Dan ,What a great thing to get The Silver Bell.Wow .Someone has lent me a Bacon And DAy tener that has the Name"Gordon" on the peghead and BAcon and Day Groton Ct. on the back of the resonator .The whole instroment is covered with a bakolite pearl finish.{Plastic mother of toilet seat} but what a sound.He has it set up with nylon strings so I have him playing it in bangolayly mode ala- Bertrum Filberforce Wooster. Its the best"shine on harvest moon" baratone banjolayly one could ever wish for! I tried the Wildwood at Eldely in Michigan a few years ago and if I was flying around I think I would follow your lead. I'd love to get another skin-head parlor instroment but now that I have the 1924 Gibson I might just put skin on the Bacon Profestional. It is an amazing BAnjo.Wanderfull undertones that I wish I could get reproduced in the studio.For the next Cd I think I will stick to the Mastertone.It's just great without the resonator. Cheers