Banjo weights?
Philip & Vicoria
Renoman
"Philip & Vicoria" <cal...@shaw.ca> wrote in message news:70OZa.695696$ro6.14...@news2.calgary.shaw.ca...
I have several Gibsons and one Baldwin.......they vary from 12 to 13-1/2 pounds......16 is a bit on the heavy side...........R M
Sean Barry
: I have a newbie question on banjo weights? Recently, someone said my
Does it have a lead tone ring?! The heaviest Gibson Mastertones ever (the
top tensions) only weigh 12 pounds, and most other Mastertone style banjos
weigh about 10.0 pounds. Granted, after you've been playing on stage for
an hour or so the decimal point drops out. A 16 pound banjo is pretty
amazing and much heavier than anything I'd want to play. Standing up it
would throw my back out, sitting down it would cut off circulation to my
already decrepit legs. I admire your tenacity.
Sean Barry
Mark Knoepfle
-Mark
"Philip & Vicoria" <cal...@shaw.ca> wrote in message
news:70OZa.695696$ro6.14...@news2.calgary.shaw.ca...
Don Hergert
I'm not familiar with the "Raven", but 16 lbs. sounds pretty heavy...
Some banjos have a reputation to be very heavy.
In particular the Stelling banjos come to mind as the heaviest by
reputation. In their standard bluegrass banjo configuration they have a
cast *solid* bronze tone ring as well as a bronze tension hoop and bronze
flange, as well as a fairly thick Maple block pot. The Gibson Top-Tension
banjos -- with their heavy top-tension hoops and solid resonator backs --
are also reputed to be pretty heavy.
My home-built RB-3 Mastertone copy is my heaviest banjo at 14 lbs. It has
StewMac's mid '70s cast bronze hardware set which included archtop tone
ring, flange and tension hoop, and a custom solid resonator back similar in
shape to Gibson's Top Tension banjos. In contrast, my main playing banjo, a
'25 Ballbearing Mastertone with its original brass tone ring, 2-piece flange
and tension hoop, weighs in at only 11 lbs.; while it's only 3 lbs.
difference, I can definitely feel that difference after standing and
performing for an hour or so.
Some folks have attributed better tone and volume with weight, but I don't
believe that is a reliable way of setting expectations. It may be
coincidental with a better banjo's materials and workmanship, but I've heard
some great banjos that don't weigh that much.
As you may have already learned, those of us with weaker backs may have to
watch the way we stand with the heavier banjos... Posture becomes
important. There are also back-support straps and even some banjo
performance-stands that are available for people who need them.
Just out of curiosity, does anyone here know the weights for the Stellings?
I just called Janet Davis' store, but the sales person (not Janet) didn't
know off the top of his head.
Best,
-- Don
====================================
"Philip & Vicoria" <cal...@shaw.ca> wrote in message
news:70OZa.695696$ro6.14...@news2.calgary.shaw.ca...
Sean Barry
: In particular the Stelling banjos come to mind as the heaviest by
: reputation. In their standard bluegrass banjo configuration they have a
Just by reputation though. Geoff Stelling insists that his banjos come in
right where Gibson standard Mastertones do. My Stelling Red Fox weighs
exactly 10 pounds, my 1950's archtop Gibson RB-250 weighs almost 11. I
once had two '34 RB-4's that each weighed 10.5 pounds. I sold them and
converted those 21 pounds to a couple of thousand pounds of roofing
material, installed. Now I'm dry in the winter and still have the
Stelling and 1950's Gibson to pick on those cold, dry nights....
Sean Barry
Lynn Oliver
get an idea where the weight comes from. I used a kitchen scale, so
accuracy is probably on the order of +/- one ounce.
Huber tone ring 2 lb 15 oz
neck and tuners 1 lb 6 oz
resonator 1 lb 4 oz
flange 1 lb 3 oz
3 ply maple rim 1 lb 1 oz
tension hoop 13 oz
coordinator rods 7 oz
hooks and nuts 7 oz
armrest, braket, bolt 4 oz
L brackets, screws, thumbscrews
3 oz
Presto tailpiece 2 oz
Remo/Huber head 2 oz
Showcase strap 4 oz
Elliott capo 1 oz
I think that all adds up to something like 10 lbs 1 oz.
Lynn
Philip & Vicoria
this winter. Nickel on brass, mahogany neck, solid mahogany resonator and a
beautiful tone. It weighs just under 10 lbs. Last week I found another
similiar one and bought it for "parts", but it weighs just under 16 lbs -
didn't notice the difference until a friend pointed it out. Tonight I will
be taking it apart to see where the extra weight is - I like projects like
this!
Philip
"Sean Barry" <sjb...@veni.ucdavis.edu> wrote in message
news:bh8l6d$42e$1...@woodrow.ucdavis.edu...
Don Hergert
That's interesting about your Stelling... Back in the late '70s when I was
more in touch with Stelling's banjos (I worked for a short time with Oakie
Adams who made Geoff's pots then), at least the Starflower model was
noticably heavier than my 14 lb. StewMac RB3 copy. I have to wonder what
changes -- if any -- have been made in Geoff's designs since then. Whatever
those changes might be, the old and new Stellings definately have great tone
and volume, though.
