Jeff Delfield Delfield internal tension submitted 1/7/2009 Submitter MikeQ (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Deep Creek Strings Year Purchased 2008 Price Paid 400.00 ($US) Sound This is a beautiful handmade folk banjo with an internal tension ring. Fully fretted made from mahogany and bloodwood accents and fret board. It has a rich mellow sound. Sound Rating not rated Setup Banjo was set up ready to tune and play Setup Rating not rated Appearance Beautiful natural finish and fine craftsmanship Appearance Rating not rated Reliability This banjo was built to be an heirloom. Very solid in all aspects Reliability Rating not rated Customer Service Jeff is assume to deal with. Customer Service not rated Components Everything on this banjo is top notch. Jeff crafts banjo's as if he was making it for himself. Components Rating not rated Overall Comments I am new to the five string banjo and wanted an instrument that was handcrafted. After hearing Jeff's previously built instruments I had to have one! Value exceeds the price! Overall Rating 9

Fitch Master's Five submitted 1/7/2009 Submitter skybolt (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Year Purchased 2009 Price Paid trade ($US) Sound Great sound and clarity entire board Sound Rating 10 Setup the setup and action are terrific. I don't need to change anything. Setup Rating 10 Appearance Beautiful banjo. Mahog neck and reso, pearl FE inlay, perfect finish. I see no flaws at all in the workmanship. It also has a custom speed neck and is very easy to play. Appearance Rating 10 Reliability The hardware and finish are super. I would go to a gig with it without a backup. Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service Cliff was terrific in all catagories. The banjo is new, but he offers a good limited lifetime waranty. I've had dealings with cliff before, and was very impressed with his word and his craftsmanship. Customer Service 10 Components The parts (hardware) is all Prusha except for the flange, which is RK and very solid. It would be very difficult to upgrade this bango, which has a Nitro tonering and cox rim with Keith regular tuners. Components Rating 10 Overall Comments I would recommend this banjo to anyone. If it was stolen, I would get another like it. My favorite feature about it is the whole banjo. No one needs another banjo if they have one kike this one. Overall Rating 10

Huber Lexington submitted 1/7/2009 Submitter sundance (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Gryphon Strings Year Purchased 2009 Price Paid 4025 ($US) Sound Rich and full of low end repsonse. I'm surprised by the bass that pours out from the 4th string on this banjo. Yet it is very bright and clear all the way up the neck. Can be very loud if wanted..would be great on stage. Veyr typical of a maple bluegrass banjo.....yeah....it has the sound! Sound Rating 10 Setup Banjo came all the way from Palo Alto, CA to West Virginia. Wen I unpacked it, took it out of the case..it rocked right from the start and it was IN TUNE! I particularly like Steve Hubers choice of string gauges. No changes made, none recommended. Setup Rating 10 Appearance Beautiful flamed maple neck, sunburst flamed resonator with Vintage metal finish, no gold. It gives this banjo a unique look, and I found it appealing from the pics on Gryphons website. I was sold. Looked even better when I got it. No flaws at all. I looked, inspected, and can't find one single, even minute flaw. Steve Hubers craftsmanship is right up there with Stelling...the best of the best. Appearance Rating 10 Reliability Hardware seems solid quality, looks great. I like the tailpiece on this banjo. I've read posts by Gibson owners that buy hugh end banjos and the tail piece seems cheap, not so with Huber. Not even remotely considering changing anything. Looks, great. performs great, if it ain't broke....you know. Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service No worrys here. Huber will be around. I've only used Hubers customer service once, with regard to my Huber Jim Mills, and they responded adequately, Friendly people...that will back their product. Customer Service 10 Components Nothing weak on this banjo. Standout.....the whole banjo is such an example of Huber quality, its like asking waht part on a Ferrari would you change? Nah...Huber knows there product and they take no shortcuts. Components Rating 10 Overall Comments Awesome banjo. I also have a Huber Jim Mills. This lexington is my favorite. It has that Early Bluegrass sound, very bright sounding with a boomin' bass. Compare it to other banjo's....I can't knock any of them. I love the Gibsons sound. Love Stelling's workmanship. Hubers are Stelling workmaship with Gibson sound.; Just can't beat that. I'll own these banjos ....forever. I faithful to Huber....try one...and you will be too. Overall Rating 10

Recording King Rk-80 submitted 1/6/2009 Submitter jeremy blankenship (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased private seller Year Purchased 2008 Price Paid 800.00 ($US) (bought USED) Sound The sound and tone is amazing. perfect full and ring. The highs are high and the lows are lows. Sound Rating 9 Setup I bought it used but it was set up very well and it plays real nice. The action is just a hair high but i am not going to full with it for now. May change bridge later on. Setup Rating 9 Appearance It's beautifull. Nice wood grain. Cleanly installed inlays. Nice metsl finishing. It had one nick on the headstock but i bought it used. Appearance Rating 10 Reliability It seems very stout. It has that heavy feel and I beleive it will last a long time. Seems very dependable and I would definately use it at a gig without a backup jo. Reliability Rating 9 Customer Service Have not yet had to deal with them. I bought it used and the guy i got it from was great. Customer Service 9 Components The thin neck is a real nice feature. The inlays and binding are really nice too. I dont see any weak parts as of now. Components Rating 9 Overall Comments For the price that these are new or used I dont think you can beat them. This is a pro level banjo at a intermediate price. I have played banjo a long time and this one would hang with some of the high high dollar stuff i have played. If it was stolen someone would die:) and then I would buy another one to keep me company in jail. Great Banjo :) Overall Rating 9

