a fairy god-mother... I would ask for tom to make a solid body electric on a small frame (sorta like the tranjo caster) It would be a useful for truely silent practice (only string noise) and a mostly unique instrument in its own right.

I think tranjo has had somewhat of a monopoly on travel, and practice Banjos... They're probably the benchmark in that catagory.

Any beginner banjo will be measured vs the deering goodtime.. the sound quality to price ratio is hard to beat... and I think it's reputation among many as THE beginner banjo is well deserved.

Just my opinion... but that's what tom asked for.. LOL :)

pick1936 - Posted - 11/23/2011:  15:18:43

Right But  I  would  like to  think  a  practice  banjo  would  play  and  sound  as  good  as  the  main  banjo,  and  would  like  it  to  be  GOOD   enough   to  play  out  in  case   Your  best  Nechville   was  needing  string  change  You  could  just  pick  the  sucker  up   and  go  jam  with  it..   I   think  a  partial  solid  body  with  the  earphones   would  be  grate  also. but   rather it  be  accoustic,  not  electric.    One  You  would  be  ready  to  pick   and   go   with.    I  really like  the  Steel  balls,  so  easy  for  screwing  it  tight,  or  loose   even   tension  all  round.  Just  Great..

Nechville.  In  Higginsville.

Lee Kelso

Guy - Posted - 11/25/2011:  06:19:26

Hi Tom

I think this is an extremely difficult area and you need to tread extremely carefully. I am delighted to read your latest comment. I definitely think you should maintain the quality of your product and to produce a cheap banjo would be a huge mistake for a number of reasons:

1: The market is already bloated with cheap banjos, some are very good like Recording King, Deering and Gold Tone and some are simply appalling, too many names to mention here so the market is very confused. you don't want to get lumped in with these guys for whatever reason.

2: To build a cheap banjo would mean outsourcing your product to somewhere like China which could lead to fluctuations in quality.

Tom you have a great reputation and even people who don't get what you are trying to do find it difficult to criticise the quality of your work.

Guy

pick1936 - Posted - 11/25/2011:  14:52:05

Yes  Guy,  I  agree.   Keep  the  good   American  banjo's  coming.   If You  wee to build  a  nice  practice  banjo,  with  Your  great  Compound Radius  neck. It  would probably,,     crank  up  the  price a lot..    Your banjo's   are  the  best  New  banjo's being made  today.     If You  could  design, and  build   a  head  phone   with  a  connection  directly to  the  bridge   so  as  to  slightly  mute  the  banjo.  and  the  tone  picked  up  by   head  phones.   would  be  great  for   practice,  without  disturbing   Your   wife.     Knock,,  Pop,,  Ring..

Nechville.  In Higginsville.

Lee kelso 

banjomule - Posted - 11/25/2011:  15:27:47

Headphone jack?! As an apartment dweller, that has me really curious!


I would be very interested in seeing a plainly appointed Nechville heli-mount set-up that was priced to compete with some of the affordable type American banjo models realeased the the past couple years (Bishline Patriot and Cimmeron, Deering Eagle II, KK Affordable Series by American Made Banjos)

JamesTanglewylde - Posted - 11/25/2011:  16:01:02

As an apartment dweller myself, I've found that my best option is too take the resonator off of my Nechville, and stuff an averaged sized towel into the pot. After I put the resonator back on, it's literally like playing an electric guitar that is not plugged in. It's awesome because it allows me to play without any fear of other people hearing me which in turn sets me free to really buckle down.

Luke

pick1936 - Posted - 11/26/2011:  12:59:19

The  head  phone  idea  sounds  really  good  to  me.    Go  Tom..

Nechville  In  Higginsville.

Lee  kelso

pick1936 - Posted - 12/03/2011:  11:05:03

I  am  neckin on  the  Nechville   today, just   Great.

Nechville.  In  Higginsvile.

Lee  kelso

Debbiej - Posted - 12/03/2011:  11:48:06

Okay, I'm getting a timbr-tonic tone ring for my maple galaxy phantom, I guess I'll use the ball bearings that are in the present tone ring and go from there as to what to put in. Any suggestions? I know it's going to change the tone a bit but I'd like it to sound as bluegrassy as possible.

thanks,

Debbie

p.s. is this going to be difficult to put in? Is there a video somewhere on replacing the tone ring in the nechville?

dmiller - Posted - 12/03/2011:  13:24:40

Debbie - - replacing the tone ring is both fast and easy.  

Here's a video on replacing the head, but it shows how to get to the ring before removing it

to get to the head.  Once you get to the point where the tone ring comes out,

simply replace the one you used to have with your new one.

Enjoy - - - and have fun, eh?  



(P.S. - - -)  I replaced the Nechville ring with a spare one I had at the house here, just for grins.

It didn't sound as good as the Nechville ring, so I took it back out.  Total time involved??

10 or 15 minutes to get the old one out and the new one in.  Then a coupla hours picking on the "new" ring.

Then another 10 or 15 minutes to take out the "new ring" and replace it with the original one.

pick1936 - Posted - 12/05/2011:  14:10:03

Right. it  is  so  fast  to  make  any  adjustment  on  a  Nechville.  I  love  My   Wood  ring,  and  am  thinking   about  buying  the  bronze  ring  back   also.  Then  can   change  back, and  forth   sooo  fast.  I  may   buy  some  Delrin  balls    although  The  steel  balls   sound   real   good.   It is  so  easy  to  change  things  around  on  a  Nechville.    and  all can  be  done  very  fast. ---  Roll  On  Buddy,  stop  being  a  Nut  Turner HA.

