Geoff Hohwald Banjo Primer (Revised) submitted 11/22/2008 Submitter 5strbanjo (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased www.cvls.com Overall Comments I've been looking at and evaluating banjo instructional materials for a regional bluegrass association newsletter for several years, and this is the best inexpensive basic learning resource I've ever seen. Pegagogically, it's way ahead of the pack no matter what the big name who happened to write a particular basic book. Geoff Hohwald's book/CD set does a better job of helping you learn 3-finger style pickin' on your own than any other resource I've come across, and I've seen a good many. The companion DVD, "Introduction to 5-String Banjo"--which must be purchased separately--is the most practical, helpful video resource I've ever seen, too. I wish these both had been available when I first started learning. Overall Rating 10

Mike's Mute Mike's Mute submitted 11/21/2008 Submitter Trashbanjo (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased From Mike Overall Comments Ive never bought a mute before so i dont know how others compare. I can say this mute does everything that Mike and others said it would.Easy to use,looks nice, and works excellent.I would guess it cuts volume by 2/3 but maintains quality tone and stays in tune. Great product and nice handmade storage pouch.Ordered on Monday,on my banjo Wednsday.Non banjo playing wife also loves it. Overall Rating 10

Gaither Gospel Series Gaither Country Bluegrass Homecoming submitted 11/21/2008 Submitter thkidd (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Wal-Mart Overall Comments I have the two original Gaither Bluegrass Gospel Homecoming DVDs, and both are excellent. When I saw these new ones, I jumped at the chance to buy them (less than $15 each at Wal-Mart). Both are excellent DVDs, and include a variety of both bluegrass, country, and Southern Gospel artists performing some great gospel numbers. At first I was a bit disappointed that these weren't totally bluegrass, but after watching them a couple of times I came to appreciate and enjoy most of the other performers on there as well. Some very good music, with a very good spirit about the whole thing. Some of the artists include DL&Q, Dailey & Vincent, the Grascals, RV&R, Ralph Stanley & CMB, the Isaacs, Marty Stuart, Cherryholmes, Larry Sparks, Vince Gill and George Jones, plus several others. I would highly recommend these DVDs. Overall Rating 9

Enoch Dobson 11" submitted 11/21/2008 Submitter clawhammerist (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased from maker Year Purchased 2008 Price Paid Don't Remember historic exchange rates / currency converter Sound In looking for a "road" banjo that possessed as much of the sound and aesthetic of my original but fragile H.C. Dobson Silver Bell as possible, I quickly became aware of Kevin Enoch's new Dobson line. A few days spent with his prototypes--11" and 12" both--was all it took to convince me that Kevin had come up with the answer to my search. Both banjos sounded great, but it was the 11" that to me best captured the unique tonal qualities of my old banjo. (It is interesting, I think, to note that the original Dobsons were never made in sizes larger than 11", even though they had many larger contemporaries; perhaps, then and now, this tone ring works better in a smaller diameter.) This instrument has most of the richness and warmth of my old Dobson, but with a certain sparkling finish to its tone. In spite of being a fundamentally mellow instrument, it has loads of definition and none of the muddiness that comes to mind when one thinks of dark-sounding banjos. It is not an incredibly loud banjo, but it is far louder than its vintage equivalent, and thus better suited to more situations. I find it very easy to finesse whatever volume and tone I want out of this instrument; in other words, it has a most expressive and multi-dimensional voice (as do the old Silver Bells), and its sound could suit players of diverse tastes. Sound Rating 10 Setup The scale length and neck profile that Kevin had chosen was already almost identical to those of my old Dobson. Kevin took detailed measurements of that banjo's action, and took care to set the neck of this new instrument in such a way that the action over the head and the base of the neck were comfortably high for the right hand as it is on my other banjo, but the action in the fingerboard's midrange (say, between the 7th and 12th frets) was low enough for easy fretting and good intonation, unlike my old standby. These factors made it immediately easy for me to get comfortable with this banjo. I asked Kevin to install a skin head, as we both felt that this setup would bring out even more of the sound I was after than the Renaissance-equipped prototypes did. He acquired a very high-quality calfskin, and as we suspected, its sound it just great. It also seems surprisingly stable, unlike the very thin skin head on my old Dobson; I haven't yet had to adjust its tension, regardless of changes in humidity, and I have noticed precious little sinking or tightening on its own. Setup Rating 10 Appearance This particular banjo is the first in a small series of "limited edition" Dobson models that Kevin intends to produce. While it is structurally identical to his standard Dobson, it features some cosmetic upgrades. Kevin added some of his signature inlay work, with gorgeously engraved and colored abalone position markers of various shapes at the usual frets, and a breathtaking giant star in the peghead. He also came up with a design for a brass plate at the end of the fingerboard that extends to about an inch over the head, a feature that came standard on the original Dobsons. The overall appearance is one of subtle beauty. Appearance Rating 10 Reliability While the banjo is still too new for me to comment extensively on its reliability, I can say that it has performed brilliantly so far. I have used it on stage without a backup and without any worry, and it did not let me down in the least. I intend to bring this instrument with me on the road, particularly when I have to fly and cannot bring more than one banjo. At this point, I see no reason to believe that it will not do everything that I need it to do in performance and workshop situations in a totally dependable manner. Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service Kevin is an excellent businessman who has provided me with great customer service, both while building the banjo and since. His unparalleled attention to detail made for very smooth dealings. I am confident that if this banjo required service, Kevin would be willing and able to help. Customer Service 10 Components The tuners are very smooth and precise. All of the rim hardware is uniform and seems substantial. I particularly like the round bracket hooks and fancy nuts. I see nothing that needs to be changed out for something "better." Components Rating 10 Overall Comments I highly recommend Kevin's Dobson line, particularly in the 11" version, to anyone looking for a high-quality, reasonably-priced, modern banjo with a unique voice. This instrument is exactly what I had been hoping to find: a perfect marriage between the sound and feel of my beloved antique banjo with the durability and reliability that only new instruments can always provide. I would replace it in an instant (with one just like it) if it were stolen if it were stolen or damaged beyond repair, something that I would not be able to do if I continued to only play my vintage Dobson, and a clear benefit of buying new. Overall Rating 10

