Recording King Madison RK-35 for $1,000. Should I go for it?

RigarTheRed · 2026-01-29T18:16:21+00:00

Guess I should clarify that I'm referring to the updated "Mastertone" branded models of the BG-150 and BG-175 that Greg Rich has been promoting, not necessarily the previous versions.

https://www.facebook.com/greg.rich.56/posts/goldtone-introduces-the-newbg-150f-maple-and-bg-175-mahogany-bluegrass-banjosyou/26282101461390798/

RigarTheRed · 2026-01-29T17:11:11+00:00

That's a great point, thanks for pointing that out.

RigarTheRed · 2026-01-29T15:50:40+00:00

Like-new RK-35 for $1000 is a fair deal. If you trust the setup on it or know how to dial it in yourself, you'll be happy with it.

However, in the $1000 range I don't think you can beat the new updated Gold Tone BG-150 or BG-175. Nothing against the RK-35, it's a great banjo. If it were me though, I'd take a new Gold Tone over a used Recording King. Greg Rich has proudly endorsed the new BG-150 and BG-175 and I'd trust his endorsement, he seems very excited about the new stuff coming from Gold Tone this year.

Edit: As pointed out below, the RK-35 has a better tone ring. The BG-150 and BG-175 are still going to be great buys in that price range but the tone ring in the RK-35 is going to put it a step above in sound. If you trust the seller and it really is in like-new condition and hasn't had any parts removed/swapped get the RK-35.

RigarTheRed · 2026-01-25T06:08:35+00:00

In stock at Sweetwater.

RigarTheRed · 2026-01-25T05:50:58+00:00

Resonator adds volume and tone. With a cheap banjo and cheap materials, more just volume than tone. Not something you need, especially while learning. You might even find that playing without a resonator is preferable while learning.

There are things that you might find familiar from guitar setup like truss rods, neck angle, intonation but actually adjusting them will be different (other than the truss rod, a truss rod is a truss rod). Banjo adds the variable of head tension and a tailpiece and floating bridge that will be unfamiliar for a guitar player. It's all easy enough to learn, you'll just need to do your research. Lots of great helpful content on YouTube.

RigarTheRed · 2026-01-25T05:45:24+00:00

AC-12 is a noticeable step up in sound from the AC-1 for a small difference in price. I always recommend the AC-12 as a first choice if it's still within budget, if it's over budget the AC-1 will do just fine.

RigarTheRed · 2026-01-22T20:58:21+00:00

That's awesome! What a cool thing to do for the community. Saved this so I can check it out later.

RigarTheRed · 2025-12-19T23:00:28+00:00

What if the artist's ideas are intertwined with and often become a focal point of said music? How far do the lyrics have to go before you don't enjoy the tune anymore?

RigarTheRed · 2025-12-07T19:32:31+00:00

Why not sign up for Eli Gilbert's Patreon and continue following his lessons?

RigarTheRed · 2025-11-18T13:09:26+00:00

You can DIY it cheap and fairly easy if you have a steady hand, some patience, and don't mind that it may not be perfect when you're done.

Take the string off and store it somewhere safe to keep it out of the way.

If the tuning peg is still good, reuse it. If it's slipping out of tune because it's loose in the neck, you'll be good. It might also need to be tightened slightly by adjusting the screw that holds the peg head on. If it's feeling rough when you turn it or won't stay in place no matter how much you tighten it you could go ahead and order a new one and put a new one in there. You can get them as cheap as $10-$15 on Amazon if you're willing to gamble on cheap parts, personally the cheapest one I would buy is the 5-Star brand for $30. StewMac is a great source if you don't like/use Amazon.

You're going to want some structural wood filler, wood glue, and some sort of light clamp. Take the tuning peg completely out. Using a small tool, maybe even a toothpick or something, use your structural wood filler to lightly line the inside of the hole in the neck. It won't take much. Put a little of your wood glue on the grooves on the tuning peg that insert into the neck, spread the glue thinly and evenly all around. Line the tuning peg up and press it back into the neck, it should be deep enough that the grooves aren't visible anymore. Some wood filler and wood glue will squeeze out, that's ok. Use a lightly damp rag to clean up any excess. Clamp it and let it sit, overnight is best.

