Fitch Firestorm submitted 9/3/2008 Submitter zipposteve Where Purchased FitchBanjos.Com Year Purchased 2008 Price Paid 4300.00 ($US) Sound I tried to be as specific as possible when telling Cliff Fitch the sound I was looking for. To summarize....I wanted a full, rich sound with lots of volume. I wanted a bright sound as well but without the thin, tinny, tone that usually comes with bright. There had to be excellent note separation and sparkle over the entire neck. The banjo that Cliff built for me has all of this plus an extraordinary response to the lightest touch. Sound Rating 10 Setup I let Cliff dtermine the setup that was necessary to produce the tone that I asked for. It's wonderful.... I wouldn't change a thing here. Setup Rating 10 Appearance Presentation grade flamed maple, gold hardware, antiqued binding on top of superlative craftsmanship ( Fit, Finish, & Detail Work). Add a Sunburst Finish that was done to my specs. I couldn't have asked for more. Appearance Rating 10 Reliability I've had enough high end instruments to know that this will never be an issue with a Fitch instrument. Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service There are many out there who could take a lesson from Cliff Fitch on customer service. He understands what a customer expects from a custom builder and delivers it in spades. There is no doubt in my mind that he will take care of me and my banjo in the years to come. Customer Service 10 Components In order to get the tone I wanted, Cliff used a Dannick ring, a Sullivan historic rim, and a Wadsworth bridge. I let Cliff suggest the components for what I wanted in sound. Components Rating 10 Overall Comments I wanted a banjo built just for me according to my specs. Cliff sent me pictures as the build progressed and made suggestions along the way. It was a great experience. I've spent a lot more & gotten a lot less. Overall Rating 10