Larry Helix is a genius. The rim of this banjo is constructed in the manner of a Roman Coliseum. I've never visited Larry but I have had the privledge of visiting a Roman coliseum and was shocked at how you could hear a whisper from across the stadium!
The spoons prove that Larry is again, a cut above. While doing the dishes one night, Larry had the revelation that if water bounced off a spoon in such a spectacular fashion, why the heck wouldn't a sound wave. Larry also equips his banjo with a flat brass tone ring (not a round brass rod, but a flat brass ring.)
These components alone make for a unique sounding banjo.
The spoons are intended to mimic the sound of a resonator. I've played it spooned and unspooned and while it sounds great both ways, the spoons just give it an edge. They are easy to remove if you are of the unspooned variety.
I've owned this banjo for nearly 7 years and am the original owner. In that time I've played it a lot and the sound has always been consistent.
No matter where I've taken this banjo, everybody loves first of all the sound, but also the looks and persona. What can I say, this banjo has a presence. It sounds and plays fantastic.
The sound is as big as you want to make it and it is also a sweet clawhammer banjo. I've owned hundreds of banjos and the neck on this one is in the top five in terms of playability and fretwork.
It's currently set up for all playing styles but if you are a bluegrass person it sounds best with a presto tailpiece and a remo head.
Of course the capo can live at fret three and this can be played as a normal "G" banjo but the banjo sounds best when tuned to open E and it roars when tuned down to D.
She is equipped with a budget piezo pickup but I've played with electric guitars and drums with no amplification at all. She was also once equipped with a B and D Knee mute (see video, "unidentified frailing object") and the holes are still in the rim. Whereas I really liked the sound of the knee mute, it doesn't fit in there with the spoons.
Hardshell case included.
