Hawthorn: Walnut Bowtie

Submitted by donestephens on 9/28/2019

Where Purchased: Direct from the Builder

Year Purchased: 2019
Price Paid: Don't Remember historic exchange rates / currency converter

Sound

This banjo is made in the style of the Gibson "Bowties" that were manufactured and sold between 1954 and 1970. It has a fuller and rounder tone than my archtop 1960 RB-250. (This new banjo is flathead). The tone is even and clear all the way up the neck. Lots of get-up-and-go in the sound.

Sound Rating: 10

Setup

The setup is excellent as delivered. Bridge was taken down for shipment, but the right spot was accurately marked on the head in pencil. I have not changed the setup yet. I tend toward a lower action, so eventually I will make adjustments.

Setup Rating: 10

Appearance

The burl walnut resonator and black walnut neck are beautiful. Neck and peghead hew very closely to the classic bowtie look with the manufacturer's "Hawthorn" name on the peghead. The custom coordinator rod cover reads "Walnut Bowtie" in an angled script. The craftsmanship, fit and finish are all excellent. I have not found any flaws in the finish.

Appearance Rating: 10

Reliability

It has the reissue Kluson stair-step tuners, which is a nice period-correct touch for any modern banjo that wants to be called a bowtie. Price SL-5 straight line tailpiece. Everything is expertly plated in chrome.

Reliability Rating: 10

Customer Service

Glenn is a great guy to deal with, and the transaction was painless.

Customer Service: 10

Components

Components are all top notch. The tone ring is a Kulesh Big 10 20 Hole flathead. It has a Jimmy Cox three play maple rim. It's worth remembering that a weak point in lots of the later Bowties was the thin rim, so this part choice is appreciated. The fingerboard is rosewood.

Components Rating: 10

Overall Comments

I am very pleased with this banjo.  As a fan of the Bowties I am pleased to see fine instrument makes like Glenn and his crew undertake a serious reproduction.  In their day, the Bowties didn't get lots of respect, partly because that was a period when Gibson was uneven in the quality of their products.  When they were well made, they were hard to beat. Hawthorn has turned a great one.

Overall Rating: 10

Reno Style Workshop with Don Wayne Reno and Jason Skinner (May 27, 2017)

Submitted by donestephens on 5/30/2017

Overall Comments

I was fortunate to attend this workshop held this past Saturday at the Tree of Life Center in Clarksville, Tennesse. There were nine students, plus the two fine teachers, Don Wayne Reno and Jason Skinner.  This was a half-day, four hour workshop, and the format was appropriately informal.  Don Wayne and Jason demonstrated a variety of classic Don Reno tunes and techniques. Everyone was encouraged to ask their questions about specific tunes and techniques.

Cost: At $100.00, this was a bargain. 

Quality of Teaching:  Over-the-top! Don Wayne learned from the master himself, and Jason Skinner has devoted decades to a systematic study of Reno's catalog of technique. Both are excellent at explanation and demonstration. 

The Crowd:  Nice mix of folks, including some from faraway.  Also, probably a 60 year age range from youngest-to-oldest, and all of them stalwart Reno fans. 

Skill Level: You don't have to know any Reno banjo to benefit from this workshop, but, at the same time, this isn't for a complete beginner. While not all of Reno's material was necessarily hard to play, his approach was complex, and it could be intimidating for the novice.

If you get a chance to attend one of these workshops, go for it. You will not regret it. 

 

 

 

Overall Rating: 10