Ome Ome Triple X submitted 8/14/2008 Submitter kimmattis123 Where Purchased Gryphon Stringed Insgtruments Year Purchased 2008 Price Paid Don't Remember (bought USED) historic exchange rates / currency converter Sound Sounds Great. I wanted a bluegrass banjo [but that could be played in different styles] this is perfect. Not overly loud but cuts through very well. It has a distinct sound. Not a Gibson or Stelling [ maybe a little Deering type] Sound Rating 9 Setup Setup from Gryphon was very good. Just out of the box it played well. Action low- but loud. I can't think of any changes. Maybe a new bridge. ONE annoying thing is that the 4th string, when bent, goes off the fretboard. It was a used banjo and maybe the bridge is too wide or using Crow spacing. but it plays great -but may not be the orig. bridge. I may have a moon bridge installed. but it sounds so good I hate to mess with it. It did have a 5th sting capo [removed] IF I had known I would have replaced it and not put in the extra spikes. Setup Rating 8 Appearance For a 1976 it was in great shape. All the wood was good, some dings but overall great. Finish was good. Metal parts are shiny and not tarnished or rusty. VERY GOOD shape. Good org. case too. Appearance Rating 9 Reliability Seems like a very good instrument. I haven't even changes the strings yet- and it stays tuned. Great Hardware. No rust, no pitting, shiny chrome parts. A little fading on the Nickel hardware but that gives it the "old Patina thing" Reliability Rating 8 Customer Service Gryphon was very nice. It came when they said it would. They put in additional spikes at no extra charge. They were nice to deal with. I recommend their services. OME is also very good to deal with. Anything they can help with- they do. Customer Service 9 Components I like the 'silverspun-no hole tone ring' -its somewhere between a white lady sound and mastertone. It does sound like the old Bacon silver belle tone rings in their top of the line OLD banjos. It has Presence, not louder, just a sound you can find in a jam situation. It would make a great plectrum banjo and OME still has it in production on their openbacks. Components Rating 9 Overall Comments Yes, this banjo was a steal. I played an ODE a friend of mine restored and this is just as good without the restoration. Considering you are paying about 1k for an import these days this is twice as good at the same price. Overall Rating 9