Deering Sierra submitted 1/4/2009 Submitter randall96 (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Janet Davis Music Year Purchased 2008 Price Paid 2000 ($US) Sound It is very rich, powerful & crisp. The sound is fantastic. Beware Gibson users. Sound Rating 10 Setup Tom at Janet Davis had the banjo setup flawless right out of the box. Other banjo players were amazed at well how this thing plays and sounds. Setup Rating 10 Appearance It has a satin finish. The fret board was beyond outstanding. Beautiful instrument. Appearance Rating 10 Reliability Normal wear on the armrest. Everything else is great. Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service Resignator was slightly damaged during shipping. Almost unnoticeable. Deering repaired resignator & had it shipped back to me in a week. They also built and sent me a brand new resignator to make up for any inconveniences caused. Never had I received any better service. They were just unbelievable to deal with. Also, Janet Davis was very accomidating.. Customer Service 10 Components They are all high grade parts, but however, had Tom at Janet Davis to install a SNUFFY bridge. Components Rating 10 Overall Comments I would HIGHLY recommend this instrument from the Novice to the Expert!!!! Overall Rating 10

Baldwin Style D submitted 1/4/2009 Submitter davey (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Private trade Year Purchased December '08 Price Paid Don't Remember (bought USED) historic exchange rates / currency converter Sound Without question, the richest, cleanest tone I ever heard from any Banjo. It is loud, and sounds JUST as a Banjo should... SPARKLING ! I love the tone in this Banjo, superb. Sound Rating 10 Setup Action was far too high. I had a professional work on it. Discovered the Truss rod was inoperative, gears likely stripped. It's no problem as the neck is straight as a die with no issues. Anyhow, we had the whiole Banjo apart and serviced everything, lubricated the co-rods and re-set them correctly, fitted a shim, adjusted the nut and fitted spikes. Added a Scorpion Bridge ( Excellent ). Absolutely perfect now. It plays like a dream and sounds just perfect. If you ever consider a Baldwin ( Ode ) always check the truss rod works and that the action is OK for you ! I'm so happy with it now,a little expertise and hey presto, sorted. Setup Rating 5 Appearance The Baldwin D was the top of the tree, except for the so rare E models. It is Gold and walnut and this one has not seen much play so it is all in very good order throughout. I owned a lesser Baldwin C a couple years back and it is evident the quality stayed with these Banjos. Absolutely fantastic components, far superior to anything else being made at the time. Chuck Ogsbury and his team should be very proud of these Banjo's. Quite simply outstanding Bluegrass Banjo's. Appearance Rating 10 Reliability Baldwin - Ode's were built to be superior to any other Banjo... and they were. All parts and hardwear so high quality. 3 piece neck... The tonering is something else. Such a rich, clear tone. It sounds amazing. Built without compromise. Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service I took ownership of this Baldwin through a private trade on the BHO. Customer Service not rated Components The only weak component is probably the truss rod adjuster. Mine does not appear to work. This banjo is 35 years old, so some berk likely stripped the gear at some point ! Components Rating 10 Overall Comments I traded my much loved re-issue Gibson RB12 for this Baldwin D. As I sent my 12 off I was having doubts... however now my Baldwin D is all sorted and happy, I have no complaints. It is in a different league. It's as powerful as my 12, but with a much richer tone quality, and sounds just amazing. I love the look of it. Gold took a while to get used to, as did the flat board after playing a radius. Baldwin - Ode's are collectable, and not easy to come by. My favouirite feature ? It has to be the SOUND. CLASSIC BANJO SOUND. LOVE IT. In hindsight I would have asked about the truss rod... you tend to take those things for granted though... I have had many very high end Banjo's... lots of Gibson's of all configurations. Ball bearings, archtops and flatheads. The last being the RB12. That was a great Banjo, but how I love my Baldwin D now... Simply the best. Overall Rating 10

Morgan Monroe Cascade MFB-5DX submitted 1/4/2009 Submitter r.brandon (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Olde Town Pickin Parlor Year Purchased 2008 Price Paid 829.00 ($US) Sound Rather bright and twangy at this point, still experimenting with strings and head tension Sound Rating 7 Setup They could have done a little better job of set up I think, more of a guitar store than a banjo store but they have always treated me right Setup Rating 5 Appearance The overall finish of the instrument is very good, I am impressed with the quality of the inlay work on the fretboard. Only slight gripe is the rather mis-matched grain pattern on the resenator back, the finish is really good though Appearance Rating 7 Reliability seems well built, the tail piece is rather clunky but sturdy, the tuners are rather touchy and are the one bit of hardware I would consider changing Reliability Rating 7 Customer Service have not delt with the company yet Customer Service not rated Components once again, the tuners and tail piece could be better but for a banjo at this price range it is quite nice Components Rating 7 Overall Comments my first banjo and I am pleased with the sound and quality of it, hope to be able to afford an american made instrument at some poing but this one is a keeper for sure. Overall Rating 7

