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The banjo reviews database is here to help educate people before they purchase an instrument. Of course, this is not meant to be a substitute for playing the instrument yourself!
7238 reviews in the archive.
Where Purchased: Direct: http://www.fiberglasscase.com/
Copied from my forum post:
Well, a few weeks back I posted about my battle between a Price, Calton, and a Hoffee. After many gracious BHO-ers pointed out, Calton has had issues. That left met with Hoffee vs Price, which basically was carbon fiber vs fiberglass. Not needing anything extra that the Hoffee had to offer, I settled on Price.
Conclusion: Wow! I could not be happier. The workmanship is TOP NOTCH, and I'm a hard-to-please engineer. The communication and all was also spectacular. The Man, himself, a super character.
I got the Classic II which is very well designed, shaped, and finished.
I was fearful of spending that much on a case, but I don't think that I will ever regret it.
....One more comment that I can't resist: My banjos fit in it perfectly, snug as ever. The actual case-dimensions-to-banjo is ridiculously accurate.
Overall Rating: 10
Where Purchased:
Fiberglass, yes, but very poor construction: Seal around the edge was inconsistent, weight wasn't centered when the case was full (it wanted to fall forward onto its face), cheap latches....just generally the cheapest job one could possibly do.
Overall Rating: 2
Where Purchased: BHO Classifieds
Year Purchased: 2009
Price Paid: Don't Remember (bought USED)
historic exchange rates / currency converter
Excellent!!
A lovely old-school tone.
Sound Rating: 10
I bought it used, so I had to kick it around to suit my tastes.
Setup Rating: 10
The Brazilian rosewood peghead is stunning. Very well made.
Appearance Rating: 10
Oh yeah. Jimmy made the parts.
No more comment necessary.
Reliability Rating: 10
Haven't been over to the shop for a checkup yet....Trying!
Customer Service: not rated
Very solid.
Some are a little rough, but that's typical of hand-machined parts. It's got great character.
Components Rating: 10
HIGHLY recommend
Overall Rating: 10
Where Purchased: Turtle Hill Banjo
Year Purchased: 2007
Price Paid: Don't Remember
historic exchange rates / currency converter
Sound is awesome, once I got it setup properly.
(see setup section)
Sound Rating: 10
The banjo was not setup to my tastes, and turtle hill was not all that helpful in helping me find that sound. Luckily, Ome was spectacular for customer service and they got the banjo where I needed it to be: a head swap here, a truss rod tweak there, here a tweak, there a turn.....Now it absolutely rocks.
Ome's rating is the 10
Turtle Hill is a 1
Setup Rating: 10
Work of art
Appearance Rating: 10
Reliability Rating: 10
Again, as with setup:
Ome's rating is the 10
Turtle Hill is a 1, again
Customer Service: 10
almost too nice to play
almost
Components Rating: 10
***** NOTE: This is a megatone, bluegrass banjo. Not the typical openback with the silverspun tone ring. ******
Overall Rating: 10
Great week-long immersion for all levels of players.
Diverse instrument base, and an extremely capable and versatile teaching staff.
Mostly fiddle, but also includes various other instruments.
Banjo focus is primarily melodic clawhammer with Ken Perlman.
(Great food, too!)
http://www.langston.com/NHMC/
Overall Rating: 10
Where Purchased: http://www.banjoshop.com/
Year Purchased: 2008
Price Paid: 599 ($US)
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
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
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
Solid enough to be considered a travel banjo in my book, so it must be ready for some abuse and bounces.
Reliability Rating: 7
http://www.banjoshop.com/ is absolutely excellent
http://www.morganmonroe.com/ were also good: they sent me a free truss rod cover when the original cracked.
Customer Service: 9
Some of the hardware was kludgy, barely fitting, and/or poorly matched. For example, some of the bracket holders were loose, but tightening them up pushed the screw through to the channel and prevented the brackets from being properly set.
Components Rating: 5
Yes. I would recommend more for a clawhammer player, but it is definitely sufficient for a bluegrasser as well.
Overall Rating: 7
Where Purchased: http://www.banjoshop.com/
Year Purchased: 2006
Price Paid: Don't Remember
historic exchange rates / currency converter
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
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
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
It's been two years of hard playing with no issues whatsoever.
Reliability Rating: 10
As mentioned above, Al is worth going to no matter where you are.
Customer Service: 10
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
I have trouble finding a second/backup banjo, since this one sets the standards so high......
Overall Rating: 10
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