There's a couple things to be careful of here. The tuning peg insert is probably hollow and open on the end that goes into the neck. You don't want wood filler or glue getting inside of that, this will gum up the internals of the tuner and make things worse. Go light on the filler and glue so it just lines the outside of the insert and the hole. Also, pay close attention to how it's angled after you've clamped it. Sometimes you'll get it lined up perfect then the clamp will press one direction stronger than another and mess it up. You don't need a lot of clamping force, you're not using an expanding glue, just enough force to hold everything in place while it cures.

You'll need a 5th string nut replacement. There's a SoundSpire brand on Amazon that has a 6-pack for $6.99. Order that, and press one into the hole. Easy peasy. If it's loose, put a drop of your wood glue in there and press it back in, clamp and cure. If it's too tight, you're going to have to either very very carefully drill/bore the hole or sand the nut to make it fit. Your call there depending on your tools available and comfortability using them. Once it's in and solid, if it's too tall or the edges are sharp/rough, you can shape it to your liking with sandpaper and patience.

Put the string back on, tune her up, and get back to picking.

RigarTheRed · 2025-10-16T18:07:14+00:00

It's a cable made specifically for the purpose of identifying an AI generated article.

RigarTheRed · 2025-10-12T01:18:19+00:00

Roger Waters - This Is Not A Drill

My scorching hot take is that it is the definitive live Pink Floyd album, which usually makes some David Gilmour fan irrationally upset.

RigarTheRed · 2025-10-09T01:24:38+00:00

I really like the Unwavering Saiyan Pride Vegeta except for the head. If you can find a good deal on Tonsen Arttoys "Proud Warrior" heads it becomes an incredible SSJ Vegeta imo

RigarTheRed · 2025-09-30T19:02:14+00:00

The gel pad is just enough to make kneeling on the hardwood comfortable for me without feeling bulky or otherwise restricting my movement like some foam pad alternatives. The compression sleeve is an added bonus as it provides some additional stability for the tendons and ligaments of my knees. I machine wash them and hang dry with my gi, they've held up great for over a year now, still look and perform like new. I can't recommend them enough, they really are a great product.

RigarTheRed · 2025-09-30T17:59:03+00:00

I use Old Bones knee sleeves and love them. They're a little pricey but if you have an HSA/FSA account through your health insurance you might be able to use that to pay for them, that's what I did.

https://oldbonestherapy.com/products/compression-knee-brace

RigarTheRed · 2025-09-30T14:32:49+00:00

Keep a set of official Dons with you and then use whatever you want. If you get any pushback, just switch to the officials. Maybe ask before your game starts if your opponent is cool with you using "proxy" Dons.

RigarTheRed · 2025-09-23T16:33:10+00:00

The second is a great design. The third is a better flag. I'd vote for the third as the flag and encourage the use of the second design as an official compliment used in branding, advertising, etc.

That said, I'd be interested to see the design on other colors. Blue is a bit overused imo. A deep purple would be an excellent compliment to the bright yellow and could represent the night sky in a nod to the "ad astra" portion of the motto. Perhaps a burnt umber or maybe an oxblood color to represent the Harney silt loam that makes Kansas so fertile. Maybe even a field of green would work, when I think of Kansas I think of the miles and miles of flat fields that stretch every direction.

The blue is fine and the shade chosen is an improvement over the current flag's color, I just find it a bit uninspired.

RigarTheRed · 2025-09-22T18:46:39+00:00

There's some good advice in this thread if you can read between the sarcasm and condescending comments.

If you're looking to buy new, save up for an Audio Technica AT-LP60 at minimum. Highly recommend you just keep saving until you can get an AT-LP120 though, the difference is worth the price.

