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Thread: Irish tenor banjo - Open back or Resonator?

  1. #26
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Irish tenor banjo - Open back or Resonator?

    Thanks! Actually, I like the tone of the TB-Junior. As I noted, I am not looking to have that super-bright tone that a lot of the ITM players like. OTOH the Goodtime banjos have 11" rims and the TB-Junior has a sightly smaller rim, around 10-3/4". It is interesting but I think the Vega I got will have the tone I like and just have to see which strings work on it.

    I still own a B&D Silver Bell that would have that super bright sound but it also weighs quite a bit and I still am primarily a mandolin and fiddle player so the shorter scale works fine for me.
    Jim

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  2. #27
    Mandolin Botherer Shelagh Moore's Avatar
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    Default Re: Irish tenor banjo - Open back or Resonator?

    I'm still using my 17 fret Vega Whyte Laydie in sessions. The rim on mine is 10.75" and, as mentioned before, I usually play with the resonator on (it takes just a few seconds to spin off if needed). A chunky G string is necessary and I think I'm running about a .046 at the moment.

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  4. #28
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Irish tenor banjo - Open back or Resonator?

    I have to really clean up this Vega. I may even replace the head tho dirty it sounds nice. Right now it has an old calfskin head. I look fwd to playing it tho I am having a lot of fun with the Gibson, too.
    Jim

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  5. #29
    Registered User Mike Anderson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Irish tenor banjo - Open back or Resonator?

    Not a banjo guy myself, but for John Carty it's open back: https://www.omebanjos.com/banjos/tenor/vintage/juniper/.

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  6. #30
    Registered User Jill McAuley's Avatar
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    Default Re: Irish tenor banjo - Open back or Resonator?

    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Anderson View Post
    Not a banjo guy myself, but for John Carty it's open back: https://www.omebanjos.com/banjos/tenor/vintage/juniper/.

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    I recently got an Ome Juniper open back tenor and they are AWESOME!
    2018 Girouard Concert oval A
    2015 JP "Whitechapel" tenor banjo
    2018 Frank Tate tenor guitar
    1969 Martin 00-18




    my Youtube channel

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  8. #31

    Default Re: Irish tenor banjo - Open back or Resonator?

    I researched this a while back and ended up with a Paramount Type A. 19 fret, resonator, cuts through well, and responds well to dynamic playing. A relative deal at less than a grand, I think. The tuners break easily but other than that I haven't had any issues and its 90 years old. NFI there was a Paramount in the classifieds recently.

  9. #32
    Registered User Mike Anderson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Irish tenor banjo - Open back or Resonator?

    Here's what he says at his website:

    "Having played and believed whole heartedly in vintage banjos all my life it was with some trepidation that I tried these brand new OME banjos. I was given a hand crafted instruments to try. The instrument had a 12inch pot and I took to it immediately. It has the depth of tone I constantly look for, coupled with an extra sustain which is a particularly great quality for Irish banjo players as this allows our music to breathe. I found I didn’t need to be quite so busy in order to highlight the essence of the tunes. The ability of the instrument to sustain and lengthen the notes has given me a new zest for playing the banjo. Another characteristic I enjoy about it is its immediate efficiency, there’s no wrestling with it like with older instruments, it stays in tune and every note is true even the low A, B and C on the G string which is such a plus. Basically it is ready to play as soon as you take it out of the case and I think it has definitely improved my playing. I am so looking forward to gigging with this instrument."

    Sounds like you made a good investment Jill!
    "But wasn't it all stupid nonsense, rot, gibberish, and criminally fraudulent nincompoopery?"
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  11. #33
    Registered User Reinhardt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Irish tenor banjo - Open back or Resonator?

    Just looked up Eagle Music in UK who stock Omes, Jeez they're pretty expensive £2,500. They'd want to be pretty good for that!! Personally, the best tenor banjos I've played have been paramounts. Every one i've played sounds fantastic. Never had one myself. Had a Bacon And Day silver bell which was pretty raucous and a Leedy Senator which was much more restrained but sounded better IMO. I cant really play tunes on the banjo anymore due to a muscular problem in my hand and more importantly, my wife hates the soiso I just have a cheapo chinese job in case I ever get the notion to annoy the neighbours!!
    und of it!!!!I used to play banjo at home a lot without the resonator on and I really loved the sound I got. A bit woody if that makes sense. Really struggled in sessions to be heard though. I'd buy a banjo with a resonator , at least you have the option of taking it off depending on where you play and what sound you want to get.

    Best of luck with the banjo Jill. sounds like a fantastic instrument.

    John

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  13. #34
    Registered User Jill McAuley's Avatar
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    Default Re: Irish tenor banjo - Open back or Resonator?

    Quote Originally Posted by Reinhardt View Post
    Just looked up Eagle Music in UK who stock Omes, Jeez they're pretty expensive £2,500. They'd want to be pretty good for that!!
    Yes, I'd never even considered one before because of how pricey they are but then lucked into finding one second hand and just couldn't pass up the opportunity as they don't show up often.
    2018 Girouard Concert oval A
    2015 JP "Whitechapel" tenor banjo
    2018 Frank Tate tenor guitar
    1969 Martin 00-18




    my Youtube channel

  14. #35
    Registered User Reinhardt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Irish tenor banjo - Open back or Resonator?

    That was a stroke of luck Jill. I had a similar experience when I bought my Nigel Forster Bouzouki.You just cant ignore a good bargain!!! Hope it brings you years of pleasure!!!

    John

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  16. #36
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    Default Re: Irish tenor banjo - Open back or Resonator?

    FYI

    Gerry (Banjo) O'Connor plays 19 fret resonator back banjos in the standard American (Jazz) tuning of CGDA the majority of the time. He does play GDAE, but mostly for teaching purposes. I spent a bit of time with him after a session/concert near Santa Rosa, Ca a few years back... we engaged in some "silver" tequila shooters... He prefers longer scale 19 fret and CGDA, and resonator backs.

    There is no such thing as an "Irish Tenor Banjo". Unless it is a tenor banjo made by and Irishman.

    My first "Irish" banjo was a 1925 Gibson TB-3 Ball Bearing for which I paid the princely sum of $200 to the original owner who bought it new in Moscow, Russia... True story. I later made a conversion 5 speed neck for it and in a fit of poverty sold it to a player in Maryland who.. 40 years later still owns it.

  17. #37
    Registered User John Flynn's Avatar
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    Default Re: Irish tenor banjo - Open back or Resonator?

    I picked up a 17-fret Concertone from the 20's that was in great shape and was at a great price. I changed out the natural skin head, which was starting to deteriorate, with a Fiberskin and bought an upgraded bridge and an armrest for it. I had a luthier do a setup and change out the friction tuners with 5-star planetaries. It's not a high-end banjo, but I think it sounds good and plays really well. It is more than adequate for my humble level of play.

    One thing I really like about it is that the resonator comes off easily, so I can play it open back if I want to. Two completely different sounds for the price of one! The mode I play in depends on the situation. If I'm with a group that is a lot better than I am, I will likely go open-back and even put a cloth damper between the brace and the head so my bad notes don't stand out. If I really want to cut through in a loud group, I go with the resonator. I can be heard in the largest session with that resonator on.

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