Archtop and Flathead Banjo Tone Rings

Bill Evans shows and explains the differences between two common tone ring designs.

August 25, 2016

One of the major elements that determine how a banjo will sound is found in the kind of tone ring it uses. In this video, Peghead Nation banjo instructor Bill Evans shows the differences between archtop and flathead tone rings, discussing how they affect the sound and how the tone ring fits together with the banjo’s rim, head, neck, stretcher band, and brackets.

The difference between archtop and flathead tone rings

“The archtop ring has an extra lip or rim added to it that actually makes the vibrating surface of the head, the diameter is smaller than the vibrating surface on the flathead ring, which goes all the way to the edge... So basically, this extra ridge takes away about almost an inch on either side, making the resonating surface of the head smaller, which makes the banjo brighter.”

“Archtop rings have more metal, so they tend to be a little bit heavier.”

On the banjo assembly

“The tone ring sits on the wooden rim, And the wooden rim will be shaped differently according to whether it’s machined to take the archtop or the flat head ring because the the the dimensions aren’t quite the same.”

“The head would fit over the edge of either the flat head or the arch top ring…And then this is called the stretcher band and the stretcher band goes over the head like this. And then we’re gonna use brackets to tighten the head and this is a one piece flange…The flange is basically what enables us to actually attach the brackets and also provides a platform for the resonator to sit.”

To study banjo with Bill, enroll in his Beginning Banjo, Bluegrass Banjo, Earl Scruggs: A Player’s Guide, Melodic and Single-String Banjo or The Banjo Style of J.D. Crowe courses on Peghead Nation!

And you can find more banjo demos, performances and lessons here.