Gold Star GF100-FE submitted 1/3/2009 Submitter mastertone250 (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Hometown Music Whitesburg,ky Year Purchased 2008 Price Paid 1300 ($US) Sound Its one awsome sounding banjo. I love it and wouldnt trade it for the world. Sound Rating 10 Setup Yes. Right out of the box it was at the proper head tension Setup Rating 9 Appearance Yes. I love the flying eagle. Classic Banjo look. Appearance Rating 10 Reliability It looked just fine when i got it. couldnt ask for more Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service never had to call them,but im sure they are easy to deal with Customer Service 10 Components Presto tail peice,Scorpion bridge,remo head. AHHHH awsome! Components Rating 9 Overall Comments i love it and would recommend it to any level player. Even PROFESSIONAL Overall Rating 10

Stelling Golden Cross submitted 1/2/2009 Submitter cm1266 (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Banjo.com Year Purchased 2008 Price Paid 3600.00 ($US) Sound So far this banjo is the Holy Grail! Its so easy to play and sounds fantastic!!! Rings all the way up the neck, very loud and crispy!! Sound Rating 10 Setup Geoff Stelling personally sets each banjo up before it leaves! I did take a small amount of bow out of the neck for my liking. Not a big deal. Setup Rating 10 Appearance First class!! Beautiful instrument, well made! Not one flaw! Appearance Rating 10 Reliability If this banjo dont last your not taking care of it. IMO This is as good as it gets! Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service Havent had any problems yet, but Im sure they will take care of any if needed! Comes with a lifetime warranty! What else could you want? Customer Service 10 Components The wood is just amazing! The neck also is a work of art! I cant find a part thats not quality! Components Rating 10 Overall Comments I would highly recomend this bajo if you can afford it! I have two other top of the line banjos and this one tops them all! I love it and if it were stolen, I would round up my buds and go kick some ####!!! Overall Rating 10

Tuttle Fretmaster #3 submitted 1/2/2009 Submitter pearcemusic (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased direct bestfrets.com Year Purchased dec 08 Price Paid Don't Remember historic exchange rates / currency converter Sound very different from my #2 but equally even throughout. Great bass response .. and bell clear on the top end. AND it's brand new ... I'm hoping it is on it's way to warming up to being a truly great banjo. Sound Rating 10 Setup perfect ... .8375 high Nechville compensated bridge Setup Rating 10 Appearance beautiful dark mahogany with deep ambering that makes it look very traditional .... no concentric rings .... Flying eagle ebony radiused FB Appearance Rating 10 Reliability very good so far ... Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service Mike is great. Customer Service 10 Components This Tuttle has a Heartland no-hole tone ring and Mahogany rim from Rob Smith. Otherwise it's pretty much the same as my other Tuttle mahogany #2. Components Rating 10 Overall Comments I played it for the first time in front of 300-600 people this past Sunday ... big sound system ... good monitoring .... though I probably didn't need it because this banjo had volume to spare. Very nice deep tone ... but focused thruout the mid and hi end. The Heartland tonering and mahogany rim are a WAY winning combination. Overall Rating 10

Saga Resonator Banjo Kit RK-2 submitted 1/1/2009 Submitter ActonDan (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased 8thStreet Year Purchased 2008 Price Paid $240 ($US) Sound Great sound, although I never put on the stock head - I had a Remo Renassance high-crown laying around and put that on right away. I tried the stock bridge and it was OK, but replaced it with a Farquar bridge with a smaller-than-usual footprint and that sounds fantastic (I think a smaller footprint works better with arch-tops). Sound Rating 8 Setup Action is slightly high up the neck (compared to my high-end banjos), but it stays in tune quite well and is no problem to play. I haven't tried to optimize the truss rod tension yet. Setup Rating 7 Appearance I finished it with Danish oil and it looked fantastic. Based on another review, I put paste wax over that and regret it - the paste wax turned white in the grain. I haven't decided whether to try to strip the wax and seal it with something else. Plastic "dot" inlays were a bit too big for the holes that were drilled, so I had to file them down a bit after installation. If I had cleaned out the pre-drilled holes, I might have avoided the problem. Headstock angle to neck is greater than found on many banjos costing several times as much - a pleasant surprise. Appearance Rating 8 Reliability I was in a hurry so did not try to lacquer the neck and resonator. It is quite playable now, but I will have to do something else in the long run. I wouldn't use this banjo in a gig - but sure would bring it to a jam. Reliability Rating 7 Customer Service I didn't deal with Saga, but 8thStreet was fantastic about e-mailing me the manual that was not in the kit I received. Instrument Alley has a slightly lower price, but so many people had problems with their pre- and post-sales service , that I decided to go with 8thStreet and am glad I did. An on-line coupon will about cover shipping costs, so the final price is well worth what you get. Customer Service 10 Components Saga has apparently fixed many of the earlier complaints, but there are still some minor quality problems. Aluminum rim was thin in one area and the screws that held the tension-hook mounting-blocks to the rim prevented the hooks from passing through unless the mounting screws were backed off a bit. Did not affect the ultimate playability. 3rd string slot on the nut was not cut right and it buzzed. (I replaced the nut with another from an old banjo I had.) Tuners are decent (better than anything you will find on any other banjo in this price range), but you will have to adjust the tension screw carefully to make them work properly. ) I replaced them because I had some good Schaller tuners laying around) Drive in the 5th string peg by putting a socket wrench socket over the tuning shaft and hammering on it. If you hammer on the tuning shaft as the instructions seem to indicate, you will damage the tuner and it won't tune smoothly. Arm rest is now of good quality, but the alignment notches are not spaced the same as the tension hooks, so I had to file it a bit. Waverly tailpiece is designed to be used with its mounting screw exactly vertical, and it is at an angle in this design. I filed a notch in the adjustment plate that normally gets stopped by the screw (to allow the screw head to pass through), so it adjusts correctly now. Otherwise, the strings will exit the tailpiece almost at the height of the head, and there won't be enough play to adjust it. Components Rating 7 Overall Comments I bought this banjo kit to replace an old frailing-style open-back whose action was too high for bluegrass (and stripped it for parts). It is my fourth banjo (meant to be left at a place I visit often), so I wanted to pay as little as possible and could not be happier with the choice I made. I took care of any part problems myself, but am confident that 8thStreet would have worked with me to get replacements had I asked. Overall Rating 10

