Snuffy Smith Banjo Heads

Subject: RE: Snuffy Smith Banjo Heads
From: Les B
Date: 12 Feb 02 - 11:51 PM

Well, since this thread popped back into life I'll continue. I did change the Snuffy Smith head and put on a 5-star head. After some adjusting of the Moon bridge, and taking the Kirschner tailpiece down as close to the head as possible -- making the angle of the strings from bridge to tailpiece about 14 degrees -- I'm finally happy with the tone I'm getting. It's bright and snappy without being too brassy. Putting on a new set of strings always helps, too.

Subject: RE: Snuffy Smith Banjo Heads
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 12 Feb 02 - 09:35 PM

Subject: RE: Snuffy Smith Banjo Heads
From: GUEST,Les B.
Date: 28 Jan 02 - 06:31 PM

Funny you should ask. Last month, after about a decade of the same set-up, I changed the head, tailpiece and bridge on my Gold Star archtop, resonator, 5-string.

I put on a Snuffy Smith bridge and head, and a Kirschner tailpiece. I seemed to get a "thumpy-er" "brassy-er" sound, and after about a month of listening, and being less than ecstatic, I'm starting to move back to my original set-up. I've already replaced the Smith bridge with the old Moon bridge (a curved bridge) I used previously.

I Couldn't hear much of a difference, although testing with an Intelitouch tuner indicates the open and octave notes are closer in tune (at 12th fret), which is what the Moon bridge is supposed to do.

Tonight I'm going to change the Smith head to a new 5-star head I discovered I had hiding under the bed -- after I had already ordered the Snuffy Smith head ! I'm hoping that will get rid of the harsher, brighter sound I'm hearing.

Probably what I will keep is the Kirschner tailpiece. It seems more solid and better designed than the Presto tailpiece that came as original gear. If this thread is still running, I'll let you know. I'm not a hardcore bluegrasser and like a mellower, folky sound.

Subject: Snuffy Smith Banjo Heads
From: X
Date: 28 Jan 02 - 05:30 PM

Before I go out and lay down $25.00 for a $9.00 repainted Remo head...Well...Do any of you banjoist out there have any toughts on the Snuffy Smith heads?

Thanks,

Hugh