I own two Nechville banjos and have had no issues with the cogs showing signs of wear. I will say that when using the cog wrenches included with each banjo, care must be taken to ensure they are correctly engaged with the tension ring and that both wrenches are used simultaneously.
I would assume that any premature wear would be the result of operator error.

The heli-mount system is interesting. Innovation can often be beneficial, but in my opinion, the heli-mount system is innovation for the sake of innovation. I think it's a solution in search of a problem.

One advantage of the Nechville banjo design is having consistent tension throughout the head without messing with hooks, nuts and a drum dial.
Another advantage is the easy adjustability of the neck without messing with shims, or coordinator rods or having to reset the neck.
Nechville banjos are great Tavel companions as the neck is quickly and easily detachable. The banjo then fits in a suitcase.
Nechville banjos are also easily converted from full weight tone ring to Hybrid tone hoop to wood tone ring in minutes for those who like to have a good sounding light weight banjo option.

I see the innovative Nechville banjo configuration as just another way of doing things and not as competition to the standard banjo design.

It reminds me of the way engines in cars has gone. You used to have to manually adjust each rocker for valve lash or it ran 'off'. You had to mess around with timing guns and distributors to get the spark timing right or it ran 'off'. Dialing in carbs and cleaning them, you get the idea. Do this stuff weekly/monthly, stay on top of it.

Now the rockers bolt in place at perfect lash and never need adjusting, ever. Distributorless ignition means no timing to fiddle with. Fuel injection, you get the idea. Not to say they are perfect systems, but much less variables to need to mess with on a persistent and frequent basis just to stay running well.

I think the Nechville design represents a great step towards keeping the banjo a banjo while still improving on some of the things that can be improved. It hasn't radically changed the banjo as an instrument (still looks and sounds like a banjo) but has addressed areas to improve consistency and serviceability. Much like the Chevy 350 moving to the LS style V8 redesign of it.

Pick-A-Lick,

How do you know that the heli-mount system achieves "consistent tension throughout the head"?

At face value, it seems like it should apply consistent pressure against the entire circumference of the flesh hoop — barring whatever side-to-side offset the threads themselves present (probably negligibly tight tolerances)?

Beyond that, it would be down to the construction of the head itself and localized tension increase/stretch around the bridge feet.

That’s my assumption anyway, though I only owned a Nechville for a short while. Are you thinking otherwise?

quote:

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Originally posted by RB3

Pick-A-Lick,

How do you know that the heli-mount system achieves "consistent tension throughout the head"?

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There is constant even pressure created by the apparatus that when it is turned it is tightening the head against the tone ring. It's like screwing a ring and a cap onto a mason jar. I have a drum dual for use on my standard banjos and I do use it on my Nechville banjos to indicate when I reach the preferred head tension. The head is always at even tension as it is tightened. I have checked. 
Nechville banjos sound great and the playability is as good as it gets IMO. I have one Nechville with the standard heavy tone ring and one with the lightweight Nechville Hybrid ring.

That said I do own four handmade standard hook banjos (one of which is a lightweight Turtle Hill Woody) all of which I enjoy playing as well. The old school in me enjoys setting them up and fussing with them. 
I enjoy playing all of my banjos and guitars on a regular basis and really don't have a favorite as they all sound different.  
Something for everyone I'd say.