Tuttle Fretmaster #2 submitted 12/31/2008 Submitter pearcemusic (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Direct Buy from bestfrets.com Year Purchased 2008 Price Paid 4700 ($US) Sound awesome .... powerful and balanced top to bottom good for driving bluegrass, but has a wide range of tones that speak well in "darker" tunes ... jazz and single string work very good. Just a really great custom 5 string banjo Sound Rating 10 Setup perfect ... 1" high bridge sounds great and neck angle is perfectly adjusted for very playable action. I like it a little high, but this banjo came with a little lower action that I'm liking very much. Mike does stainless steel frets that sound just like nickel silver, but wear REALLY well. Setup Rating 10 Appearance beautiful lighter Mahogany nitrocellulose finish ... rim matches great ... amber effect is a nice traditional look. Appearance Rating 10 Reliability very Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service Mike Tuttle is a great guy ... and is very focused on making an extraordinary custom banjo to your specific needs. Best fingerboard/fretwork and spikes I've ever seen. Customer Service 10 Components #2 Mahogany 5 string with an old wood rim and 40 hole tone ring. 1" high old wood bridge radiused with extra wide spacing ... Ebony FB radisued Flying Eagle extra wide Ebony radiused FB Reso with concentric rings Waverly tuners Ludwig head spikes at 7, 8, 9, 10, and 12 Kerschner tailpiece Best quality parts Components Rating 10 Overall Comments this is a $5000 custom mastertone ... one of the best banjos I've ever played. You get what you pay for ... Overall Rating 10

Tranjo Standard Maple submitted 12/31/2008 Submitter Dragonnail1 (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased This is the Tranjo #100 Year Purchased BHO drawing Price Paid Don't Remember historic exchange rates / currency converter Sound This is a well made jo.............pretty quiet compared to my Gibsons, Great for practicing on and not disturbing others in the house or at work. It has a bright sound, and is much lighter than my other banjos. I usually keep it next to the couch when I'm home. Took a little getting used to the peg head not being where it usually is. Sound Rating 10 Setup Sam set it up before he shipped it. All I had to do was tune it up and i've been playing it since it arrived Setup Rating 10 Appearance Very nice looking. I believe its a cherry body and a maple neck. with a very nice finish............smooth as a baby's b..............ebony finger board, and a samson bridge. and gold tuners around back. It has a six inch frosted head. Appearance Rating 10 Reliability The hardware is high quality also the finish looks very well done. I am not playing in a group so I am only playing for my own enjoyment, I would think it would have to have a pickup to be heard in a gig, or a microphone Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service I have talked to Sam Farris a few times and he seems to want to help anyone that might have a problem with their Tranjo. There is a 5 year warranty on all his instruments. Customer Service 10 Components I was used to my own metronome so I am probably not going to use the one on the back of the Tranjo that covers the pick and capo compartment. Once this is in tune it stays that way Components Rating 10 Overall Comments I won this in BHO drawing,If it was stolen I would most likely replace it with the same. Its light easy to carry, not as loud as my other standard banjos, compact design to set on floor against the couch so its always close by when I want to play.I know this will work out good around the campfre playing Overall Rating 10

Gold Star GF-85 submitted 12/29/2008 Submitter kwlawson1 (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Instrument Alley Year Purchased 2008 Price Paid 830.00 ($US) Sound The sound is tremendous.....Very loud and distinct Sound Rating 10 Setup All I did was place the bridge and started playing. After a few days I replaced the strings with almost mediums and plan to change the bridge. Other than that I am not sure if I will chagne anything else. Setup Rating 9 Appearance Very nice and clean Appearance Rating 10 Reliability Hardware looks great. Looks like will last for a long time. Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service I dealt with Ben at Instrument Alley.......The first banjo I received was damaged and Ben replaced it in a timely matter. I never had to chase him down for answers. He responded to my emails daily. Customer Service 9 Components Components Rating not rated Overall Comments With out a doubt. Great price for this banjo. I would have to replace it if stolen. It sounds great and is very eay to play. I can play songs on the GF85 that I could not on my old Kent from the 80's. Overall Rating 10