Shubb Sliding 5th-String Capo submitted 11/20/2008 Submitter John Greer (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Elderly Music, Sept 2008 Overall Comments I first used a capo like this on an older banjo of my uncles while I was first learning to play. I loved it then and I love it now. I installed it myself using the included instructions with no problems. It is quick and convienent to use. Overall Rating 10

BanjoMate Thinline Armrest Thinline Armrest submitted 11/20/2008 Submitter 5strbanjo (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased www.littlemountainmusic.com Overall Comments This is the ideal replacement for a Vega-style armrest, no matter how many bracket hooks a banjo has. More than a few regard the Vega-style armrest as uncomfortable and too high above the head. Any Deering Goodtime banjo, no matter which model, will benefit from this armrest. It's easy to install and reasonably priced. Overall Rating 10

Grafton Banjo Uke submitted 11/19/2008 Submitter cockneybanjo (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased andy's banjos Year Purchased 2008 Price Paid 195 (GBP) historic exchange rates / currency converter Sound loud and bright. 8" Remo head and what look like Aquila strings give a nice bouncy tone with plenty of volume. Not up to the same quality as my pre-war Sovereign, but i didn't expect that anyway. Sound Rating 8 Setup good easy set-up. Low action and no buzzes or rattles. Setup Rating 9 Appearance nice dark finish, similar to the 'treacle and araldite' finish on Korean Gold Tones. Appearance Rating 9 Reliability looks good as far as I can tell on such short acquaintance. Past experience of Graftons suggests there will be no problems on this front Reliability Rating 9 Customer Service good service from Andy! Customer Service 10 Components looks a solid all-round piece. Again, past experience of Graftons has been good Components Rating 9 Overall Comments generally a copy of the pre-war Gibson UB3, if not up to Gibson standards of tone - but what do you expect at the price? nice value-for-money piece, well set-up, lacks the troublesome volute at the top of the neck often found on budget banjo ukes. Nice bright sound. Overall Rating 9

Gold Star GF-100FE submitted 11/19/2008 Submitter banjojason88 (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Local Music Store Year Purchased 2008 Price Paid 1100 ($US) Sound Very nice sound. Bright and clear. For what you pay the tone of the banjo is excellent. Sound Rating 9 Setup As with most new banjos, mine was not set-up. I had a guy snug the neck, tightening the head and i changed the bridge and the sound really came out. Setup Rating 7 Appearance The banjo looks just like a Gibson RB-75, minus the word Mastertone in pearl block. Appearance Rating 9 Reliability Very reliable, however I did change all the turners on the banjo. The hardware has shown no sign of aging. Reliability Rating 9 Customer Service I have not had a reason to contact Customer Service. Customer Service not rated Components The turners (5-Star) that came on it where not very good and the bridge was terrible. But other than those everything else is excellent. Components Rating 9 Overall Comments I would recommend this banjo. If you are just staring out, experienced and need a somewhat cheep reliable banjo you can not go wrong with a Gold Star. Overall Rating 9

