Block Rim, Optionally Fitted for Hardware, Stained and Finished

Mr. Lemon has always been courteous to what I want. He built this custom osage rim for a longneck banjo I’ve been building. I have everything I need to do my projects except a lathe for rim building. He is the only person I turn to for my rims and this is because he does exceptional work. I couldn’t think of any other luthier that would custom build banjo parts like this. He is amazing. The reason why I wanted such a strange and unconventional rim is because I built my first banjo out of walnut and osage. The rim was not very round and not well made, but sounded great in drop C and in open D, and I wanted an expert made rim to have the same tone as the very first project I made. Mr. Lemon was the only guy I turned to because I know he makes great things.

I had wanted to try a “woodie” rim for a while and came across Hunter Lemon’s offerings. We talked a bit and he constructed a torrified birch woodie rim for me. The result is a gorgeous birch block rim, stained to match my resonator and with a perfect fit. The tone is punchy, rich and sweet, very consistent up the neck too. I’m pleased to have come across this excellent craftsman and will likely order a second light weight woodie from Hunter to mount in another banjo.

I got an RB 100 for Christmas and it was not original. I really thought it was and I was very disappointed. I had no idea what would be original for this banjo and Hunter helped me out. He looked up the serial number and the year it was made and he told me the specs for the rim. I told him I wanted as close to original as I could get and he sure did deliver. He synthetically aged the rim (baked it) and cut the rim for a brass hoop like what would be in an original banjo. I love archtop banjos, and I asked him if this would’ve been originally an archtop and he said no. I went with his advice and got the flathead hoop because I wanted this 100 to be as close to an original as I could possibly get. Now, this banjo sounds very similar to my teacher’s banjo, the only difference is his is a few years older and an archtop. I am very pleased with what Mr. Lemon has done.

I bought some products from Lemon banjo several months back. I’d like to say that if you are looking for quality products, no hassle, pleasant transactions with a person that backs up his products with unbeatable customer service, Hunter is your man. Very knowledgeable about the five string banjo and how to get great sound out of it, I think he is really on to something with the wood tone ring and rim. Whatever he is using for the wood, he seems to have unlocked a secret that a lot of banjo makers haven’t discovered and that is that the wood rim is the most important component in getting great sound out of a five string. Highly recommended!

I had been wanting a wood tone ring in a bluegrass banjo for several years now. Primarily I wanted a lighter banjo but was a little apprehensive about what sound I would get.

I did some research and of course came across the Deering John Hartford ( a little expensive for me). I contacted Deering and and they said they could make me a tone ring integrated rim but that was very high priced.

Somehow I got in touch with Hunter Lemon and he made me a hard maple rim with an integral tone ring for a Sullivan banjo I have for a very reasonable price.

I didn't know what to expect as far as sound. As far as workmanship, communication and customer service, I couldn't be happier. Everything fit together perfectly.

I'm not a professional player but I've had many bluegrass banjos over the last 30 plus years. Some flat heads, some arch tops, some I've built from parts and I still have a few. And now I have a wood tone ring one.

They all sound great to me, they all sound a little different, and let me tell you, the Sullivan with Hunter Lemon's wood rim\ring sounds as good as and of them. Plenty of volume and a throaty sound. And, it's lighter.

I've been playing it for a couple of months now and it has settled in with that throaty sound. I probably could tighten the head a little more but I kind of like it the way it is.