u/hk47xhk47x

I’ve seen a few clawhammer players talk about removing overtones by weaving leather, cloth, yarn, or other material between the strings behind the bridge (between the bridge and tailpiece), especially on banjos with no-knot tailpieces where that string length is fairly long.

I also know there are pretty different opinions in general on banjo setup philosophy when it comes to overtones, with some players preferring to preserve as much resonance and complexity as possible, and others preferring to damp things down for a more focused sound.

How many folks out there actually do this? And did you hear a meaningful difference, or is it more of a subtle-but-worth-it kind of change?

Personally, I’ve tried it and I don’t hear a huge difference, but my banjo has a Dobson tone ring so it already has a lot of sustain and complexity going on. So I’m wondering if damping that string segment between the no-knot tailpiece and the bridge would actually help clean things up in a noticeable way.

I have a banjo with a standard maple + ebony cap bridge that came on a Gold Tone clawhammer banjo that I’ve been playing for a few years, and I’ve heard Dotson bridges are an upgrade …even though they’re also maple + ebony.

But I’ve also heard bridges vary so much, even within the same type, that it’s almost impossible to know which one will actually sound “better” on a specific banjo.

Does anyone here have experience with Dotson bridges? Is it actually worth the upgrade? What kinds of changes did you notice in tone or response?

Also, I know “better” is subjective, but I’m going for a classic clawhammer / old-time sound. Is Dotson the right direction for that? Or are brands like Sampson, which make “old time” bridges with different woods like mahogany, more suited for that sound?

I’ve got a resonator banjo that was originally set up more for bluegrass, but I mostly play clawhammer.
I like the projection and volume of the resonator, but I’m after a more mellow, plunky tone.

I’ve already swapped to phosphor bronze strings and adjusted the tailpiece angle. They helped a bit, but I’m still chasing a warmer, less bright sound.

Other things I’ve heard are:
-Replacing the bridge
-Loosening the head tension
-Swapping to a renaissance head (this seems like quite a bit of work for the payoff)
-Stuffing the pot

Do any more experienced players know which of these is the most impactful, especially in terms of effort vs. results?