Fender FB-300 submitted 12/29/2008 Submitter dubtom (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Fender rep Year Purchased 2008 Price Paid 200 (euro) historic exchange rates / currency converter Sound MY first banjo,and a present to booth,so I didn't have a choice. The wife got a deal from a guitarshop worker friend who got it from the fender rep,judging by the price I think she got an ok deal. As a beginner,I'm no judge of how it should sound,although a few musican friends have said it sounds nice and mellow, although with picks it's sounds quite loud to me. Sound Rating 8 Setup As a complete novice I managed to tune it straight out of the bag with the supplied tuner,which surprised me. I've had to it two weeks and in that time it seemed to lose tune everytime I put it down,but it seems to be holding tune a little better now. I know nothing about setting it up so haven't touched it although I do intend to get it set up professionally if I can find one in my area. Mine doen't have the remo head as stated by another rater,well it doesn't have a remo stamp anyway. Setup Rating 7 Appearance Quite the plain jane,just dot inlays on the fret and the fender name.No bells and whistles,I like the look though,not over done.It is a cheapie afterall. Appearance Rating 9 Reliability Not sure yet. The tuners look chap and plasticy,if anything breaks I would imagine they will.I'm not sure whether the 5th is geared,it doesn't look like it to me. Reliability Rating 7 Customer Service no need yet,fingers crossed. Customer Service 10 Components As said already,the tuners look cheap,I'll wait for professional advise before I upgrade anything. Components Rating 8 Overall Comments Not sure,I always believe in bying the best I can afford,so if this banjo wasn't a present I would have bought a more expensive one after researching it,in saying that I will never get rid of it for that reason,it was a gift.I wouldn't recommend it for the reason I just said,If you want quality you have to pay, most entry level banjo's go for around the 350 mark from what I can see,although ofcourse that's no guarentee of quality. I would recommend reseraching first all the brands available,then going to a dedicated banjo shop and buying the best you can afford and have it set up professionally so the answer is probably no I wouldn't recommend it,purley for those reasons. Overall Rating 7

Gold Tone Cripple Creek CC-50 submitted 12/24/2008 Submitter tmanthebanjoist (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased South Austin Music Year Purchased 2008 Price Paid 279 ($US) Sound The Gold Tone CC-50 Banjo has a very rich/full sound overall. It soars past the Epiphone banjo I was renting earlier (the epiphone had a resonator) in sound quality. It has a wide variety of sounds along with its already rich/full sound quality. I loved this banjo because it was light and small, portable and full of sound. It is a little hard tuning it, but maybe because I'm new at tuning. But I have nothing against this banjo! Sound Rating 10 Setup The clerk at South Austin Music tuned the banjo and sold me a tuner. I have tuned it before I start playing. Again, It is a little hard tuning it, but maybe because I'm new at tuning. Setup Rating 10 Appearance It is a wonderful sight. A fine maple neck, a rosewood fingerboard, chrome plating, a straight-line tailpiece. I had no customizing done to it. I haven't seen any appearance flaws, but I've only had this for a couple of weeks. Appearance Rating 10 Reliability It seems very reliable because it seems sturdy and well-made. I probably won't use it but a year or two, but I am assured it will last well past the time I stop using it a lot (I will keep the banjo, but I will upgrade). Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service I have not dealt with the company, and I don't think I will ever when I am using it a lot. Customer Service 10 Components Picks are good along with the tuner and strap. All of these are in great shape. The tuner is a Barcus-Berry and it is a great tuner for about $35-$40. Components Rating 10 Overall Comments I would recommend this banjo. It was a great bang for my buck. I would probably get this banjo again if it was stolen not unless I felt like I wanted to upgrade. I LOVE THIS BANJO! I love the sound and (it doesn't really matter but what the heck) there is an engraving at the arm rest. I have no regrets in buying this banjo! This banjo definitely outshines the Epiphone banjo I was renting. Overall Rating 10

Fitch Palomino Champion 2008-21 submitted 12/22/2008 Submitter hawksbill (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Banjo Hangout Year Purchased 2008 Price Paid 2500 ($US) (bought USED) Sound Varried styles, bluegrass, jazz, ragtime, freestyle. Suits me fine. This banjo has Fitch's "NITRO" tone ring. It has a balanced, well-seasoned sound, that will be enhanced with a new Kirshner tailpiece, and a compensated radiused bridge. Sound Rating 9 Setup Yes. The Presto tailpiece is going Bye-Bye, a Kirshner is replacing it, Medium strings, radiused compensated bridge, tuned the top to A-444, re-set the trussrod, might go with a clear head later?.... Setup Rating 9 Appearance Presentation Maple natural blonde.Few small Finish flaws in the resonator back, small chip at the rear of the pot, Would have prefered an Ebony fretboard, but the Rosewood is very clean, as are the inlays. Appearance Rating 9 Reliability All excellent Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service Cliff is contactable. Very available, and friendly. Customer Service 10 Components I thingk Cliff put the Presto on these because tailpieces are like wheels on a hot-rod....everyone has thier own desires. The tuners are just super! as are all other componants. Components Rating 10 Overall Comments Yes, after a small $ bit of tweaking, it is worth over $3K to me. If it were stolen, I would be sad. Love it, The maple is so BLOND! and the tortoise is such a rich contrast...eye-catching! It's right in there with my other stallions. Overall Rating 10