Your thoughts about roofing are provocative, too... I know it is easy for
me to loose sight of what else those coveted banjo dollars could go for [g].
Best,
-- Don
"Sean Barry" <sjb...@veni.ucdavis.edu> wrote in message
news:bh8l6d$42e$1...@woodrow.ucdavis.edu...
Don Hergert
That's interesting how little the neck weighs. What wood is it made with?
Best,
-- Don
======================
"Lynn Oliver" <chi...@nospamgte.net> wrote in message
news:2qRZa.1770$zs6...@nwrddc01.gnilink.net...
Lynn Oliver
It's maple, and since it uses the old Granada profile it actually has more
wood in it than some of the more modern shapes. The tuners weigh about 5
oz, so the neck is just barely over one pound.
Lynn
Philip & Vicoria
Thanks Lynn, that bit of information is wonderful on the various weights! I
now have a benchmark!
Philip
Tommy Anderson
"Philip & Vicoria" <cal...@shaw.ca> wrote in message
news:70OZa.695696$ro6.14...@news2.calgary.shaw.ca...
Michael Cala
curious.
I never weighed it while I owned one (ODE STYLE II) , but, even in my lap,
it felt like I was carrying around a trunk full of rocks. I loved its
sound -- sold it because it was simply too heavy.
"Sean Barry" <sjb...@veni.ucdavis.edu> wrote in message
news:bh8hjt$2mh$1...@woodrow.ucdavis.edu...
DEDCENTER
weeks ago. OWW!! No, but it seems heavier than a lot of other Gibby models.
Ded
mhofer
banjo?
Dropped my banjo on my foot a few months back, in the case, going out the
door to a jam, while reaching for doors it slipped from my hand.
That was my first question, luckily the case did its job in protecting the
instrument.
Somehow my foot didnt hurt as much once that was established.
good pickin to you
Michael
http://banjobasics.virtualave.net/
"DEDCENTER" <dedc...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20030813005856...@mb-m03.aol.com...
Cathy Cowette
"mhofer" <mhofer...@chicagonet.net> wrote in message
news:vjlf1mk...@corp.supernews.com...
> I bet your first question was, did the fall or foot do any damage to the
> banjo?
>
> Dropped my banjo on my foot a few months back, in the case, going out the
> door to a jam, while reaching for doors it slipped from my hand.
> That was my first question, luckily the case did its job in protecting the
> instrument.
> Somehow my foot didnt hurt as much once that was established.
>
> good pickin to you
> Michael
> http://banjobasics.virtualave.net/
>
Hi Michael,
So far, I've managed not to drop the banjo, but I did have quite a mishap
with my Martin D-15 guitar. I was accompanying our fiddle group on a flatbed
trailer in a local parade. Before the parade even started, the back leg of
my chair slipped down into a hole on the flatbed and threw me overboard,
four feet down to the pavement right flat on my face. Somewhere in that four
feet, I let go of the guitar and it landed on it's side, then tumbled end
for end several times. It pretty much demolished the guitar. There's a 15
inch crack on along the bottom side, the neck is out of alignment, and the
Fishman Prefix took a severe beating and no longer works. I've been on and
off the phone all day with the lovely organizers, who claim they have no
property damage or personal injury insurance, and can only give me $300, as
that's all the money they have in their fund. Right. I almost believe that
one! I have a meeting with my lawyer in the morning. This could get pretty
ugly before it's resolved. One way or another, I'm getting a new D-15, with
a Fishman Prefix and a bone nut and saddle installed, just like the old one.
In the meantime, I'll just keep practicing those banjo rolls.
Cathy
http:
Don Hergert
Ouch! Excuse me for butting in, but I hope your injuries were far less
serious than your guitar's, or hopefully even non-existant...
We'll be rooting for you, let us know how this goes!
Best,
-- Don
=======================
"Cathy Cowette" <ca...@cathycowette.com> wrote in message
news:bheuhl$djm$1...@slb0.atl.mindspring.net...
Mike Stanger
I don't know how much it weighed, but an early Stelling top tension
archtop was the heaviest banjo I've ever played. I'll bet it was around
15-17 pounds. It also had a blocked rim, which is supposed to be heavier
than a laminated rim. The latest Stelling I've played weighed about as
much as a Gibson equivalent. The archtop was a wonderful banjo; a custom
Staghorn, and one of the very best I ever laid hands on... I heard,
years later, that it ended up in a Jackson Hole pawn shop.
Regards,
Stanger
Don Hergert
Just out of curiosity, did that top-tension archtop Stelling have a
solid-back flat-on-the-inside resonator (instead of a formed-plywood-back
resonator), similar to Gibson's top-tension banjos?
Best,
-- Don
============================================
"Mike Stanger" <mrst...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:3F3C50A6...@earthlink.net...
Dr. Rev. Chuck, M.D. P.A.
>
> Has anyone ever weighed a circa-1960 ODE solid-aluminum pot? I'd be really
> curious.
>
> I never weighed it while I owned one (ODE STYLE II) , but, even in my lap,
> it felt like I was carrying around a trunk full of rocks. I loved its
> sound -- sold it because it was simply too heavy.
DIY pots turned from Buick rims would be heavier.