This banjo just returned from the Joe Val festival where it received rave reviews by some of the best players out there. It started life as a late 1950s RB100 and will spend the rest of its life as my interpretation of a 1930s style 4.
When I do a 100 conversion, which make great banjos, I start with a very good condition 3 ply pot assembly and go completely through the banjo, including cutting down the resonator side walls and inside lip to pre-war specs, which allow using the long pre-war style L brackets. I add a second coordinator rod and a 4th resonator lug and thumb screw. I have the resonators reskinned to whatever is correct for the model that I am trying to duplicate. In the case of this 100 it was as a style 4 with burl walnut resonator and walnut neck with Brazilian rosewood fingerboard. The neck on this banjo is profiled to templates that I did from an original 1937 RB1. Everyone who played it complimented the ease with which it plays. In the two post-war 100 that I have this year I have used the Dannick no-hole tone ring. Very powerful, wonderful tone with incredible 4th string, strong bluegrass crack, and perfectly balanced everywhere on the neck. How's that for a thorough description of a banjos sound. With the exception of the added tone ring, the coordinator rods, the L brackets and the presto tailpiece, this pot assembly is 100% original and in near mint condition. At $4900 it comes with a Guardian style hard shell case and a satisfaction guarantee. Thanks for your interest...Bill
↧