Morgan Monroe Cameron submitted 8/21/2008 Submitter Grey Dog Where Purchased http://www.banjoshop.com/ Year Purchased 2008 Price Paid 599 ($US) Sound Nice and mellow, but can still hold a bluegrass edge. I bought this as a lighter, openback travel banjo. The whyte laydie has a nice pluncky (yes, pluncky) sound to it. Sound Rating 8 Setup Needed some minor tweaks, but it was the dead of summer so things could have been loose from the heat/humidity. Out-of-the-box it is more of a clawhammer banjo, but a quick bridge swap gave it enough of a personality change to be scruggsy. Setup Rating 8 Appearance Very nice walnut look and feel. The engraved metal has a cheaper look/feel to it, but given the price that makes sense. Appearance Rating 8 Reliability Solid enough to be considered a travel banjo in my book, so it must be ready for some abuse and bounces. Reliability Rating 9 Customer Service http://www.banjoshop.com/ is absolutely excellent http://www.morganmonroe.com/ I have no dealt with directly Customer Service 10 Components Overall just very solid and reliable Components Rating 9 Overall Comments Yes. I would recommend more for a clawhammer player, but it is definitely sufficient for a bluegrasser as well. Overall Rating 9

Deering Golden Era submitted 6/29/2008 Submitter Grey Dog Where Purchased http://www.banjoshop.com/ Year Purchased 2006 Price Paid Don't Remember historic exchange rates / currency converter Sound Unbelievable depth of sound, it sounds and feels like it rings out for a good bit longer than most other I've played. Suits me beautifully for Scrugg's Style, but others have grabbed it with varying playing styles and they all seemed to enjoy it. Sound Rating 10 Setup Al Worthen at http://www.banjoshop.com/ set this banjo up perfectly. He gives them all an immense amount of attention, and I never hesitate to go back to his shop (which is many many miles) for any of my concerns and purchases. Setup Rating 10 Appearance It's a work of art to me. There are enough vibrant tiger stripes from the maple on the back to warrant the name "Hobbes" Appearance Rating 10 Reliability It's been two years of hard playing with no issues whatsoever. Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service As mentioned above, Al is worth going to no matter where you are. Customer Service 10 Components We upgraded the bridge to a Snuffy, but even that was an optional adventure. Unlike most other Deerings, this one has a very full neck. I have larger hands, so that appeals to me. I generally dislike the extra room of the typical Deering slender neck design. Components Rating 10 Overall Comments I have trouble finding a second/backup banjo, since this one sets the standards so high...... Overall Rating 10