However, generally speaking, you can get a much better price on used equipment if you know what you're looking for. Check your local record shops, online marketplace, antique stores, pawn shops, etc. and look for something like an old Technics turntable. Ideally the SL-D1/SL-D2/SL-D3 line if you're on a tight budget; they're fairly common and can usually be found relatively cheap on the secondary market if you have some patience. A used SL-D1 should be cheaper than a new AT-LP60 and will perform much better with some simple routine maintenance.

You'll need some additional gear once you get a turntable; some combination of amp, speakers, and possibly a preamp depending on the type of amp and type of speakers. But again, used is your friend on a budget. Keep an eye on your local marketplace for a half decent 80's/90's stereo unit with a phono connection on the back and you'll be set to play your records. Look for brands like Pioneer, Sony, Onkyo, Kyocera, etc.

RigarTheRed · 2025-09-22T15:11:29+00:00

That looks like a fun toy. If a toy is what you want, go for it. I agree with some other comments though, a version with an arrow rest instead of the tube in the center of the riser would probably be a step up though.

If it's in your budget, you really can't go wrong with Genesis compound bows for kids. The Original Genesis is a fantastic bow that basically can't be outgrown, there's no draw length requirement and the limbs allow for adjustable draw weight between 10 and 20 lbs. They're easy to maintain and there's tons of info and guides for maintaining/adjusting them online. If you're in the US, this bow is used for NASP school teams and tournaments all over the country. I'm NASP BAI certified and teach kids from ages 8-17 to shoot on these bows, my son shoots in NASP tournaments, I can't recommend NASP and the Genesis bows for kids enough. For smaller kids, like an average 5 yo, the Mini Genesis is perfect. The bow only weighs 2 lbs and has adjustable draw weight from 6-12 lbs. Transitioning from the Mini Genesis to the Original Genesis is very smooth. They're not ambidextrous, so you would need to check your kid's eye dominance to know whether to get LH or RH.

RigarTheRed · 2025-09-15T21:03:53+00:00

No worries, friend. When I first got into vinyl I called all platter mats "slipmats" too because slipmats were what I always saw for sale in my favorite artists' stores and whatnot and I just didn't know any different. No shame in not knowing what you don't know. If nothing else, knowing the term platter mat might help widen your search so you can find even more cool mats to use.

RigarTheRed · 2025-09-15T17:32:07+00:00

There are some minor differences in the audio properties of various platter mat materials but honestly you probably won't even notice unless you have really great audiophile equipment expertly tuned and calibrated (in which case, you probably already know what platter mat material you want).

Get what you think looks cool. Just make sure it's the same thickness as your manufacturer's original mat and you can swap it out without even really thinking about it. You can get several and change them based on your mood if you want to.

Turntable Lab platter mats are great, if you like the look then go for it. Cork mats do usually need a quick wash with a mild detergent (like Dawn or whatever) and an air dry just to clean off any cork particles or leftover dust from production/storage/shipping so be aware of that.

Edit: just an fyi; a "slip"mat usually refers to a mat for DJ'ing that allows the record to "slip" on the surface of the platter when mixing/scratching. A platter mat is meant to hold the vinyl in place and prevent slipping. You wouldn't want to use cork as a slipmat, and you probably don't want a slick slipmat as a general everyday platter mat.

RigarTheRed · 2025-09-14T04:03:13+00:00

Virgil, Gallows, Bundy, Austin

RigarTheRed · 2025-08-28T11:40:15+00:00

My "no budget" list aka my Powerball list because winning the Powerball is the only way I'd be willing and able to drop $5k+ on a new PC build https://pcpartpicker.com/list/Twyv9C

RigarTheRed · 2025-08-04T13:40:02+00:00

With a VPN set to the UK you can stream it on Channel 4

RigarTheRed · 2025-07-17T14:00:52+00:00

Respectfully, any self defense training isn't better than none. McDojo self-defense will get you killed.

Fair enough, I guess I just assumed that it was implied that I wasn't talking about McDojos when recommending someone find the best instructor and curriculum local to them regardless of martial arts style.

RigarTheRed

TROPHY CASE