Banjo Sound Comparison: Pisgah, Enoch, Dogwood

1. Pisgah Banjos, 12" Cherry Dobson, short scale, John Balch skin head
2. Enoch Banjos, 12" Tradesman, fretless walnut, Enoch skin head
3. Pisgah-eque (made by me at Patrick's banjo building workshop), 12" spun rim, 26 1/8" half fretless, John Balch skin head
4. Dogwood Banjos, Jaybird 11" A-Scale, walnut with wenge tone ring, John Balch skin head
5. Enoch Tradesman, 11" walnut, Rickard Dobson-style tone ring, John Balch skin head

[@scsongs]

That first Pisgah sounded amazing to me. What a sweet tone.

[@WilliamHunterII]

Yep.

[@marthastone5783]

I love the way you play the banjo Jay!

[@rodp7803]

The first banjo you play, the pisgah with the skin head, my favourite banjo tone ever!

[@TravisHyllMusic]

That half fretless in particular sounds so good. I love how you can get those expressive slurs in the low notes, then do the complex melodies up high with the frets. Great concept. And you still played the chords so well even without the frets. Someone who certainly knows what he's doing.

[@CaseyStanton]

Thank you for doing this! I adore the sound of the first banjo.

[@aflex631]

Thanks for this comparison video. Really helps for those of us in the market.

[@rangertommy]

That first Pisgah wins (in terms of what I felt sounded the sweetest). Nice playing, and a great way to compare!

[@kf8969]

Never heard this song. I can now play it after watching this thanks!

[@JayDub764]

Since recording this video, I put a brass plate on the first 5 frets of the Pisgah Dobson and switched the fretless tradesman back to Nylgut strings. Always changing.

[@ebb1501]

Jason, is there any chance you'd be willing to give a tutorial on this song?

[@harvdog5669]

Jason, could you turn up your recording sound. Too low to hear. My volume is up all the way already.. Thanks your subscribed fan

[@jimsatterfield8748]

Getting around the neck on that fretless Enoch is very impressive. Dude can play...

[@maxwellfan55]

A lot that is very satisfying here, lovely mix of banjos too, all sweet toned and plucky. No unwanted overtones, just pure banjo, finger tips and strings. The fretless sound is my pick, that half fretless such a great balance. A good way to get your music. Thanks for doing this.

[@LouisaCorr]

Beautiful playing, thank you for publishing this for everyone to hear!

[@librandy77]

The first one you played for me has that nice round tone, Love it.

[@HankleburyTV]

The one you built has an excellent tone!

[@rayclark8919]

Absolutely awesome work!! Beautiful comparison on great instruments

[@fo76]

#1 Tradesman fretless, #2 tied between Pisgah and the fretted Tradesman... great playin' by the way... (edit: just saw that I already commented 5 years ago... 😊)

[@brittain522]

You made them all sound awesome! The first was my favorite, very hard to pick one.

[@Rogue_Strummer]

In the deepest darkest corner of the internet, the master punches in to work. Only problem is it's nearly impossible to get these riffs out of my head the following couple nights.

[@michaelwilson1325]

#1 and #4 are my favorites... but that could change as I keep listening... I am in the market

[@allenfeldman8869]

The tonal overlap between the banjos shows that a good player gets a similar tonality with minor differences across different models.

[@c11235]

Love this song. Has very little youtube presence other than this video as far as I can tell. Thank you for sharing! Excellent playing too.

[@LarryUnger]

also found here starting at 5:48.kzbin.info/www/bejne/oH66dquubseBb68........and here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q5ekq3eNd66FiMk starting at 1:49

[@celticukechannel2443]

Wonderful playing, and nice tone on all of them. I am thinking of getting a Tradesman, maybe I will get one with a head like that.

[@librandy77]

I love this tune but most of all the banjos man they really do sound great..

[@KatrinaPDX]

0:00 Pisgah Banjos, 12" Cherry Dobson, short scale, John Balch skin head 1:20 Enoch Banjos, 12" Tradesman, fretless walnut, Enoch skin head 2:38 Pisgah-eque (made by me at Patrick's banjo building workshop), 12" spun rim, 26 1/8" half fretless, John Balch skin head 3:59 Dogwood Banjos, Jaybird 11" A-Scale, walnut with wenge tone ring, John Balch skin head 5:17 Enoch Tradesman, 11" walnut, Rickard Dobson-style tone ring, John Balch skin head

[@greasy465]

Thanks for the timeline, big help going back and forth !!!

[@fo76]

Excellent playing!

[@banjothemanjo362]

Pisgah stole the show. All are very nice banjos in their own light. The walnut gives it a nice dark rooted element and sounds more natural and earthy to me. Banjos sure do sound sweet when you choke up on that scoop, don't they?

[@OurSecondLife]

Very nice! So talented!!

[@wadedixon6595]

Classy arrangement ur playin

[@joefrescoln]

I like the first one. Beautiful!

[@marklwolter]

Does that Pisgah cherry Dobson have the Dobson tone ring as well? That’s a beautiful sounding banjo.

[@LarryUnger]

Nice playing Jason!

[@librandy77]

I love this Ditty your playing, what is the ditty called..

[@lapboard340]

I like them all!

[@stanhenderson7393]

Nice playing.

[@SHANEfsho]

I have the opportunity to buy either a 12 Tradesman with Dobson ring or a 12 Pisgah Dobson for the same price, and I can't decide. If it were you, which would you go for?

[@markkidd2846]

I believe my heart rate dropped whilst watching this.

[@84marlowe]

Hi Jason. Thank you much for posting the video. I am having a banjo made by pisgah which is very similar to your pisgah-esque (mine will be full fretless and short scale). I am looking for a plunky, dark, and slightly bluesy sound. I can't decide to go with the dobson tone ring or without. What do you suggest?

