Yates Red Maple Rims

About Us

Yates Red Maple Rims

Our Rims

These rims are made entirely at the Yates Banjo shop located in Hickory, North Carolina. These prewar style three ply rims are designed to be very hard with the tone that red maple is known for.

We turn these rims to finish size (9-1/2") on the inside and smooth enough for finish to help reduce the prep work often dreaded by finishers. The outside is oversize between 11-1/16" and 11-1/8" to assure accurate turning. Width is approximately 2-1/2"

Particular attention is given to wood grain direction. The tightest and straightest grain is used on the center layer where most of the mass is. Inside and outside layers are slightly slanted to strengthen the construction.

Finishing and fitting services are available. Pot assembles with our V33 with tapered wedge fit flanges are also available.

Warren Yates

gotprewar@gmail.com

Introductory price $80 each 828-294-0578

We start with a truck load of tight grain red maple on a nice day.
Our shop is small so nice days means working outside.
We select the wood for its grain and set it aside for the layer best suited in our rims.
We believe that the center layer should get the tightest and straightest grain due to its percentage of the structure. Once the slabs are selected, we run it through the plainer to thickness.
We use an industrial grade glue that hardens crystal hard. Our red maple is northern grown and though it is considered a soft wood, it is very hard. Were the prewars made of red maple? Most believe so as do we. Try one and you tell us!
In the Ron Stewart models, Ron selects and supplies his own maple for us to build his rims. These rims are only available in his models.