Harmony Sears and Roebuck submitted 12/21/2008 Submitter Banjo75 (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased wife's music teacher Year Purchased 1993 Price Paid 70 ($US) (bought USED) Sound It sounds decent enough. This is the Sears and Roebuck version of the plastic harmony banjo. Given the price and the really old head that is on it, better than would be expected! Sound Rating 8 Setup I set it up myself and it seems fine. Plays really well. Nice and easy for the beginner. Neck might be a little thin. Setup Rating 8 Appearance There is nothing special about the appearance. This is meant to be a learning banjo or a campfire banjo and is very utilitarian in appearance. Appearance Rating 5 Reliability It's been going for years and is pretty much indestructable other than the 5th peg falling out which was easily repaired for $15 at a local music store. That was at least 10 years into it's life before that happened however. Reliability Rating 9 Customer Service Seeing how Sears kicked Roebuck out years ago and Harmony is defunct... not expecting much (LOL). Customer Service not rated Components Cheap open guitar tuners that work surprisingly well. Friction 5th grade tuner that is also fine. I actually PREFER these tuners to the ones on my SAGA SS-10. Hold the tune nicely. Wood is garbage. Plastic pot is well um, plastic. Metal has rusted and brackets and tone ring bent easily enough but it is all very playable and sounds well enough. Components Rating 7 Overall Comments I would buy the Rover clone if this banjo was stolen. I have become very attached to it. Plays easy and is very light. I can take it on vacation with me. My favorite feature is how easy it plays. For a beginner this plays very well. Get the Rover RB-20 which is essentially the same thing with a better neck. Great for a beginner or as a campfire banjo! Overall Rating 9

Williams Grangeville submitted 12/21/2008 Submitter 5strbanjo (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Williams Custom Banjos Year Purchased October 2008 Price Paid Don't Remember (bought USED) historic exchange rates / currency converter Sound I play Scruggs and melodic styles, and the sound is unbeatable. It's a mahogany instrument with a Cox maple rim--bright but not twangy; very full and rich sound. The best-sounding non-pre-war banjo I've ever heard...better, I think, than any of the other banjos that claim to reproduce the pre-war sound. Sound Rating 10 Setup Will Williams had gotten it back from the pro he had loaned it to for about a year (Gary Davis), and Will checked it all out before passing it on to me. The overall setup was perfect, except the bridge needed to be moved just slightly toward the tailpiece. Setup Rating 10 Appearance It's a very attractive mahogany neck-and-resonator banjo. The finger board is rosewood with hearts-and-flowers mother-of-pearl inlays. Will sprays on 30-some coats of the final finish. Gary Davis had put a few small scratches on the resonator, and a sizable 1/16" indentation in the back of the peg head, near the top. Can't imagine what caused it, but whatever the cause it must have been a really solid whack... Still, the wood wasn't broken, and neither was the finish...it's just a little round indentation....kinda odd, but it does provide a unique identifying mark. Appearance Rating 9 Reliability All the nickle plated hardware is from Prucha and is first rate. Gary Davis had evidently played it a fair amount wearing a sleeveless shirt, because the arm rest was tarnished some. I used Simichrome polishing cream on it, however, and now it looks like new. The tuners are Keith standard, which is the best. The whole instrument is rock solid and completely dependable. Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service Will Williams has a one-man operation, and he stands behind every instrument he puts together. I had a 2005 Grangeville, with a Hatfield ring, and when I bought it new from Greg Boyd, in Missoula, tiny hairline cracks had developed in the finish of the resonator. Will gladly provided a brand new resonator. Customer Service 10 Components All the components are first rate, but the Burlile tone ring is the part that makes this banjo special. Enough has been said about Burlile rings in the BH Forum that I won't go into it here. This banjo has a wonderful, wonderful sound. Components Rating 10 Overall Comments I would definitely recommend any Williams banjo to anyone wanting an above the top of the line resonator banjo. No assembly line banjo company can make a banjo as good as this one. I quickly add that my travel/alternate banjo is a Deering Goodtime Special, and when I want a to use a lighter, less expensive instrument, it fills the bill in a superior fashion. Will is no longer making the Grangeville model, by the way, but the Custom model that is quite similar is bound to be just as good. Overall Rating 10

Deering Sierra submitted 12/20/2008 Submitter DENNISNDODIE (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Willis Music Year Purchased 1997 Price Paid Don't Remember historic exchange rates / currency converter Sound Sounds good has a sweet mellow sound.I prefer the mastertone sound but I bought it without playing it they didnt have one in stock ordered it from a deering advertisment.But again sounded alot better than my previous banjo.The newer sierras have a different tone ring and a different tail piece. I think mine was one of the first ones sold.The sound when played up the neck was not great a little dull not as crisp and bright as I would of liked. It is a mahogany banjo the newer maple sierra banjos are probably more to the sound that I like. Sound Rating 7 Setup set up was close had to move bridge and lower tail piece but you got to expect that from a store that dont know much about banjos. Setup Rating 7 Appearance Looks good but nothing fancy about it. Appearance Rating 7 Reliability Never had any problems with hardware but the tail piece was to small and short I thought, probably why they changed it on the newer models. Reliability Rating 8 Customer Service never had to make a call to them Customer Service 5 Components Well made banjo nothing fancy was a big step up in sound from my previous banjo a flatiron montana rose I should of replaced the tail piece may of changed the sound a little more to my liking. Components Rating not rated Overall Comments A good sounding quality banjo ,but not the classic gibson sound, but all the same sounds good.If I had it all to do over again I would of bought a Mastertone or Master clone just because I like that sound better. I did like the neck alot very fast and slim easy to play. Sold the banjo in some hardtimes. Overall Rating 7