Morgan Monroe mbrh submitted 11/19/2008 Submitter John Greer (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased The Guitar Shoppe, Hudson N.C. Year Purchased Sept. 2008 Price Paid Don't Remember historic exchange rates / currency converter Sound I love the sound of this banjo. I play three finger style. It is very loud. It can over power most of the instruments in our group. I used several types of strings before settling on Elixir. You should experiment also to find what suits you. Sound Rating 10 Setup It was set up very well when purchased. I tightened the arch top head to suit me. No other work was needed. It is very easy to set up if needed as it has duel coordinater rods. Setup Rating 10 Appearance It is a beautiful banjo. Mahogony neck and resonator. no flaws were noted in the finish. Appearance Rating 10 Reliability The hardware seems to be well made. I do not personally like the clamshell tailpiece, but it is very adequate. I have not changed it. It may be something I learn to live with. an easy change out if not. Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service I have not needed to talk to Morgan Monroe company. The Guitar Shoppe has handled any problems I have had with other brand instruments in the past and I believe they will continue to do so. It has a limited lifetime warranty. Customer Service 10 Components The arch top tone ring is the best. I've not found any other that I like better. The tuners seem to hold their tuning well. It is very loud, so I have to play it away from others if I'm practicing at home. It will penetrate the length of my home with out any trouble. Components Rating 10 Overall Comments I would recommend this banjo to any one who wants a good sounding banjo without the high price of an American made. Current prices run in the $800 range and they are worth every penny. Overall Rating 10

Deering Vega Senator submitted 11/19/2008 Submitter john bange (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Elderly Year Purchased 2008 Price Paid 1372 ($US) Sound rich full tone with nylgut strings...plenty of volume Sound Rating 10 Setup tightened head after week... Setup Rating 10 Appearance very plain, just like I like it...pretty wood Appearance Rating 10 Reliability satin finish is excellent...nickle top notch Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service best dealer I've found along with Buffalo Bros Customer Service 10 Components I got the "new" Derring case with mine...would have preferred the older TKL over the Golden Gate bump Components Rating 8 Overall Comments I recomend it to all, I'd replace it if lost...way louder than my Little Wonder...way lighter than my Wildwood Overall Rating 10

Beaver King bridge 5/8" compensated submitted 11/17/2008 Submitter dredline (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased From Beaver King Overall Comments WOW, Tremendous improvement in sound. I have one on a maple and one on a mahogany. These bridges improved the volume,tone and color of both banjos. Overall Rating 10

William Elliot Whitmore Hymns For The Hopeless submitted 11/17/2008 Submitter poorboyslim (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased iTunes Overall Comments Whitmore can't be more than 30, but his voice is arresting. He sounds like a cancerous eighty year old who just woke up. Add to that his talent for lyrics about hard times, and his ability to play authentic "old timey" guitar and banjo music, and you have a recipe for some great listening. Overall Rating 10

Hofner HBA-6 submitted 11/17/2008 Submitter tenorclef (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased www.thomann.de Year Purchased 2008 Price Paid 300 (sterling) historic exchange rates / currency converter Sound Nice strident loud sound, can be sweet if played at the fingerboard or bright next to the bridge. My style is mainly trad 20's jazz. Sound Rating 8 Setup Action is generally good, set a bit on the high side which is good for projection but not to high to be hard to play. Setup Rating 8 Appearance Generally very nice workmanship, a couple of blemishes but not noticeable unless you look for them. The inlay/abalone looks very pretty on the headstock. Appearance Rating 7 Reliability Built like a tank and about as heavy too. Reliability Rating 9 Customer Service Customer Service not rated Components Appear sturdy Components Rating 8 Overall Comments Half the price of a Deering and much better than many of the cheaper banjitars/English banjos i've had experience with. This is my second banjitar, it projects well and serves my needs so i can't see any need to upgrade to a better one, this one is fine as is but i may experiment with some of the hardware to see how it alters the tone. Overall Rating 9

