For the John Hartford Model, Greg Deering’s years of experience with various woods combined with John Hartford’s research into the design of vintage banjos culminated in the idea of using a “Grenadillo tone-ring” made from a wood used on marimbas. This unique tone-ring is mounted on a three-ply maple rim with a zinc flange to create lighter weight (8 lbs instead of 11or 12) banjo; a very good choice for bluegrass as well as other styles! The Hartford sounds like a vintage pre-war banjo when new but also as it ages, it “plays-in” like a violin and gains in volume and presence the more it is played. We’ve seen it out-do even the best bronze tone-ring banjos in jam sessions!