Reading some of your comments on here about Doc, Florisel and their incredible banjos helped me make the decision to adopt #26 (Built in 2005). I bought it used and brought it down to Doc's shop yesterday where he worked with me to customize it and make it feel like my own. It was incredible experience with two very special people in Doc and Florisel. We swapped the Renaissance head for a beautiful skin head, swapped the old bridge for one of his Cathederal bridges and strung it with Nygluts. I'm still waiting for the skin to completely dry (he suggested I tighten the head a bit tomorrow), to hear what the true sound will be but so far so good. The thing is stunning to look at. I'll post photos soon. Anyway, thanks to you all for sharing your thoughts about your experiences with Doc's banjos to help me make this decision.
5 Comments |
 | PigAnkle says:
3/14/2014 4:42:10 PM
Congratulations - and post photos soon!
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 | jmoathout says:
3/14/2014 5:02:30 PM
Great. I know you'll enjoy it. I have had Doc's #169 for a couple of years, and just received a couple of weeks ago his custom #220, a semi-fretless that is a pleasure to hear, play, and see. I'm not sure how to post photos here, but you can see it on my home site. Doc and I are working to put in a small S-frailing scoop on the Baluster neck. His objective is perfection.
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 | darrenjahn says:
3/17/2014 8:28:01 AM
Congrats! Doc and Florisel are amazing. Glad you got to get to know them in person. Enjoy your new banjo!
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Earthworm says:
3/17/2014 9:00:19 AM
Thanks guys. Darren, hearing some of your sound files was a big factor in my going this direction. Sounds great. I do have a question. This is my first skin head (and first time w/ nygluts), and I haven't made adjustments on my previous banjos beyond changing the strings. Doc recommended I tighten all nuts a quarter turn after letting the skin dry a couple of days. When I did that it really seemed to take all the sustain out of the banjo. Notes up above the second fret on the high d string sound very "dead" for lack of a better term. Assuming the head was too tight, I went back around and loosened them all a quarter turn, but I'm having trouble getting the pot to sing again. I'm assuming it's important to have even tension and am thinking that might be the problem. I've seen that some folks on here use a drum dial. Any suggestions on how to go about fine tuning this head for a newbie?
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 | pjmarp says:
5/6/2014 3:05:54 PM
I received just this afternoon Doc's #195 -- used from Elderly. Question - how long has it taken you all to really assess a banjo? I have a few days. It is beautiful, for sure. I changed the bridge to the shorter one, which made the action acceptably low. The neck is scalloped. Short slides are great, but longer slides seem to lose the sound. That could be me adjusting. I am wondering whether I will be able to really tell in a few days whether it is for me? I am an advanced beginner, Scruggs style for now, but prefer open backs and mellower tones. Thoughts?
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