Guardian Hard Shell Case submitted 11/17/2008 Submitter Banjo75 (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Elderly.com Overall Comments This is a good, cheap no frills, utilitarian hard shell case that will protect your banjo. Overall Rating 7

Earl's Suspender Capo Suspender Capo submitted 11/17/2008 Submitter Dannythemanny (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Janet Davis Music (online) Overall Comments Mine just arrived in the mail. First impressions aren't wonderful... It was a toss-up between this one and the Eagle Claw. I liked the idea of the convenience of Earl's Suspender Capo, although I could see it'd probably be in the way more than the Eagle Claw. In retrospect, I probably should've gone for the latter, but I didn't like the idea of having to stash all those rods somewhere. I may be able to get used to it, but I'm not sure... So far, my biggest gripes are: - Well, at first, I thought there was no way of even fretting the 1st and 4th strings at the 7th fret, where I had to capo set. But it turns out it just needed a little adjustment, and then fretting those strings was quite comfortable without any adjustment to my playing style needed. - The first time I used it, it pinged off as I tried to smooth past it and move up the neck. I suppose I could become accustomed to it, though. Just be gentle in that area of the fingerboard. But do you really want to worry about that when trying to play tricky up-the-neck stuff? - Most worryingly for me, the 'anchor' on the opposite side of the neck from the fifth string means that 1st-string pull-offs are more or less out of the question on the fret that the anchor is on. When you pull the string off, it budges the anchor away from the fingerboard, and after the second or third pull-off, it's sure to ping off. I've been informed however that by anchoring the capo on the next fret up from where the 5th string is fretted, one might minimise the chance of this happening... Haven't tried it yet. - The part that frets the 5th string is too long and when put on properly so it will stay put, it interferes with the 4th string. :-( I've not given up yet, though. I'll take it to a jam tomorrow and see how it fares. To be honest, I think I still prefer it to spikes. I mean, my spikes weren't installed properly and were above the level of the frets, so fifth string fretting was always out of tune because the string would stop on the spike instead of the fret. Apparently a proper installation would run me $50. My banjo is a Gold Tone Cripple Creek that I sanded down, stained, refinished, put a calfskin head on and filed in a frailing scoop. I'm not too bothered about it looking shiny (it doesn't), so I may go ahead and gently chisel in some notches along the binding on the first string side for that anchor to sit in. Then I'll have no worries about 5th (or 7th, 9th, whatever) fret pull-offs. I'll just have to be real careful not to pull the whole binding off! I may also take the fretting side of the capo down a little bit with some kind of saw to stop interference with the 4th string. I only hope then that it has enough leverage to stay on the neck. Overall Rating 2

Nechville Classic Deluxe submitted 11/15/2008 Submitter Bastertone (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased ebay Year Purchased 2006 Price Paid Don't Remember historic exchange rates / currency converter Sound The system allows for easy adjustment and a range of possible tone form bluegrass, melodic ,clawhammer. It is a very loud banjo with a clear crisp tone when set up for bluegrass. Sound Rating 10 Setup The banjo is totally adjustable by the owner with a couple of wrenches(supplied). Fun to tinker with setup Setup Rating 10 Appearance tiger maple, beautiful finish, great looking banjo Appearance Rating 10 Reliability solid Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service AMazing, Tom dropped by the house on a trip through my town and he showed me how to set it up for the tone I was looking for. Customer Service 10 Components all good Components Rating 10 Overall Comments Tom did a great job designing this banjo and in a world of gibson copies these are true advances on previous designs. A real professional banjo with great adjustability and durability. Overall Rating 10

