timacn - Posted - 01/06/2015:  14:24:20

Back in the 70s John Farmer, an extraordinary musician, teacher, and nice guy, let me play his prewar Gibson archtop banjo after a lesson.  I have always remembered it as the best sounding banjo I have ever heard.  A few years ago Dave at Turtle Hill Banjo let me play a variety of prewar Gibsons at his amazing store.  They were all flatheads and superlative banjos, but they didn't sound like John Farmer's.  I had thought the mojo coming out of John's banjo was the elusive "prewar Gibson sound" because it was the only prewar Gibson I had ever played. When I finally had the opportunity via Turtle Hill to play some other prewars,  those other flathead Gibsons didn't have that sound I had remembered from John's old archtop. 

The other day I played a friend's Asian archtop banjo, beautifully restored and set up by Tim Smith of Save The Banjos.  Once again, I heard a little of that sound I had heard in John Farmer's banjo.  The light bulb went off and I realized that the tone I remembered and was hearing a little of again, a sound that I cannot even accurately describe, must have or might have been coming from the archtop tone ring.  (I say "might have" because I realize that a banjo's sound is a function of many components and variables.)  I will say that "the sound" is not just an increase in treble that I've heard archtops have.  I am talking about some kinds of additional overtones going on.

To make a long story short(er), I was wondering which  of the modern makers produce well made, good sounding archtop  banjos these days.  I need to hear more.

As always, thanks for your help. 

revellfa - Posted - 01/06/2015:  14:27:59

I'd go on over to Bedford Banjo shop, he has several of Corkey Wireck's banjos (the Windsong banjo.) They are mostly all archtops.  All the ones I've played had a great sold archtop sound.

Edited by - revellfa on 01/06/2015 14:28:49

banjo bill-e - Posted - 01/06/2015:  14:33:38

Check out Yates.

trapdoor2 - Posted - 01/06/2015:  14:33:53

Stelling still offers an archtop option. I've had mine since the mid '80's.

banjo bill-e - Posted - 01/06/2015:  14:41:37

At a festival last summer I heard a banjo sound that grabbed my attention and went to investigate. The guy said it was an "early 60s Gibson" and it was obviously an archtop. It was one of the best sounding banjos that I've ever heard, had that "dry splat" sound and cut right through the mix of instruments.

RedStar - Posted - 01/06/2015:  14:58:50

Still need to convince Recording King to make an AT!

Mark

stanleytone - Posted - 01/06/2015:  15:00:44

Frank Neat Stanleytones are the best archtops on the market if you want that Stanley sound.

Buzzbomb - Posted - 01/06/2015:  15:12:37

Have a listen to Prucha:-

en.pruchabanjos.cz/banjo.php?b...tone-ring

Although not listed on their website, they were happy to fit an archtop tone-ring on a lesser spec'd "Legend" which I got just before Christmas...

Dave Peterson - Posted - 01/06/2015:  15:14:03

I had a 1958 Gibson banjo with the 4 hole archtop tone ring that sounded really nice. I also recently played a 1979 Goldstar blonde maple archtop that sounded amazing; a real sweet and responsive tone. The early Goldstars were very well made.

prewartb3 - Posted - 01/06/2015:  15:31:39

quote:

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Originally posted by banjo bill-e

Check out Yates.

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The Yates AT tone ring IMO is the best. The Yates ring doesn't have that high pitched sound but cuts through like a knife. Cheaper than a flathead too

RioStat - Posted - 01/06/2015:  15:45:36

I've got an 84 blond maple GoldStar Wreath archtop, that sounds real good.

I've got a "parts" banjo with a '62 4 hole Gibson archtop ring in it, that I put together, that sounds real, real good ! (photos on my homepage)

I've got a Cox rim with a Sullivan vintage 40 hole ring on it, with a mid-70's RB 250 neck, RK resonator, that I put together, that sounds real, real, real good !!  This banjo has "that" sound!  

I played one of those FlintHill (Recording King clones) archtops at a festival a couple years ago, it had a pretty good "pop" to it. I think with a decent / better set-up, it could've sounded real good.

Edited by - RioStat on 01/06/2015 15:52:44

Beardog - Posted - 01/06/2015:  15:52:35

i have a mahogany Prucha arch-top. A stellar banjo. Arthur Hatfield makes a good one, too. I had an arch-top Nechville that was great, too. One of the best sounding banjos I've ever heard or played is a prewar arch-top Granada that belongs to Randy O'dell (36tb1 on the BHO). I haven't had the chance to play a Yates RS33 Archie, but I lust to do so!!

Gary Griffin - Posted - 01/06/2015:  16:05:17

Tim,

Ronald Coleman @ Earl's 5 banjo shop made me a brand new one the other day using a 40 hole arch top tone ring, that looks and sounds awesome. You can read the review on it that I posted for more details on my homepage. Ron is very fair with his prices and the Customer Service is excellent!

warpdrive - Posted - 01/06/2015:  16:05:36

as riostat mentioned, i will have to agree on the 62-4 hole archie ring that gibson had! i had a 62 arch top that was killer, more dillard like than stanley, warm, not harsh!

revellfa - Posted - 01/06/2015:  16:56:33

I also had a Cox archtop that was fantastic.

I have a 54 RB-250 with the 4 hole ring for sale in the classifieds. Standard disclaimer--I DO have an interest in the sale of this banjo and I DO know the seller!

