Huber VRB-3 Truetone

The VRB-3 uses high grade, quarter sawn Mahogany for the neck. Banjo players who favor the older instruments always rave about the sound, but also include the feel of the necks and their ease of playability in describing their preference for the prewars. With this in mind, Steve carefully digitized the neck of his favorite old banjo, capturing every curve and nuance.

The Huber necks are produced using computer-aided machining technology, ensuring that each neck is crafted to the exact specifications – every time!

Matching the grain in the neck, our mahogany resonator has an overlay of straight grain mahogany, inlaid with twin concentric circles of white/black/white binding.

Resonators are built by Steve’s dad, Jack Huber, in Lancaster PA.

Our VRB-3 boasts a classic inlay pattern, which we describe as the “Leaves & Bows” pattern, noted for its understated simplicity.

The VRB-3 can also be ordered with another of the prewar inlays if you prefer, such as the “Reno” pattern, or the “Flying Eagle” pattern.

The nameplate inlay at the 21st fret bears the name Truetone executed in individual mother of pearl letters, representing that this model was made with our HR-30 ring and Engineered Rim.

All of the Huber Banjos come with Waverly V-2 tuners installed. The V-2s work very well and closely approximate the look of those found on vintage banjos. The tapered underside of the peghead washer helps protect the headstock and the internal low-friction bushings help ensure smooth operation.

The tuners are fitted with authentic recreations of 1930’s “Amber Tulip” buttons and help create the proper vintage feel.

All stock models are made with a rosewood fingerboard.

The Huber bridge is made of carefully selected maple and ebony and is designed for tone, volume, and clarity. String slots are cut with a custom-built slotting machine that produces the exact depth, spacing, and angle every time.

The Huber bridge is also available as a separate accessory item order.

Our HR-30 Tone Ring represents the pinnacle in prewar reproduction, measured in both tone and responsiveness. It was created after a year of analysis into the vibratory physics of more than a dozen prewar flathead rings, and further research into casting methods that could consistently reproduce a ring that closely matched our prewar standard.

Through a special arrangement with Remo, Huber installs a head on each new banjo that is manufactured to his custom specifications. Steve finds that they offer a superior tone to that of the stock Mylar heads offered for banjo.

These Huber heads can also be ordered as a separate, after-market accessory item.

The Huber Engineered Rim is the ultimate in tone and response, developed over a year of extensive scientific measurement and careful prototyping.

Dr. Jim Rae is the brains behind the Engineered Rim. Dr. Rae analyzed the vibrational physics and sonic output of prewar rims and used these numbers as the benchmark. Brian Sims worked with Dr. Rae in the prototyping and manufacturing of the Engineered Rim.

We use a two way adjustable truss rod in our necks. The two way rod allows for adjustments in both directions – you can add relief or reduce bow as needed.

The rod is accessible under the truss rod cover in the headstock, just behind the nut.

All Huber banjos are finished with multiple layers of nitrocellulose lacquer, hand sanded between coats for a smooth appearance. They are then buffed to a high gloss with careful attention to detail at every step in the finishing process.

The VRB-3 has single white antiqued binding which involves the use of a coloring agent applied in the finish to give the binding along the sides of the neck, resonator and resonator rings an aged appearance.

We add the Vintage Metal Finish to the VRB-3 to complete the vintage vibe. The outer surfaces of the metal parts are modified to remove the sheen, giving a very close approximation of the look of a much older instrument.

Like the storied pre wars which inspired them, most Huber Banjos have a Presto-style tailpiece installed during final assembly and set up. Steve feels that the lighter weight of this sort of tailpiece is best suited to the sound he is after.

The pot-metal flange we use in all Huber Banjos is custom machined in a process which allows for more solid contact between the flange and rim, resulting in better structural stability and tonal response.

On all our models, we use a brass notched tension hoop, plated to match the other metal parts. We use plated steel rods to hold the neck onto the rim instead of the softer brass found in many new banjos.

We chose steel rods since the older flatheads used them and, proving that no detail is too small, even the nuts and washers are exact pre war replicas!

Each Huber banjo is shipped in its own plush lined hard shell case. The top lid is arched for superior protection.

Every Huber Banjo is warranted to the original owner without time limit, often described as a “Limited Lifetime Warranty.”

Any defect in material or workmanship, except heads, strings and pegs will be repaired or replaced free of charge to the original owner, if returned to our factory, charges prepaid.