Ozark 2109G submitted 12/20/2008 Submitter Edthebanjo (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased DJM Music Year Purchased Price Paid £120 (GBP) historic exchange rates / currency converter Sound It has a realy great sound for that price. I actually use it as a bluegrass banjo, because it gives me a realy nice sound and a light weight instrument at the same time. It has a good amount of volume, a nice, bright tone, and lots of note seperation. Sound Rating 8 Setup It has a realy bad set up when it arrived. It had a loose head, a tail piece resting on the head, real high action, and a broken bridge. Once I fixed all these problems, it was good to go. Setup Rating 4 Appearance A nice simple and traditional look. It does have a few manky parts here and there, but nothing too bad. Appearance Rating 7 Reliability It is a sturdy instrument, and should stand the test of time. Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service When I ordered the banjo, the man told me that it would not come with a case, so i ordered one. When it arived it had two cases.... That is bad service. Also, it had a broken bridge when it arrived, and at first the sent me the wrong bridge, but in the end they got it to me. Customer Service 5 Components I dislike the tuners, and the arm rest is a bit warped, but apart from that everything is great! Components Rating 7 Overall Comments It is my banjo that I use for travelling, and is a brilliant banjo. It is lightweight, sounds good, and is affordable. If it were stolen, I would buy another one, and it wouldn't be too much of a loss, because it is a cheap banjo. Overall Rating 9

Morgan Monroe Luxmore submitted 12/19/2008 Submitter mrmanley (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Banjo.com Year Purchased 2008 Price Paid 850 ($US) Sound The heavy rim and Whyte Laydie tone ring give it a bright airy tone, but not too bold. The Luxmore has a fairly heavy pot, which adds a nice resonance to the sound. Sound Rating 8 Setup The setup was good. Remo Weatherking head and plain-vanilla bridge. All I had to do was tune 'er up a bit and away I went. Setup Rating 8 Appearance This banjo has a curly maple neck and pot, with gold-plated hoop and brackets. The fingerboard is rosewood, with a nice old-time pearl inlay. The fretboard and frets are smooth, and the neck binding has no gaps or burrs. The lacquer on the wood is a bit thick, but is evenly applied. The peghead has a laminate overlay on curly maple, with more pearl inlay. The only weak aspect of the banjo is the somewhat cheap-looking stamped-metal armrest. Overall, it's quite a pretty banjo, and appears to be very well-made. (I've posted pictures on my homepage.) Appearance Rating 8 Reliability By all appearances, this banjo is very well-made and should last for many years. Reliability Rating 8 Customer Service The No Knot tailpiece on the banjo was damaged when I ordered it, but Banjo.com ordered a new one from Morgan Monroe and made sure it was set up before it shipped out. I found Banjo.Com to be very responsive and quick to respond to inquiries. Customer Service 8 Components This is a Chinese-built instrument, but it seems to use high-quality materials. The curly maple wood is very pretty, the hardware seems to be good, and the construction is sound. I actually am liking the Remo Weatherking head, so I'll leave it alone instead of replacing it with a Renaissance head. The tuner buttons feel like plastic, but they seem to be robust. Time will tell. For the price, the quality of the components seems to be very good. Components Rating 8 Overall Comments For the money, this is a good banjo. Not a great banjo, but a good one. I'm something of a sucker for bling, so I like the nice fingerboard and peghead inlay, as well as the nicely-finished curly maple wood. It's flashy enough and sounds good enough to be a good stage instrument, and yet it's not so expensive that I'd worry about taking it out with me. Overall Rating 8

RK Osborne Scout OSborne Scout #25 submitted 12/19/2008 Submitter beegee (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Greenville(NC) Guitars Year Purchased 2008 Price Paid 1300+ ($US) Sound Full sound. Bright maple banjo sound, good sustain Sound Rating 9 Setup Supposed to have a Charlie Cushman set-up, but the coordinator rods were loose, the head was slack and it had a stock 5/8" maple ebony bridge. I think Charlie must have missed this one. It still had a good enough sound for me to buy it. Since I do my own set-ups, the Cushman thing was not a big consideration to me. Setup Rating 6 Appearance I'm not a big fan of the RK headstock and the Scout inlays are OK, but not very artistic. I wish the banjo had a lacquer or varnish finish, but I suppose the polyester finish is pretty durable. The nickel parts are flawless in fit and finish, although my armrest has a tiny "dimple" point from the backside , creating a small raised pinprick-type dent. The resonantor is beautiful golden sunburst on a reddish-brown. I wish the banjo was more brown than red. The neck would be more attractive if it had a sunburst finishto match the resonator, The neck in one color:reddish-brown. Appearance Rating 8 Reliability Hardware looks well-made. 2-band tuners. The only thing I can fault is that the resonator screws have very rough machining marks on top. They look unfinished. I replaced them with a better quality screw. Tension hoop, flange tailpiece etc all look good in nickel.I'd prefer gold. Reliability Rating 9 Customer Service Lifetime warranty. No registration needed, just keep your receipt. Customer Service 10 Components Resonator screws are cheap-looking. I like the pearl truss-rod cover. These should come with an upgraded bridge and installed-RR spike option. Components Rating 8 Overall Comments I think this is a great banjo for the money. I'm very satisfied with the sound. I compared with an RK-80 and a Deco-King at the same time. I play a custom-made top-tension Lane and a 1928 Granada and I find this banjo very favorable in sound and playability. I bought this as a back-up banjo, but would not be reluctant to play it as my main banjo.In fact, right now it is my main banjo. I will probably get it gold-plated, just because i prefer gold. This is the best new banjo I have played in this price range. I have played new Deerings(calico, Maple Blossom, Sierra), Morgan Monroe, Gibson, Crafters, etc and this banjo will hold its own. For those who denigrate Chinese products, get over it. This banjo is as good as.... Overall Rating 9

