Banjo upgrade

[Classic Banjo]

Hello all

Having spent some time speaking with Steve Harrison, I am now considering the acquisition of a second banjo to keep my cheap second-hand starter company!

My budget is around £350. I'm not the kind of person who can restore/repair something so I guess I'm looking for a "modern" open back banjo that will be suitable and adaptable for Classic Banjo. 

I would be interested to know what you guys would recommend.

Plenty of scope for discussion here! I look forward to your thoughts and opinions.

Regards

Eric

[Jody Stecher]

A new Recording King "Madison" model  RKO 25 would be perfect. I don't know if they are for sale in the UK

http://www.recordingking.com/products/banjos-all-models/banjos-rk-o25 

[David Wade]

Eric, I would suggest coming along to the next Banjo Rally - at Clowne on 26th April.

I will have the full range of Clifford Essex Banjo plus a selection of vintage instruments - all my instruments have been restored and set up by the legendary Clive Hughes. Keith Wilson will also have selection of instruments....and there will be others. Highly recommended day out!

[Jody Stecher]

Other than sometimes changing the bridge I have never had to make any changes in setup when switching between steel and nylon strings on a banjo. None whatever. Therefore there is no cost other than a set of nylon strings and maybe, but not necessarily, the cost of a bridge. A restored vintage banjo means just that. If it is not playable it is not restored. And not all vintage banjos need restoration.  Back to Recording King: there are many models. My recommendation was for one particular model. 

Eric Womersley said:

Thank you Jody & Dave.

I've read good things about the Recording King and it's currently available from Thonman for around £250 to which I would have to add the cost of a set up and changing over to nylon strings. 

[Jocko MacNelly]

Not even widening the channels in the nut? This is great news, as I've been considering this for a while!

[Jody Stecher]

Nope. Nylon, gut, and nylgut all sit fine in the channels of both bridge and nut.  I've never had a problem and I've done this with a Stewart, a Windsor, three different models of Clifford Essex, a Bart Reiter, a Maude Evans, two Farlands,  and a Bacon. No problem changing back and forth and (sometimes) back again.  When I've changed the bridge it was to test different possibilities of timbre, no other reason.  I expect some will disagree with me but I am honestly reporting my experience here.  By the way, the  Evans sounded better with a 2 footed bridge with both steel and nylon. One of the Essex banjos sounded better with gut strings with a three footed ebony topped bridge than with the "correct" choice of solid wood and two feet. One can't follow a Rule Book and expect good results. "It all depends".

Jocko MacNelly said:

Not even widening the channels in the nut? This is great news, as I've been considering this for a while!