Saga SS-10 submitted 11/15/2008 Submitter Banjo75 (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Elderly.com Year Purchased 2008 Price Paid 325 ($US) Sound I play old time Seeger Style banjo and this plays perfectly for that. It has a very bright sound and is loud by OB standards. There isn't much that I dislike about this banjo although I am finding that I am partial to guitar tuners as opposed to the planetary tuners it came with. Sound Rating 9 Setup Banjo was set-up perfectly by Elderly.com. Action was nice and low for a beginner, head nice and tight, very nice. They were even kind enough to mark the head for me for the bridge placement. Setup Rating 10 Appearance Beautiful banjo based on the old SS Stewart models. Mother of Pearl inlay in the head stock (Star and Moons) as well as at the 5th and 12th frets. This instrument is well assembled. All parts meet up perfectly. No blemishes, nicks or what have you. The wood just shines. Nice thick finish. Really nice! Appearance Rating 10 Reliability I can't picture how this wouldn't last. It's built very, very solid. The finish is very good. If I had to pick a concern it would be the tuners but seriously, this thing will be around for my grandkids to play. Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service Elderly.com is awesome! There really isn't anything else I can say about that. Saga also quickly answered my inquiries. Good all around! Customer Service 10 Components For $325 these are very good components. The wood has a nice grain to it. The M-O-P inlays are a very nice touch. The star and moons on the headstock really make this banjo stand-out. It is a really, really good looking banjo. Someone somewhere will mention the plastic trust rod cover but it was $325 not $1025 so no complaints here. Components Rating 9 Overall Comments For the price I paid this was an absolute steal. I would highly recommend this over the Goodtime or Goldtone based on what I know. Bang for the buck this can't be beat! My favorite features are the nice bright sound, the M-O-P inlays (you gotta see it to really appreciate it) and that is is heavy enough to feel like an instrument but not heavy enough to feel like a burder. If it was stolen I would hunt down the criminal and get it back. I wouldn't want to be that guy. I love this thing! Overall Rating 10

Mike's Mute Mike's Mute submitted 11/14/2008 Submitter OSCAR82AA (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Diresct from Mike Overall Comments Very good mute, BNL wrote that it is the best and I agree.Banjo gets muted but still has some tone. Overall Rating 10

Homespun Video Alan Mundes Lick A minute submitted 11/13/2008 Submitter DENNISNDODIE (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Willis Music Overall Comments Very helpful licks from a banjo super uber love his style of playing. Alot of moveable licks . It has helped me alot. Overall Rating 10

Scorpion Scorpion 3/4" submitted 11/13/2008 Submitter Tom Hanway (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Directly from Silvio Ferretti Overall Comments I asked Silvio to make me a Scorpion (custom) bridge - something bright with a 14" radius for my Stelling SwallowTail, which has a 14" radiused fretboard. I had a country recording session to do, and knew that the head on the SwallowTail was too stretched out and past its use-by date. So I had to try out the new bridge on my old Stelling Whitestar. The gentle radius wouldn't matter, I hoped, and it didn't. Well, I put on the bridge, intonated the instrument and was laying down tracks within minutes. My Whitestar never sounded so even, so loud, so full, so bright, and so alpine crisp. Silvio uses more ebony across the top than most bridge manufacturers, yet the feet are razor thin and efficiently transfer the sound to the head - no dullness whatsoever, and the bass response is fantastic. This is the best bridge I have ever used, great for bluegrass and for snappy Irish playing. It's an elegant looking bridge as well. It's the "Leonardo" of bridge designs, for sure. Classy! I'm ordering another just like it for the original Tom Hanway SwallowTail Deluxe. Overall Rating 10

