Richard,

I am not aware of the tailpiece having a lot of effect on banjo sound. I have no special preference about tailpieces, but have generally used the ones that came with the banjo. I used a Price Straightline for a while because I liked the appearance, but I didn't notice a tone change.

There are some who discuss tailpieces as though they are an important part of the tone. I'm not one of them, but they might have some good insights for you.

You're not asking for trouble to change it, but in general I think you're better off spending your time on playing good music. Sometimes, it seems to me that people would rather think about banjo setup than actually playing the thing. Playing the thing, and putting a lot of care into your playing, is what creates good sound.

Enjoy your picking!

Pete Wernick