Help with selecting a Mastertone
SAS
All player advice appreciated.
Currently playing on a Goodtime and want something better.
Thanks-
Tom
try out as many of them as you can. In the end, you'll want one that sounds
good to you, feels good in your hands, and fits your budget. Gibson is my
own personal choice. You can start at the RB250 (the older ones are better,
I think) and go up from there. I have recently taken a real shine to the
Golden Deluxe although I haven't had the opportunity to play one. I don't
think you'll go wrong with a Gibson, whatever you choose.
Tom.
"SAS" <sazda...@osu.edu> wrote in message
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Todd
I wouldn't look at just Gibson....there are a LOT of quality banjo makers
around....Ome,Stelling,etc...and there is always the option of having one
custom built :) My 2 cents.
Todd
"SAS" <sazda...@osu.edu> wrote in message
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Mike Silbernagel-The Boot Draggers
the resonator otherwise in great condition and sounds and plays
excellent. It has a Price straightline tailpiece installed and the
original presto comes with it. otherwise stock. New in 1995.
remove nospam from address to email for details.
Mike.
DEDCENTER
other brands too. My heart was set on a Granada. Well, I love the Style 6
(the one with all the fancy checkerboard inly) but I couldn't scrape 6 or 7
thousand together.
I lucked out, finding a 1977 RB-800. Fantastic tone with a Faulkner tone ring
but it is FANCY!!! Whew!! All kinds of binding extras, pearl extras, etc. But
I would have bought it even if it were plain. It has such a colorful tone.
Huge sustain and beautiful lows and mids. Punches out highs well too, the way
this gorrilla plays. I would say it is a lot like the RB-3 except fancier.
Ded
TornDesign
I've got an Earl Scruggs model Gibson and I absolutely love it.
Are you able to get out to any instrument dealers and play a few different
ones? A lot of it depends on how much you have to spend, and of course personal
preference.
if you aren't able to get to a music store, I would check with gregboyd.com and
dave at turtlehillbanjo.com. No dogs at either of those shops.
terry
Mike Stanger
The guts of all new Mastertones are essentially the same these days, so
a lot of choosing which Gibson suits you depends a lot on the cosmetics.
(the exceptions to this are the J.D. Crowe model and the RB6. Both
feature a flat top tone ring that is different from the rest- it's
slightly shallower and thinner than the others, and is a reproduction of
the first flat top rings).
The Scruggs models, especially the Standard, is built to closely
resemble Earl's banjo. They have a beefier neck than the RB250 and some
of the other re-issues, like the Granada.
I think your choice will depend on what your intentions are. If you
think you may sell the banjo down the line, I think one of the Scruggs
series may be the best choice, especially if you like the neck. I can't
say for sure, but it seems that the Scruggs tend to return most of their
original price on resale, and are probably the most popular model Gibson
now makes. My personal favorite for price vs. tone is the 250- they are
the bottom of the Mastertone line, but have all the features, and I like
their looks a lot. Lots of bang for the buck, and a real good working
banjo. They are also good on resale, I think... during the 70's and
80's, the RB250 model kept Gibson in the banjo business, and lots of
folks know them.
Regards,
Stanger
Ken Lynn
dedc...@aol.com says...
>
> I lucked out, finding a 1977 RB-800. Fantastic tone with a Faulkner tone ring
> but it is FANCY!!! Whew!! All kinds of binding extras, pearl extras, etc. But
> I would have bought it even if it were plain. It has such a colorful tone.
> Huge sustain and beautiful lows and mids. Punches out highs well too, the way
> this gorrilla plays. I would say it is a lot like the RB-3 except fancier.
I have a close to mint '81 RB-800 (wreath inlay) that I picked up about
10 years ago from a guy who was selling off instruments to pay for a new
wife or something. (I got a Marshall amp from him too.) It has great
tone, as you describe, though I'd guess not a Faulkner tone ring in that
year (?). When I got it, I'd been laid off playing for well over 10
years, and I thought maybe it would fire me up to start again. What it
did was totally spoil me in relation to the '74 RB-250, but I never
really liked playing it on account of the narrower neck. It's 1 3/8" at
the nut, outside-to-outside binding. (It might help if I had something
done with the nut. I think the 1st string is a hair too close to the
binding.) I like the way 1 1/4" feels a whole lot better, though it
doesn't seem like enough difference to notice so much.
The RB-800 is also too fancy for my skill. That and the rest said, I
can't help being attached to it. It's a lovely instrument.