RK Osborne Scout OSborne Scout submitted 11/12/2008 Submitter beegee (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Greenville Guitars Year Purchased 2008 Price Paid Don't Remember historic exchange rates / currency converter Sound I have a 1928 AT Granada that I have played for 34 years. For the past 4 years I have been playing a Top-Tension Custom Harry Lane Model G flathead. I have gotten used to the flathead tone and response, so the AT doesn't appeal to me any more. I wanted a backup banjo. After reading other raves, I found this Scout locally and played it. I liked it enough to buy it and I'm kinda fussy about sound and playability. In other words, it takes a lot to impress me. Sound Rating 10 Setup These banjos are advertised as being set up by Charlie Cushman. Mine is #25 and the set-up was not very good. The neck had a bow. It had a crappy Grover-style bridge and the coordinator rod nuts were only finger-tight. It had light gauge strings and had a few rattles. Even with that, I could hear the tone I liked. I tightened the Remo head several times, changed the bridge from the stock bridge to a Scorpion to a Snuffy II and finally used a Kat-Eyz Canadian maple/purple ebony top that I had on my Lane. American-Made Banjo Cryogenic medium strings. After tightening everything, this banjo is a killer. Good clean tone, nice sustain, plenty of volume and punch. I have the action set at 7/64" at the 3rd string 12th fret. 11/16' Kat-Eyz bridge. I don't use a drum-dial so I don't know what the head tension is. I installed RR spikes at 7 & 9, wish it was a factory option. There was a faint nut squeak when tuning, so I applied a little graphite and it went away, but using mediums instead of lights, I've noticed it has returned, so I may have to open up the slots slightly. Setup Rating 5 Appearance Flawless finish. It's curly maple with a reddish-gold sunburst on the resonator. The neck is the same color as the resonator sides. I wish it was less red, more brown and had a sunburst neck. The red color is too much like mahogany. I like my maple a little more on the brownish side. The flange is clean and sturdy-looking.The nickel plating is excellent. I'm considering having it gold-plated, just because I like gold banjos. The rim laminations are a little "coarse" showing a pretty good seam in the finish at the joints. I don't especially like the matte finish, but it's OK. The inlay design is a little underwhelming, but they're OK and well-executed. The peghead is overlaid, except for the pearl recoding King Block, which appears to be inlaid. The truss-rod cover is real pearl with a modern script "Scout" silk-screened on it. I had to use a magnifying glass to see the fingerboard inlay filler. I would have preferred that they use a white/black/white binding combination on the neck and resonator, just to dress this banjo up a little. It's just a quality detail to me. That may be something I'll do to it, down the road. Appearance Rating 9 Reliability I'm a little concerned about the rim laminations. While it seems well-constructed, the visible scarf joint is a little bit ugly. The finish is apparently catalyzed polyester, so I don't think normal playing will be a factor for wear or durability. I'm using this as my primary banjo while my Lane is undergoing some neck repair and refretting, so I have no problem with its quality. The tuners seem OK, copies of 2-bands. They work smoothly. Reliability Rating 9 Customer Service Lifetime warranty. No registration needed, just sales receipt and deal with the retailer, not RK. I have had no dealings with the company for service questions. I own this banjo, an RD-227 guitar and a Savannah-labeled mandolin that was supposedly a prototype for the new The Loar models. Quality is excellent on each. They are trying to "do it right." Customer Service 9 Components The rim as mentioned is a little concerning. I'd like to see the binding upgraded as mentioned above. Excellent RK case. The resonator screws are a little rough on the top. I'd like to see polished tops on these. They show some machining marks under the plating. the standard bridge is a basic cheap Grover-type maple/ebony. I think the banjo should at least come with an upgraded bridge, maybe a Snuffy? Components Rating 8 Overall Comments I've been shopping for a used Fender Artist. I could have bought one for the price I paid for this banjo. After Cliff Fitch raved about the Scout and I saw that Dana Cupp, Carl Jackson and Robbie McCoury all liked them, I decided to try one. Sonny is still my banjo hero, but I really don't need an Osborne Chief as a backup banjo. I get the Sonny influence without the Chief price. I don't think you're supposed to tell what the discounted price is, so I won't. This banjo is as close to a pre-war Gibson in sound and playability as I have played. Appearance is professional-quality. It will hold its own in sound and appearance. My Lane is still my #1 banjo,but until I get it back in playing condition, this banjo, for my money, is a winner. I just played it alongside a Fender FB-58 for my daughter, who is about as impartial as one can get,who was really impressed by the superiority in sound of the Osborne Scout. if this banjo was stolen, I'd get another one, if I could find one. They are still relatively rare in the marketplace. I like this better than any of the other RK models I've played(RK-85, Deco-King) and better than Morgan Monroe, and contemporary Gold Star or the GoldTones. Overall Rating 9

