Banjo: Measuring Tonal Quality "What determines a good sounding banjo?" 5-String, Tenor and Plectrum

Date: Thu, 24 Apr 2003 00:02:44 -0600
Subject: Banjo Set-Up and Tone Influences

Yes Mickey,

I emailed you back. I'm interested in the 250+ and it sounds great. I'm leaning toward that one over the Deering becuase of its overall appearance. Pearl inlay etc. They sound very similar. It looks like a very small price difference. What do you think. Thank you for taking all the time with me on this decision. I do want to get something ordered so I can begin lessons in June sometime. I look forward to hearing from you. Bob said to say hello if I spoke with you.

Kindest regards, Greg Rowles

Greg

Well, I'd have to say if you're looking for versatility, and warmth in tone, the Deering Sierra would work well...however, if you're looking for the classic bluegrass sound, a Maple Banjo, such as the 250 will work very well. A lot is dependent on the set-up...which does also influence the overall tone tremendously...for instance: if you're looking for a popping crisp sound, you'll want a highly tightened banjo head...for a more bassy, Scruggs sound, you may want a looser banjo head. Many other factors can also influence the tone such as wood choices, string choices, gauge of strings, tailpiece, what type of tension is applied to the tailpiece, etc.

Upon finalizing your order, please cut and paste from one of our previous e-mails itemizing exactly what you'd like with your banjo...additionally, be sure to let me know exactly how you'd like it set up...which is our forte...

Be sure to relay back to Bob: "Compliments of the House!"

Be cool, Mickey

Date: Sat, 10 Aug 2002 15:58:17 -0700

Hello Mr. Cochran,

I enjoy your web site.

Greetings, Thanks for the kind words...

Some people say
it is the artist that makes a banjo sound the way that it does and I am
sure that is true to a point.

Sure, the artist would be contributory to the banjo's sound for a few critical reasons:
1. The artist's choice of picks...
2. How the artist attacks the banjo...
3. The hand positions also have an affect on the tonal quality...

Still, the banjo set-up itself is also important to the overall tonal quality...
1. The type of strings used...
2. How tight the head is adjusted...
3. At what tension the tailpiece is adjusted...
4. What type of bridge is utilized...
5. What type of banjo head is installed...

And, of course the brand of banjo would still be one of the biggest influences on tonal quality:
1. Tone Ring
2. Type of Rim Construction
3. Type of Woods Used
4. Patents owned by the banjo brand...such as Stelling's wedge fitted tone ring.

The upshot is that there are myriad facets that will influence the final tonal quality of a banjo...Mickey

Date: Mon, 8 Jul 2002 16:29:09 -0500

Greetings Glen,

Glad to assist if I can:

I really rushed into buying my first banjo a couple of months ago (wish
I'd bought a Goodtime 2) - I decided to go down to the local music store and
see if they had any banjos for about $250 - they did - and I bought. It's
not a bad instrument for the price (Fender FB-54), but it's not great,
either. I've been playing guitar for about 10 years so I'm picking it up
fairly quickly and I'm starting to think ahead to buying a nicer one in a
year or so. I really like the Deering Goodtime philosophy of making the
best-playing, best-sounding, who-cares-how-it-looks banjo possible. I guess
my question is, what do you think is the best-playing, best-sounding banjo
in the $1 to $2000 range (of course, I realize that what sounds good is
completely subjective but as a beginner, I don't really know what "good"
sounds like)? Glen

Here's my criterion for "good sounding" within the banjo category:
1. Not hollow sounding...most imports have a hollow sound that makes you feel as if you're playing in a cave.
2. Not tinny sounding...again, cheaper imports tend to sound tinny...really thin with no fatness of tone whatsoever.
3. No reverberation...banjos tend to amplify overtones...and, on most imports, with or without tone ring, this reverberation becomes very dissonant...notes seem to clash into each other creating more cacophony than harmony.

A good sounding banjo will have just the right decay (notes fade quickly), a popping sound, harmonious overtones without reverberation, a fatter sound (not tinny) and lots of presence without the notorious hollow echo sound.

Fortunately, this is not denoted so much by the price...for, there are some fine sounding banjos offered today at a tremendous price point. The Goodtime series is one example...and, the Gold Tone or higher end Morgan Monroes seem to be decent all under the 1k price range. You have a lot more to choose from at the 1-2k price range...within this pricing, I'd say that the Deering Sierra/Deluxe/Black Diamond all fill the bill on mahogany wood instruments...and the Wildwood bluegrass models are all solid sounding maple wood instruments.

Hope this helps...Mickey