Deering Vega Senator submitted 11/19/2008 Submitter john bange 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

Long Hollow Leather straps submitted 10/6/2008 Submitter john bange Where Purchased Long Hollow Overall Comments I have 4 of their fine leather straps. The quality and craftsmanship is very high. The price is competetive and the service was great...real fast! very good stuff!!!! Overall Rating 10

Pennington long neck submitted 5/3/2008 Submitter john bange Where Purchased banjo hangout Year Purchased 2008 Price Paid $620 historic exchange rates / currency converter Sound dan described the banjo as being bright with his rolled brass tone ring. this is very accurate...more so that my tubaphone...perfect for the type of music usually associated with the long neck banjo...changed the 9 to a 10...really happy Sound Rating 10 Setup set up was excellent...string height perfect Setup Rating 10 Appearance good looking banjo...few rough spots to the head stock which I will polish out...pot is drop dead gorgous...polished out the reworked head stock...removed some of the high gloss from the Gold Tone neck...many many compliments Appearance Rating 9 Reliability threw tuners away and installed new Gotoh's...rest is top notch...right in line with price...had for about 2 months now...play every day...third set of strings...the set up is still great...the sound is loud with one of Dan's own brass tone rings...best move I've made in a while Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service no worries... Customer Service 9 Components as I said...threw the tuners out..replaced the Stew-Mac tail-piece with a Waverly copy.everything else top notch Components Rating 9 Overall Comments for the price, this is one of the best banjo's I have purchased and I could not be more pleased...selling the gig bag and waiting for my new hcs...fits nice in my new, expensive(gulp) case Overall Rating 10

Buffalo Brothers submitted 10/15/2007 Submitter john bange Overall Comments great service, very knowledgable, very competative pricing Overall Rating 10

elderly Instruments submitted 10/15/2007 Submitter john bange Overall Comments huge parts resource, great instrument pricing, very fast shipping...been big help Overall Rating 10

Wildwood Minstrel submitted 9/9/2007 Submitter john bange Where Purchased buffalo bros Year Purchased Price Paid 1349.00 ($US) Sound my first tubeaphone...just fantastic...sustain,low end, highs...could not ast for more Sound Rating 10 Setup don't mind tinkering with the set-up...did not touch it...just perfect Setup Rating 10 Appearance flawless as far as I can see Appearance Rating 10 Reliability as good as my Vega...gave it a 10 too..........really stays in tune well Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service had a little trouble with a bum on e-bay so my order was a little "on and off" Chris Cooper just rolled with it and gave me the best service possible...I'd hit 12 if I could...no response to e-mails from Wildwood about the bracket nuts...Buffalo bros-10...Wildwood-3 Customer Service 10 Components the pot is something to see...good and heavy banjo with beautiful tone ring...very uncomfortable to play with a strap Components Rating 7 Overall Comments SOLD this banjo couple of months ago for the sole reason that the bracket nuts extend down below the pot and make my side sore and bruised...looks like they all do Overall Rating 8

Deering little wonder submitted 5/14/2007 Submitter john bange Where Purchased Buffalo Brothers Year Purchased 2006 Price Paid 700 ($US) (bought USED) Sound suites my attempt at adding a "folk Banjo" sound to our trio. sound was quite bright when I first played it. I changed the strings to La Bella #17 nylon. This changed the brightness to a more full/mellow character while still being loud enough to be heard over the dreadnoughts Sound Rating 9 Setup It was set up dead stock and I left it so. The string height is good for me and my longish fingernails and the oddball clawhammer/three finger picking style I have evolved. the change to nylon required nothing but pencil lead on the nut and bridge...no buzzing at all. Setup Rating 9 Appearance The maple neck is very pretty. I choose this banjo over another used one or even a new on they had in stock. It even has a star inlaid on the 5th fret like the Senator I want next. I am not wild about the appearence of the shiny plastic head but as I said earlier, I like the tone. Appearance Rating 10 Reliability drop dead reliable...the satin finish is superb...looks like it will last forever Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service not much contact but very friendly on the phone...Deering,that is:...Buffalo brothers is the greatest! Customer Service 10 Components best OEM stuff I have ever had...save the 10 for my Pete Seeger long neck...if I can ever afford one Components Rating 9 Overall Comments I think this is the best banjo for the price available and a good used on is really a great find. The included TKL case is really a plus also Overall Rating 10