From Greylock to Bean Blossom - Posted - 01/06/2015:  20:58:12

I have two comments,

Dick Guggenheim (dickinnorwich) made a beautiful sounding archtop for me.

Arthur Hatfield made a very good archtop for Tommy Brown also. Tommy will let you play it if you see him at a show.

ken

 

Joe Jakonczuk - Posted - 01/07/2015:  08:07:14

quote:

---

Originally posted by Beardog

i have a mahogany Prucha arch-top. A stellar banjo. Arthur Hatfield makes a good one, too. I had an arch-top Nechville that was great, too. One of the best sounding banjos I've ever heard or played is a prewar arch-top Granada that belongs to Randy O'dell (36tb1 on the BHO). I haven't had the chance to play a Yates RS33 Archie, but I lust to do so!!

---

SNIFF.

1fiddle2play - Posted - 01/07/2015:  08:13:55

Where to get just a good AT ring

RioStat - Posted - 01/07/2015:  09:29:06

quote:

---

Originally posted by 1fiddle2play

Where to get just a good AT ring

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stewmac.com/Hardware_and_Parts...Ring.html

firstqualitymusic.com/store/pa...el-sul-4/

ebay.com/itm/Vintage-5-Star-Ar...39aa33acd

Of these 3, I'd take the No-hole from Ebay, but that's just me.......

pickNgrin - Posted - 01/07/2015:  09:55:29

Old Gibson archtops are priced within reason compared to many modern boutique banjos. I would not automatically assume that they are out of reach. 

kmwaters - Posted - 01/07/2015:  13:19:06

No doubt the Neat Stanleytone is great, like all of his banjos. But be ready to open your wallet.

I would also check out Prucha, as I think those folks probably give you more bang for the buck than any American maker.

Oldtwanger - Posted - 01/07/2015:  14:42:51

quote:

---

Originally posted by timacn

..........Back in the 70s John Farmer, an extraordinary musician, teacher, and nice guy, let me play his prewar Gibson archtop banjo after a lesson.  I have always remembered it as the best sounding banjo I have ever heard.  A few years ago Dave at Turtle Hill Banjo let me play a variety of prewar Gibsons at his amazing store.  They were all flatheads and superlative banjos, but they didn't sound like John Farmer's.  I had thought the mojo coming out of John's banjo was the elusive "prewar Gibson sound" because it was the only prewar Gibson I had ever played. When I finally had the opportunity via Turtle Hill to play some other prewars,  those other flathead Gibsons didn't have that sound I had remembered from John's old archtop........... 

---

The banjo John played in those days was a Ball Bearing style TB-5, 8444-1 with a 5-string repro neck by Eric Schulte.

At times John played it with an inverted tonering.

SReynolds - Posted - 01/08/2015:  05:04:51

It is as simple as pulling the flat top tone ring and replacing it with an arch style ring and maybe converting to a shorter bridge or is there much more to it than that???

.....such as the maple rim, the tension hoop etc etc.

vincekinney - Posted - 01/08/2015:  05:29:58

Riostat
I LOVE the fact that a banjo you put together with different maker parts and pieces got the top rating on your post.Im starting a parts banjo myself and am encouraged by that!
Thanks

From Greylock to Bean Blossom - Posted - 01/08/2015:  06:12:27

quote:

---

Originally posted by vincekinney

Riostat

I LOVE the fact that a banjo you put together with different maker parts and pieces got the top rating on your post.Im starting a parts banjo myself and am encouraged by that!

Thanks

---

Vince,

I would really encourage you to talk to Dick Guggenheim. He is close to you being in Norwich Connecticut. Dick is a super smart guy who by trade is a city planner. He has been working on banjos for 40+ years and has done a lot of innovative work like making his own rims out of a variety of materials and also baking rims to get them to sound older. The unique thing about Dick is that he feels a banjo sounds like how all its parts combine and he works finding the right combination. On my archtop, which I wanted to sound like Ralph Stanley's with  a rich 3th string and the sharp driving other strings, he checked out a lot of combinations. We stared with an early 60's Gibson archtop ring, The rim Dick made used Lacewood and maple. Lacewood is a wood used by guitar makers to make an instrument sound older. Google that. But In trying different rings Dick found that it sounded better with and old Gold Star ring. You should at least talk to Dick and get some ideas from him. He really knows his stuff.  Pictures of my banjo that he made for me are on my home page. the wood work is gorgeous.

Ken

Ken

pickNgrin - Posted - 01/08/2015:  09:10:13

If I was the original poster, I would be all over this banjo:

banjohangout.org/classified/48802

earnestbanjo.com/gibson_banjo_...85-42.htm

Edited by - pickNgrin on 01/08/2015 09:11:19

RioStat - Posted - 01/08/2015:  09:42:16

quote:

---

Originally posted by pickNgrin

If I was the original poster, I would be all over this banjo:

banjohangout.org/classified/48802

earnestbanjo.com/gibson_banjo_...85-42.htm

---

Here's the Ebay ad for the same banjo, with photos.

ebay.com/itm/1929-gibson-maste...5e33ba733

vincekinney - Posted - 01/08/2015:  11:53:33

Ken
Thanks for the heads up,I talked to Dick on the phone and have emailed .Im looking forward to meeting him,and excited about his rims and other things he has to offer.