My ears are half shot, and I don't have enough experience listening to
different banjos to hold myself out as any kind of judge, but for what
it's worth, what I've very recently played (a little) that felt and
sounded best to me was a new Sullivan Greenbriar. I picked it close in
time, but not the same place) to a Tennessee (don't know the model) and
Scruggs and J.D. Crowe model Gibsons. I thought the action was set too
high on the J.D. Crowe, but it sounded great. The 4th string slot on the
nut was noticeably off on the Scruggs. It was the most visually
appealing to my eyes. The Tennessee sounded thin, though it could have
been my ears that day. The Sullivan was amazing. I loved the feel of the
neck. As I'm thinking about it, I got myself up facing a brick was from
a few feet, which undoubtedly accounts for some of the difference in
sound.
KL
Ken Lynn
says...
> My personal favorite for price vs. tone is the 250- they are
> the bottom of the Mastertone line, but have all the features, and I like
> their looks a lot. Lots of bang for the buck, and a real good working
> banjo. They are also good on resale, I think... during the 70's and
> 80's, the RB250 model kept Gibson in the banjo business, and lots of
> folks know them.
I remember going into what was then staggering debt to buy a new RB-250
in '74 (my first banjo). It was $800 then.
DEDCENTER
<<I have a close to mint '81 RB-800 (wreath inlay) that I picked up about
10 years ago from a guy who was selling off instruments to pay for a new
wife or something.>>
I bet the RB-800 is prettier!! Is it cherry-burst also? The wreath pattern is
fairly rare.
<<What it
did was totally spoil me in relation to the '74 RB-250, but I never
really liked playing it on account of the narrower neck. It's 1 3/8" at
the nut, outside-to-outside binding. >>
A friend of mine has an old RB-250 also and wanted to play my '800. He reached
for it and then turned and walked away without it muttering "All banjos sound
the same." over and over. I got the hint. If it sounded better, he would want
to get a different banjo. I sounds hills, valleys, and rivers better. Just my
opinion. The RB-250 is great for the bucks, as Mike Stanger has pointed out.
Funny about the neck being so narrow. That would be my only draw back on the
instrument. I first had trouble pushing the low D (fourth string) over the
edge. I must have compensated since I no longer do that.
<<The RB-800 is also too fancy for my skill. That and the rest said, I
can't help being attached to it. It's a lovely instrument.>>
What coincidence! The guy I bought it from, Alvin Elias who is the banjo
player for the Keyston Bluegrass Quartet, said exactly the same thing. Granted
he might not be flashey but he is a rock-solid banjo player. I guess I am not
letting those fancy looks get to me in that way. One thing DOES happen though.
You get other banjo players coming up to you all the time usually asking
"What the hell is that thing?". Great to meet another RB-800 owner. Never,
never, sell it. For wives or even food!
Ded
Ken Lynn
dedc...@aol.com says...
>
> I bet the RB-800 is prettier!! Is it cherry-burst also? The wreath pattern is
> fairly rare.
Yes, cherry burst. I think it's the prettiest (without being ridiculous)
banjo I've seen.
>
> Funny about the neck being so narrow. That would be my only draw back on the
> instrument. I first had trouble pushing the low D (fourth string) over the
> edge. I must have compensated since I no longer do that.
Same thing happens to me, except I didn't stick with playing it long
enough to compensate. And I do think the nut is just a hair off on the
1st string side.
> What coincidence! The guy I bought it from, Alvin Elias who is the banjo
> player for the Keyston Bluegrass Quartet, said exactly the same thing. Granted
> he might not be flashey but he is a rock-solid banjo player.
That is double coincidence. If I were a rock-solid player, I'd be less
self-conscious about it. It's nothing like a Florentine.
> I guess I am not
> letting those fancy looks get to me in that way. One thing DOES happen though.
> You get other banjo players coming up to you all the time usually asking
> "What the hell is that thing?". Great to meet another RB-800 owner. Never,
> never, sell it. For wives or even food!
Thanks, I needed that.
KL
Mike Stanger
I've found that good banjos always make players better, if they're not
intimidated by their instrument. I've had lots o beginners who worried
that they weren't good enough for a better instrument, but always
quickly improved after they got one. I think a good banjo inspires you
to come up to your full potential when playing it.
Regards,
Stanger
gibson5string
RB-4, I found myself practicing like crazy. Before I knew it, my playing had
greatly improved! EQUIPMENT DOES MATTER ! The RB-250's are great banjo's,
but I have disagree with what someone said earlier. I think the new 250's
are better than the older ones built in the 70's and 80's. I bought a 10
year old RB-4 in mint condition for less than what a new RB-250 would have
cost me and I got a lot fancier banjo.I also like the fact that it has a
little"age" to it. Everyone that hears it,say's it sounds "like and old
Gibson". I really recommend buying a good clean, used banjo as opposed to a
new one. I personally could have never paid the $4100.00 price for a new
RB -4! let us know what you end up with. Good luck, Cliff
"Mike Stanger" <mrst...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
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DEDCENTER
Oh yeah, I played more once I got the 800. But I know I have improved.