Nechville.  In  Higginsville.

Lee  kelso

pick1936 - Posted - 12/10/2011:  18:34:26

I went   pickin for  3  hrs.  last  night.   The  Timbr -- Tronic   is  sounding  just  great.

Nechville.  In  Higginsville.

Lee  Kelso

Debbiej - Posted - 12/11/2011:  16:43:18

Well everyone I received the timbr-tronic ring and put it in my nechville the other day. I watched the video that dmiller put up above and in no time I had replaced the 20 hole ring with the timbr-tronic. It was a snap. Nechvilles are real easy to change around, it's true! I had to adjust the bridge a little and I'm going to have to lower the action a bit. That I haven't done yet, I need to watch another youtube video on that, I think Nechville has one on there about neck adjustment. I also think I'm going to put some medium gauge strings on instead of the light gauge I have one. I'm thinking that could add a little more meat and sustain to the sound? However I've run out of time for today to work on that so I'll attack that some time this week. I have to say though I'm loving the weight of the nechville and the tone is growing on me. I do have 2 other classic styled banjos if I want that classic banjo sound, it's nice to have something different and light weight.

thanks all,

Debbie

alprice - Posted - 12/11/2011:  21:00:32

Debbie, way to go! All the Help Videos we have made can be found on one place: nechville.com/banjoSetupTips.php

You will get a little more meat out of heavier strings. You may also want to crank the head a little tighter as well.

Enjoy,

Al

CAPT Steve - Posted - 12/12/2011:  09:30:43

Hey everyone,

Ordered my Nechville last week. Some of the things that I've been playing recently would really like a tunneled fifth string, something I didn't have, so I got to looking. It quickly came down to the Nechville Phantom and the Bishline Heirloom. I'll say right up front, either would be a very classy instrument. I had a string of e-mails to Rob Bishline, and to Al Price and Tom Andersen at Janet Davis' shop getting details and trying to get a handle on the various characteristics of the two instruments. (Al--still trying to figure out how you can live in the Pacific Northwest and work for a Minnesota company--ah, modern times, modern times) Tom @ Janet Davis also spoke with Tom Nechville about some of the options I was interested in and Tom N was fully supportive of each, plus letting Tom A know that many of the options were being discounted for the Christmas period. All three gentlemen who I e-mailed were extremely helpful, and patient, and provided extended explanations of the banjos I was looking at. And, the comments on this string played no small part in my decision. Not so much how loyal you are as owners, I got that pretty quickly, but many of the technical discussions from you as the folks who play them (for hours!). The sound clips that I found for the two instruments also helped a great deal in deciding. Putting all this together with the adaptability and the various tones that can be pulled from a Nechville ultimately made the choice pretty simple. Tom N sent me a great e-mail from south France after I ordered it.

I had looked at the Nechville Phantom three years ago; the decision came down to the Phantom and a Stelling Master's Cross, I opted for the Stelling. It's a decision that I haven't regretted as the Stelling is a beautiful instrument with a wonderful sound. Some life circumstances (health and such) got me to thinking recently that I will enjoy owning and playing both instruments as I anticipate they will sound distinctively different. None of us are promised X-number of years and I really want to spend a big chunk of the rest of my life (however many days/months/years) making music. Like many of you already do, I hope to share the wonderful sounds of our instrument in church playing for the Lord. And I hope some of the harps that believers will play in heaven as described in Revelation 15:2 are banjo-shaped.

So here's what the folks at Nechville will be crafting for me, should be awesome! It starts as a walnut Phantom Galaxy, but will have an Orion peghead. The neck will be the standard tunneled fifth using ebony for the fingerboard. On the peghead, I've requested a larger version of the star that's found at the third fret; in my mind, it'll be a lot like the inlay for the Classic DLX, which is my favorite stock peghead inlay. It'll just be star-shaped. I'm a big fan of block rims, so I've asked for a bubinga block rim to go with the standard bell bronze tone ring and 80 steel spheres. Finish will be the natural walnut and will have the maple binding in the usual places. It's really pretty amazing to be able to have this much input into the design of an instrument, to be able to make it 'your own'. There just aren't too many builders who are willing or even interested in doing this for us as owners and musicians. Thank you Tom and your whole team for being so enthusiastic about your craft and allowing us to participate in the process. Now, I have to be patient and wait for it to come together (Aaaarrrrgh! the anticipation's gonna be tough!)

Merry Christmas to all.

pick1936 - Posted - 12/16/2011:  13:50:15

Steve.   you  are  so  right.    Nechville  can  build  anything..   I  am  hoping  to  order  a  custom  Nechville   when  My  finances  are  some better.  I amthru  with  Nut  turning, and  Nechville   is  Just  The  Best.   Knock,,  Pop,  Ring,, Bark,,Knock,,  and  Zing..

Nechvile.  In Higginsville.

Lee  kelso

Goldstarman - Posted - 12/16/2011:  22:33:08

Getting ready to pull the plug hopefully on a Nechville.....I get tired of fooling with buzzes and set up and this and that......Nechvilles are simple, the necks are the best made, period...and i like the sound

jbanjoist - Posted - 12/17/2011:  11:44:36

Steve sounds like you will have a nice banjo.

So receive advanced welcome to the Nechvillian order of banjoists!

CAPT Steve - Posted - 12/17/2011:  13:00:00

Thanks James. Yep, I'm definitely looking forward to getting this one home. From all the sound clips I've heard, it will have a sound different than my Stelling and Gold Star, which was what I was looking for. Plus, I can't wait to try the radiussed, tunneled fifth neck on it (was actually the first item I used to sort instruments.)