{"product_id":"custom-rickard-11-5-string-with-silver-bell-tone-ring-maple-neck-and-rim","title":"Custom Rickard 11\" 5-String with Silver Bell Tone Ring \u0026 Maple Neck and Rim","description":"\u003ch1\u003eCustom Rickard 11\" Openback Banjo with Silver Bell Tone Ring (Serial #1873)\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are proud to be an authorized Rickard Banjo dealer, and we have to admit this custom creation is something truly special. At Banjo Studio, we love the attention to detail Bill Rickard and his team pour into every instrument, and this 11\" Maple openback with a Silver Bell tone ring is a perfect example in tonal balance and craftsmanship.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eYou are viewing the exact, one-of-a-kind banjo (Serial #1873) you will receive upon purchase.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat Makes This Custom Banjo Unique?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis isn't an off-the-rack production banjo as it combines vintage appointments with high-level craftmanship.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSilver Bell Tone Ring:\u003c\/strong\u003e This is not a tone ring found on standard models of Rickard Banjos. \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eCustom Hardware:\u003c\/b\u003e Bullseye Ball Shoes and Belly-style tension nuts. This is a nice change to the look of the rim and its components. \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat is a Silver Bell Tone Ring and How Does It Sound?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOriginally popularized in early 20th-century banjo design, the \u003cb\u003eSilver Bell tone ring\u003c\/b\u003e (a classic archtop\/Dobson-style spun brass ring) sits atop the rim to transform the banjo's voice without adding excessive weight.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTonal Evaluation:\u003c\/b\u003e Where heavy bronze flathead rings skew bright and punchy, and rim-only banjos skew dry and \"thumpy,\" the Silver Bell finds the \u003cb\u003esweet spot right in the middle\u003c\/b\u003e. It delivers a rich, warm, \"tubby\" low-end bass paired with a sweet, singing sustain and crystal-clear high-end sparkle. Notes separate beautifully, whether you are picking individual melodies or strumming full chords.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Tonewood: Hard Maple Neck \u0026amp; 1\/2\" Resonant Rim\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHard Maple Neck:\u003c\/b\u003e Maple is renowned in banjo building for its density and structural stiffness. It gives this banjo a quick note attack, natural clarity, and vibrant projection, ensuring every drop-thumb or finger-flick pops out crisp and clean.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e1\/2\" Thick Maple Rim:\u003c\/b\u003e While thicker 3\/4\" rims choke resonance in favor of raw volume, this \u003cb\u003emedium 1\/2\" maple rim\u003c\/b\u003e allows the wood body to vibrate more freely. It provides your tone with an organic, airy, woody resonance and vintage warmth that lets the Silver Bell tone ring breathe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy Banjo Studio Loves This Banjo\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you’ve been searching for an openback banjo that refuses to compromise between warmth and clarity, this is the one:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003col start=\"1\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eVersatility Across Styles:\u003c\/b\u003e It is articulate enough for complex fingerstyle and melodic picking, yet full-bodied and warm enough for classic clawhammer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePro-Level Setup Out of the Box:\u003c\/b\u003e Set up by our experts with low action (3\/32\" at the 12th fret) on a 5\/8\" maple bridge—it plays effortlessly right out of the case.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eClassic 11\" Rim Focus \u0026amp; Punch:\u003c\/b\u003e While 12\" openback rims push a deeper, darker low-end, this traditional \u003cb\u003e11\" rim\u003c\/b\u003e delivers a tight, focused response with quick attack, bright midrange clarity, and crisp note separation. Combined with the Silver Bell tone ring, it gives you the ideal balance—warm, woody resonance without sacrificing the punch and bite needed to lead a jam.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e","brand":"Rickard","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50183591035128,"sku":"RK-5B-CS-11-MP-1873","price":3741.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0204\/9822\/files\/88CDC6F1-87D8-43B2-A0B3-B3A5FB3DE700.jpg?v=1787123592","url":"https:\/\/www.banjostudio.com\/en-ca\/products\/custom-rickard-11-5-string-with-silver-bell-tone-ring-maple-neck-and-rim","provider":"Banjo Studio","version":"1.0","type":"link"}