Ded
Todd Loomis
I had my heart set on getting a Gibson, and put great effort into
trying to buy an RB250, but it was always hanging next to a Deering
Golden Era in the shop. They were very different in appearance, the
plain mahagonny Gibson vs. the Deering's tiger maple, and in sound. I
liked both, and even tried 'blind' tests by having someone alternate
playing the two, while I had my back turned. I thought this would
help, but I could always tell, which was being played, and still liked
both. After several weeks, I ended up going with the Deering, since I
liked the feel of it, better than the Gibson, especially when playing
melodic. I've had the chance to play several 250's since, and always
like them, but still think I made the right choice (for me that is).
So, keep an open mind (or ear), and enjoy the shopping, you may wind
up with something very different. I wouldn't give up your goodtime
either. I still drag mine around with me when I travel, and its great
for canoe trips. Happy picking
Loomis.
Grover C. McCoury III
brands/models of banjos and do a "blind test". IMHO, sound/play ability
is everything in an acoustic instrument - brand is a secondary issue.
Yet another $.02 worth from a proud owner of a 1991 RB-3 wreath...
Todd
From the time I was 12 years old I thought Gibson was the only way to
go...I went thru my first..an RB-100 which I added a tone ring to, then an
RB-250..that I got from Noah Crase..then a '26 ball bearing..and an
RB-800..then I was approached by the Ome company out of Boulder about an
endorsement deal..they sent me an Ome Juggernaut III and after about 15
minutes of playing it..I was totally amazed....I played it against my entire
collection, and while none of them were sub-standard banjos..the Ome just
seemed to combine the best qualities of each (except the ball bearing,it was
the most unique of all my Gibsons.. I kept it for when I was in the mood to
play Ralph Stanley tunes.) I will NEVER say anything bad about a
Gibson...I've never had a bad one....(currently Gibson banjos are all I own)
but I think MY experience shows that there are a ton of options...even after
getting my Ome..and being extremely happy with it..Tony Trishka came down
for a weekend and I got to play his Stelling for a couple of days....and I
found lots of things I REALLY liked about it too...I guess the only problem
with these banjos is..they were not inexpensive....I think major factors
would be (other than price) how the neck fits your hand, what style of music
you want to play on it, the environment you intend to play it in..live on
stage, in the studio, or in informal settings, and how comfortable you are
playing it..because there are SO many things you can do to alter the tone,
volume, sustain, even appearance after you get one if you don't mind the
effort...I guess all I'm really saying is..don't zero in on a particular
manufacturer...and no matter what you end up with they're will always be a
banjo somewhere that will appeal to you even more than the one that you're
perfectly satisfied with...so playing a banjo can be both the source of the
greatest satisfaction and at the same time a source of
frustration...well..that's what I gathered from playing professionally for
15 years and hanging out with the top pickers in the bluegrass
business..hope some of this makes some sense...it's been a long day :)
BTW..I have a really nice RB-250 (late '70's) that I wouldn't mind passing
on to someone who would like to have one..it's in really good shape for the
miles I've put on it...anyone interested? I would entertain a reasonable
offer :) Pics are available if you're interested...
Todd Elam
"Todd Loomis" <loo...@netscout.com> wrote in message
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DEDCENTER
<<I went thru my first..an RB-100 which I added a tone ring to, then an
RB-250..that I got from Noah Crase..then a '26 ball bearing..and an
RB-800.>>
I am interested....what year was (is) your RB-800 and does it have wreath
pattern or flying eagle?
Ded
Todd
new...the guy I bought it from had it sent thru the custom shop in Nashville
a while back and had some changes made to it..and one of them was the
fingerboard...it currently has the "Hearts and Flowers" pattern...I'll call
him tonight and find out what pattern it originally came with. After
reading this thread I was already planning on finding out what it had in the
beginning....because it doesn't fit any of the descriptions of the '800's
you have been talking about!! It has a natural sunburst finish, engraved
gold plating, and hearts and flowers....(the friend I got it from is
notorious for thinking of a banjo as an expensive erector set!!) I'll post
an update as soon as I talk with him!!
Todd
--
"DEDCENTER" <dedc...@aol.com> wrote in message
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DEDCENTER
an update as soon as I talk with him!!>>
Please do. Do you know if it had D-Tuners as original?
Ded