The loudest openback I have played is my own. It is homemade. One piece of solid brass. Thickness 2mm. The top and the bottom are bent round, so it has no sharp edges. That was some of a job to do that. Diameter is out of standard, slightly less than 11 inches. But the sides are unusual deep. No less than 7 and a half cm. I think that´s a part of the explanation of its power. The banjo really is quite heavy too for an openback. The head is a fiber skyn for a floor tom tom drum. Cut out and mounted in a way that reminds of the way you mount a natural skin(head). That proces really makes you swear, but it can be done if you know how to. The backside is up, (and sanded for natural look), so that the fibers don´t wear out. I have always felt that ALL plasticheads included fibers are too thin for oldtime banjos, so I decided to try something thicker, and I can highly recommend it. It might be some of the explanation too. I think they ought to make them the way here mentioned. Tell Remo and the others. The head is quite tight, but the sound is thick pluncky and crisp at the same time and without unpleasant overtones. You can´t order one by me, but maybe someone would like to try to make one. Best wishes
steen.oersted@kerteminde-skole.dk