revellfa - Posted - 08/22/2016:  18:06:31

well some of em anyway.  Im really liking my dads 32 pw archtop with a loose head (around 85 on the drum dial), a thicker bridge (2.3 gram Nechville enterprise), and a paramount tailpiece cranked not quite half way down.  youtu.be/JNoK6DwZxbA

Archtops are suppose to like tight heads, thin bridges, and tps cranked all the way down .

The Old Timer - Posted - 08/22/2016:  18:27:37

Is that a hide head? Nice dry sound.

Aradobanjo - Posted - 08/22/2016:  18:30:51

Hello,

I thought Robby Boone's presentation of 9407-1 said that a pre-war AT does not need to be set like Ralph Stanley's AT. The banjo sounds fine. 

revellfa - Posted - 08/22/2016:  18:46:02

quote:

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Originally posted by The Old Timer

 

Is that a hide head? Nice dry sound.

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Sure is.  It's a stern tanning that I stained with walnut.  GREAT head!

TOMCAT - Posted - 08/22/2016:  18:52:32

Sounds great Frank! I just put a hide head on my old banjer too

Blackjaxe47 - Posted - 08/22/2016:  20:09:58

Rules need to be broken sometimes, that's how we expand our knowledge. This has really got me thinking about putting a Hide Head on my archtop. Do you have a link Frank for purchasing a hide head.,,,would appreciate it. Also can I use the existing hoop from a mylar head by trimming away all the mylar or do I need to buy or make a flesh hoop.

TOMCAT - Posted - 08/22/2016:  20:55:40

Men I got mine from John Balch here on the hangout. And he has premounted too.

rbfour5 - Posted - 08/22/2016:  21:37:40

Your dad would be proud of the sound you are getting out of his '32 style 3 arch top. I like it!

Bart Veerman - Posted - 08/22/2016:  22:45:07

Sounds nice, real nice. But... sounds more like a sparky flat top than an archtop to MY ears.

That said, whatever your ears like trumps all and kudos for going with what YOU like.

Jonnycake White - Posted - 08/23/2016:  07:50:29

I don't know about any rules (there aren't any for us clawhammerers anyway) but that's a great sounding banjo to my taste.

revellfa - Posted - 08/23/2016:  08:51:31

quote:

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Originally posted by Blackjaxe47

 

Rules need to be broken sometimes, that's how we expand our knowledge. This has really got me thinking about putting a Hide Head on my archtop. Do you have a link Frank for purchasing a hide head.,,,would appreciate it. Also can I use the existing hoop from a mylar head by trimming away all the mylar or do I need to buy or make a flesh hoop.

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Thanks buddy!  I think archtops especially sound great with hide heads.  I bought mine from Stern Tanning Company.  JBalch here on the hangout gets his from there as well.  I have purchased hide heads all over the place and I can tell you that there is a BIG difference between a good one and a bad one.  A good one stretches very little once it is mounted well on a SQUARE not round fleshoop.  I have used the hoops from mylar heads before but you really have to do that job right--you have to take a dremel to sand the rough edges off or it can tear your head. 

revellfa - Posted - 08/23/2016:  08:53:29

quote:

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Originally posted by Bart Veerman

 

Sounds nice, real nice. But... sounds more like a sparky flat top than an archtop to MY ears.

That said, whatever your ears like trumps all and kudos for going with what YOU like.

 

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Thanks Bart and BTW when I set archtops up Ralph Stanley style with the head really tight, the tailpiece cranked down, and a thin bridge it is ALWAYS a Veerman archtop woodie bridge--they sound great!

revellfa - Posted - 08/23/2016:  08:54:12

quote:

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Originally posted by Jonnycake White

 

I don't know about any rules (there aren't any for us clawhammerers anyway) but that's a great sounding banjo to my taste.

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That's the beauty of this set up is that it works well for clawhammer as well--I'll post a video soon.