Epiphone Masterbilt MB500 Epiphone Masterbilt MB500 submitted 12/19/2008 Submitter The Old Timer (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Seen at Sam Ash New Haven CT Year Purchased not purchased Price Paid $850 ($US) Sound Appears to be a good solid traditional Mastertone style banjo, made in Korea, at low price. Right in the music store it had a "decent" tradtional bluegrass tone and volume. Could be tweaked to be better like any banjo. Sound Rating 6 Setup Action was a bit low but not bad. 5th string action was far too low and buzzed on the frets a litlte. Head was moderately tight. Tailpiece was set very low and could not be adjusted with the fine thread screw provided. Couldn't overcome string tension. The banjo was playable though. Setup Rating 5 Appearance Showy curly maple in reso and neck. Very nice sunburst. Good finish work and bindings. Typical modern gold plate, nothing to rave about. VERY cheesy cast or pressed "engraving" in arm rest didn't suit me. Tailpiece was a clamshell style, very heavy and clunky and out of character for a Gibson style banjo. Nice rosewood fingerboard with swirly grain. Very nice unique "cloud" inlays in fingerboard and unique "thing" in peghead and Epiphone name. Appearance Rating 8 Reliability Banjo is VERY heavy, well up in the Mastertone range, maybe heavier? Once piece cast flange seemed "too thick" to my eye compared to Masterones. Clamshell tailpiece far too thick and heavy. Tension hoop and tone ring seemed of typical Mastertone style and the rim was typical heavy mutit-ply hard wood. Nothing flimsy or lightweight about this banjo. Reliability Rating 8 Customer Service I didn't buy, I was just shopping. Sam Ash salesman couldn't have been more accomodating, he let me take the resonator off and brought me picks! I know nothing about strength of Epiphone guarantee, etc. Customer Service 5 Components Weak: clunky imitation clamshell tailpiece. Pressed/cast fake "engraving" in arm rest. Tuners seem on the cheap side of acceptable. Remo head stamped Made in Taiwan. One piece flange casting seemed "too thick" to me. Does not include a case at standard Sam Ash advertised price, would have to buy a case. Standout: Nice wood, sunburst and finish. Good fitting of bindings and wood to metal. Good looking tension hoop and tone ring. Very nice "unique" cloud inlays and Epiphone device in peghead. Decent modern gold plating. Components Rating 6 Overall Comments Was tagged at $999, with 15% off on Dec. 18 only. If on sale after Christmas I would buy as a "flying banjo" for the airlines. With tweaking, I think it would sound OK, like a decent Mastertone, with a unique cool "look". A banjo you wouldn't cry over if stolen or destroyed, but perfectly acceptable unless you're at the very top of the game. Apparently no longer being made. A decent "something" different inexpensive Mastertonep-type instrument. I'd like to own one if they go on sale. Overall Rating 6

Gibson Granada (Flying Eagle) submitted 12/17/2008 Submitter gibsonbanjo96 (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Pawn Shop Year Purchased 2008 Price Paid 3,000 ($US) (bought USED) Sound This banjo is what you want in bluegrass music. It's got the mellow tone to play hard driving bluegrass. / The best set up is when you've got stings that you like such as in my case J.D. Crowe lights, and a Scorpion bridge. Sound Rating 10 Setup The set up was decent/ but I set it up to really kick. / the action was way off when bought. / Bridge, Strap. Setup Rating 9 Appearance This banjo is shocking in detail it's got a great Maple back and beautiful Flying Eagle pearl inlay, With the beautiful Gold Plating on all other parts. Appearance Rating 10 Reliability The hardware is in great condition and will last a long time. / I depend on this banjo. / this banjo does not need a backup. becuase it beats all the rest. Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service Great service and made a friendship over such a great insturment. Customer Service 10 Components Everything is in Supreme condition and looks very professional. Components Rating 10 Overall Comments This banjo should be played by all Famous Musicians becuase it shows what bluegrass should be. It has a mellow tone that is different from the rest. / I love this banjo. / Best feature is the tone. / If this banjo was stolen I would give up playing. / This banjo beats all that I've played... Overall Rating 10