[@JayDub764]

I’d go without the Dobson TR, for plunky and dark.

[@84marlowe]

@@JayDub764 Thanks Jason!

[@librandy77]

Brilliant...Thank you

[@jeetray11]

Have you ever played tubaphone and dobson of similar specs and can contrast them in terms of tone qualities?

[@georgewilson164]

I could honestly listen to this day in and day out. Probably the finest tone I've heard from open-backs. Would you contribute the tone primarily from the skin heads? Do you favor a particular string or bridge setup?

[@JayDub764]

Thanks! I think the head plays a role in the tone, for sure. I'm not sure if it is primary, but certainly significant. I have a whole bag of bridges and I find different ones sound good on different banjos. Trail and error. I experiment a lot with strings, too. I use all D'Addario strings, but I buy single strings in different gauges and try to find the best gauge set for each banjo. My preferences on strings are generally pretty heavy.

[@petrovichluzhin]

How have your Balch heads done over time? Had to adjust much? How difficult are they to install

[@JayDub764]

Skin heads are great. John has great skins and it is super easy.

[@dayenu4me]

Nice! Thank you...what is the name of that tune?

[@JayDub764]

Elkins - Larry Unger

[@georgewilson164]

Have you done a video of the changes you made to the Pisgah Dobson? I'm new to the banjo world and I was considering a Pisgah or possibly a Hoyt. Reasonably priced for a beginner. On the fence on brass or wood tone ring as well as Renaissance or JB skin head. Spending time researching. I've been practicing claw hammer on ukuleles for some time and am ready to pull the trigger on a banjo. But I'm looking for the tone that you were able to achieve quite beautifully. BTW your skills are outstanding.

[@JayDub764]

George Wilson I've never played a Hoyt, so it is difficult to give you advise there. I'll say Patrick at Pisgah makes a fine banjo, for sure. You should give him a call and talk through what you are thinking about (although I'm pretty sure he is in Africa at the moment). Mike @ Dogwood and Kevin Enoch are worth talking to also. Post questions on Banjo Hangout, too. Thanks for the kind compliments. I'm having fun learning.

[@rodp7803]

Does the pisgah-esque banjo have a dobson tone ring in it? of just the spun pot?

[@JayDub764]

No TR, just the pot.

[@rodp7803]

Do you have an instagram? I'll surely have questions about your setup if you have the time to share. If so, let me know how I can find you. I recently purchased a Pisgah Dobson Rambler with the spun pot and I want to get a tone like this. I'm going to get a goat skin head for it and run it with a Bart Veerman 5/8" bridge.

[@paullanctot2710]

your's sounds the best

[@OwlAndAntler]

whats the name of this tune? i love it

[@JayDub764]

OwlAndAntler, it is Elkins by Larry Unger. From on of the Notorious albums.

[@HiNinqi]

I love the sound on the pisgah-esque you built. Did you name the song you played? That was so peaceful to listen to- sounds like something that belongs in a wedding movie.

[@JayDub764]

The tune is called Elkins. Thanks for the kind words.

[@librandy77]

Please What key is the Banjos tuned

[@JayDub764]

D (aDADE)

[@user-nh5zd3ic8r]

Thanks 😊

[@Banjo362]

I have a question about the Enoch Fretless banjo your playing, does it involve steel strings and geared tuners?

[@JayDub764]

yes, steel strings and geared tuners.

[@Banjo362]

@@JayDub764 I knew it

[@guywolff]

I love John's heads .. I have a wonderful 12 ' ramsey "one off" that has a brass tube tone ring (A lot of over tones but amazing .. I may take out the brass for a a while and see what it sounds like on the wood .. All the best , Guy . I love Patrick and Tophers's work .. I may ask them to make a slightly wider neck on a wood tone ring for my clunky playing and always Nylgut strings very very tall bridge ... Have you tried an 11" pot from them yet ??

[@brianm1908]

Hi Jason, great banjo playing! Would you happen to remember what type of bridge is on the first (Pisgah) banjo you play? Would appreciate knowing? Thanks!!

[@JayDub764]

I’m pretty sure that was a Romero bridge.

[@brianm1908]

Thanks Jason! Great musicianship!! Keep posting tunes, please!

[@marshallc9683]

Hi, I was wondering what the name of the song you're playing is.

[@JayDub764]

Elkins. A Larry Unger tune, if I’m not mistaken. Check out the “Notorious” album, they pair it with old Aunt Jenny

[@w.r.sanders6794]

Enoc sounded best to me. Fuller tone

[@ADKOIZOD]

How did you get a tradesman with a Rickard Dobson tone ring?

[@JayDub764]

Christopher Olson I bought it that way from a friend who added the tone ring. Not uncommon.

[@ADKOIZOD]

Jason White Very cool. It sounds good. So you can add a tone ring to a banjo without a tone ring. Do you know if you can switch out a tone ring on a banjo that has already has a tone ring? Just curious cause I was under the impression that once a tone ring is installed it can’t be removed?

[@JayDub764]

You can’t add a TR like this in all cases. And you can’t remove a TR in all cases. It depends on the shape of the rim and how crown height will be impacted. It just so happens that in this case it works.

[@jeremywaters5735]

What's the tune?

[@JayDub764]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/q5ekq3eNd66FiMk

[@richardstreetman998]

To me it looks and sounds like the John Balch heads are goat skin. Can anyone verify that and perhaps tell me if the grade is Special Select, 4 star or 3 Star?

[@paulgartner4619]

great playing, but all modern OT banjos sound good, but still all sound the same to me.

[@RedKnuckles-w2x]

Enoch! Would never buy a Pisgah.