The Ome Silver Spun tone ring was the first top-end tone ring used, and is still popular today.
Ome can make a 5-string banjo that is very close in construction to a Gibson, a B&D Silver Bell, a Vega, or a Buckbee. Unlike other manufacturers, Ome offers many options that are specifically tailored to bluegrass, jazz, old-time and other players, and the options can be mixed to anything a player wants. To understand the grades, you really have to go to the Ome site and look each of them over, as there are many options in each. The lower grades use mahogany and rosewood fingerboards. pot metal flanges, 3-ply maple rims, maple necks with center laminations similar to the Odes, and maple resonators in the higher grades. The current Ome bluegrass banjos all have cast flathead tone rings, 1 pc. This long scale creates a stiffer feel in the strings, which are under higher tension as they are stretched over a longer neck length. The Gibson scale varied, but is generally 26 1/4". This is a much longer scale than any other banjo except for the Vega, which is just as long. The D has a more complex bound peghead shape, different and more extensive inlays, gold plating, and an engraved armrest and tailpiece.īoth have a scale length of 27 1/8".
The only differences between the Ode C and D are: the C has a slightly simpler un-bound peghead shape, different inlays, and nickel plating. The truss rod is accessed by a hole in the heel, and requires a special tool to engage the gearbox, which is set inside the middle of the heel. Both, after 1969, have the patented Baldwin geared truss rod in the neck. flange, the infamous Ode tailpiece,bound ebony fingerboards, identical walnut necks with 3 center laminations (maple, rosewood, maple), identical multi-ply maple rims, and identical walnut resonators with 2 concentric rings made of rosewood/maple/rosewood on the back. All have cast flathead tone rings, a solid brass 1-pc. The Ode C and D share identical construction. The Ome banjos reflect the earlier Odes in some ornamental design details- the Juggernaut peghead shape is similar to to the Ode D's peghead, and the Jug's inlays are vaguely similar to the D's- the similarities stop there. have used just a few different tailpieces for many years, Chuck has designed at least 5, and most of them are still available. The Ome tailpieces are a great example of his philosophy- while Gibson, Deering, etc. Chuck is always looking at the horizon and working on ways to improve and/or perfect his instruments. Unlike other banjo manufacturers, Ome has never been 'fixed' down to just one successful design. The first Ome period is roughly 1969- 79, the second 1979-90, and the third is 1990-present. The Omes fall into 3 very loose time periods, and each has design changes, tone ring changes, and wood changes. The first thing that needs to be understood is the Ome banjos are still evolving, while the Odes are now frozen in time. There is a ton of info, pictures, construction details, etc. The most and best info on Ode/Baldwin banjos is found on the Yahoo! Ode group.