Sullivan Greenbrier submitted 11/12/2008 Submitter ac5aa (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased First Quality Music Year Purchased 2008 Price Paid Don't Remember historic exchange rates / currency converter Sound I play bluegrass, and my other banjo is a Gibson RB-250. I wanted one with more of the brighter maple tone, and this one really delivers. I'm not sure how they do it, but the sound is reminiscent of the older banjos you hear in the music from the 30s and 40s. I ordered mine with the Old Growth factory floor rim. Tone is good across all strings and up the neck. Moving from X to Y position gives quite a difference in tone, allowing the player to play sweet or bright. Great tone. Sound Rating 9 Setup Setup was fair. There were two issues which should not have happened, and my guess is that they have had a slight lapse in quality with Bill's passing. Mine was guilt in January of this year, and when I received it, the spikes which I had asked tob be installed on 7-10 were set too close behind the fret (3/16" instead of 3/8"). FQMS/Sullivan took care of that quickly moving the spikes and repairing the holes. The other setup issue was that the nut slots were not cut properly. I had a local technician take care of that. Otherwise, the banjo arrived spotless and in good playing condition. Setup Rating 8 Appearance It's just beautiful - sunburst finish over flamed maple, vintage tuner knobs, vintage binding with double black stripes, very nice MOP position markers, all make this a very pretty banjo. Appearance Rating 10 Reliability Very solid - the Sullivans are very well made banjos, and the Greenbrier is really a prime example of that. Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service Customer service is the best, bar none. I recently had a problem with the banjo that I couldn't explain well, but which was really starting to bug me. I sent a note to FQMS, and got an immediate response from Eric Sullivan giving me his cell phone number to call him. They shipped the banjo back to the factory, did some rebuild on it (refit neck, adjusted coordinator rods, new head, new bridge) and shipped it back to me all at their expense. Murrell had checked it when it arrived, verified the problem, and then played it again when it was done and pronounced it fixed. It certainly was - it sounds outstanding, and it was accomplished quickly and with smiles from their end. I've never had this kind of positive customer service before, and they've earned my repeat business. Customer Service 10 Components All are top notch components. Some may not like the Presto tailpiece, but I think it's fine and it's a good quality one. I understand much of the hardware is Prucha, and since the Sullivans have been providing much of the top banjo hardware to builders, you know they have the pick of the best available. It's obvious to me that they are choosing that. I love the tone provided by their exclusive tone ring and the Old Growth rim. Components Rating 10 Overall Comments This banjo was not cheap, however, for the price, it offers easily what the more expensive brands offer in outstanding tone, high qualilty materials and workmanship, and, overall, a beautiful and rewarding experience as a banjo player. I would definitely replace this with another Greenbrier if ti were stolen, but I'd hunt down the thief first to try to get this one back. This is easily the best banjo I've ever played. Overall Rating 10

John Boulding submitted 11/12/2008 Submitter Turbo (see all reviews from this person) Overall Comments I have used John as my set up technician for years. His service and work has always been A+. Being a full time musician this is especially important but he treats everyone w/ the same respect. The latest job he's done for me is to install a new neck on my banjo (the airlines broke). Not only is the set up perfect, but so is the work he did to refit the neck to the pot, etc. I highly recommend him! Overall Rating 10

Gibson RB-250 submitted 11/11/2008 Submitter damir (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased craigslist 1979 RB250 Year Purchased 2008 Price Paid 1500 ($US) (bought USED) Sound great bluegrass tone, loud and clear Sound Rating 9 Setup like new, have not been plaid Setup Rating 9 Appearance simple, RB 250 look, nothing fancy but still professional look..I`m not worried about the look, I like to hear the tone ... Appearance Rating 9 Reliability it is built like a tank, looks like it will last forever.... Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service don`t know, never dealt with the company Customer Service not rated Components no cheap parts here, simple does not mean cheap, parts are solid and of high quality Components Rating 10 Overall Comments I would recommend this instrument to anyone, it is fully funkcional professional banjo, you can use on your gig at the Bean Blossome...:) ..I love tha banjo, the best banjo for the money, not sure if you can get much better tone (different maybe but not better) with $10 000 banjos.....I like it better than the Stelling Red Fox I had.... Overall Rating 9

Stelling Red Fox submitted 11/11/2008 Submitter damir (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Folk Of The Woods Year Purchased 2004 Price Paid 2700 ($US) Sound was dissapointed with the sound, I had 1979 Stelling Bellflower and it had a great clear and bright tone, Red Fox has mellow and warm tone, not what I was expecting from Stelling Sound Rating 3 Setup set up was ok, I had to fix some things but overall, ok Setup Rating 7 Appearance beautifull instrument, it is hard to beat Stelling when it comes to appearance... Appearance Rating 9 Reliability high quality parts, no doubt... Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service not too happy, I bought the banjo and tought I was getting a Tonny Pass rim but I didn`t. In Stelling broschure they said that every Stelling comes with Tony Pass old wood rim but mine didn`t even tho it was brand new, I spoke to Geoff but there was no way to reach any kind of a deal with him, this is where I got done with Stelling... Customer Service 2 Components high quality parts, I was missing Tony Pass old wood rim even tho Stelling says that every new Stelling comes with it... Components Rating 2 Overall Comments I would not recommend this banjo for people who have a sensitive ear and are looking for the Stelling tone, this banjo definately doesn`t have the tone you would expect from Stelling...mine can`t be stollen, I sold it and got a Gibson RB 250 that sounds to me more like Stelling than the Red Fox....I don`t hate the banjo but I wouldn`t buy another...I bought it new and they said all the best things about Stelling Overall Rating 4