drwt1 - Posted - 10/06/2009:  06:37:41

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Has anyone noticed there are no Yates banjos for sale in the classifieds?? Almost every other brand name is there... This says a lot for Yates, IMHO...If anyone knows of a used Yates for sale, please let me know...Thanks

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Edited by - gottasmilealot on 10/20/2009 18:12:57

richmondgeorge - Posted - 10/06/2009:  06:41:19

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Good Luck! I have been looking for over a year

Ks_5-picker - Posted - 10/06/2009:  06:52:23

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That seems to be true. Ya know what? You had my hopes up posting this in the swap shop section.

Rod

Here's some music you might enjoy.

http://cdbaby.com/cd/roddurst

hardcase - Posted - 10/06/2009:  06:56:25

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There was a maple Ron Stewart Model in the classifieds not too long ago, but it didnt last long.
I sure enjoy my mohogany R/S.

Dave

greenhorn - Posted - 10/06/2009:  06:58:20

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There was a RS for sale in the classifieds recently, but it was only there for a few hours. There was a long time with no Bishline's listed in the classifieds too.

Nicholas Lawrence

"we're gonna fiddle-pick the bean soup outta this one," Doc Watson at Telluride BGFྑ

Prewar3 - Posted - 10/06/2009:  07:56:14

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Yeah, like mentioned the only one I've seen was about two weeks ago and it lasted a couple days. I saw Warren Yates at IBMA and he said they delivered two to Smokey Mountain Guitars in TN on their way to IBMA. They usually don't last long there. One thing to keep in mind, and I am not debating whether Yates is a good banjo or not, but they have only began making them a couple years back and he is starting slow so there really aren't that many out there right now. So the chances of one coming up for sale used is small. In a couple years from now I think you;'ll see more of them come up. I played and heard several of them at IBMA and no doubt its a good banjo. All preference though. I think the top banjos are the Hubers, Yates and of course the prewars. Osborne Chiefs rank up there also. Jim

Jim Prewar3

drwt1 - Posted - 10/06/2009:  08:18:24

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My second choice(first til I heard the Yates) is Stelling....very stout banjo...

stringman711 - Posted - 10/06/2009:  08:52:54

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Arthur Hatfield is making very good banjos. Hard to beat. Probably one of the most affordable banjos, and one of the best on the market.

dana

drwt1 - Posted - 10/06/2009:  10:45:30

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Arthur makes a fine banjo, but nobody , and I mean NOBODY has the tone of a Yates...Best tone I've ever heard in a new banjo..and I'm prone to like Stellings....again...MHO(altho this opinion may not be too humble...;-))

billygeeman - Posted - 10/06/2009:  11:10:25

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I agree with Dana. I have never heard anything better than the Chief with the Blaylock ring. I have played several. I saw him at the Station Inn over the weekend in Nashville with one of the Hatfield banjos and was blown away by the tone of it. Every bit as good as the Chief. I have also played the affor mentioned banjos, and they weren't even close to what I've heard in these. I realize the man playing it has alot to do with it, but the banjo was phenominal. And only one week old!

banjodr - Posted - 10/06/2009:  12:14:55

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There are 3-4 Yates at Smoky Mountain Guitars in Pigeon Forge Tennessee give em a call they are moving into a new building and I bet they'll work with you to get it done.

Stay Tuned! gDGBD

Scout70 - Posted - 10/09/2009:  01:52:14

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Like many of you, I have owned and played many great banjos over the years. Pre-wars, Gibson, Huber, Stelling, Neat, you name it. They are all decent banjos. But, the Yates banjos are outstanding. I have a RS mahogany model and would give up all of my other banjos first before giving up the yates. The tone quality, play ability and overall power of the banjo are outstanding.

The worst thing about the Yates RS is that most of you have not played one. I find it humerous that people are comparing their current banjos or other banjos to a Yates when in fact they have never had the privilege of spending time with one.



Scout

lazyarcher - Posted - 10/09/2009:  06:07:11

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Good banjos without a doubt. I had the opportunity to play a couple along side of most of the other top names at last years IBMAs. I had a mahogany model in my hands that was tough to put down. Was it the best of the best though? The best is what your ears call the best. There were some of Paul Hopkins banjos that I thought were perhaps the best...then there was a walnut Huber that I may have considered the best....then there was a Scott Zimmerman creation that may have been the best.....then, there are some Hatfields that I've played that I thought were just the best ever (esp for the $$$).

So the best is....

Dave Jack

Forrest - Posted - 10/09/2009:  07:48:28

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I played a maple and mahogany Yates at Lil' John's Mountain Music Festival back in May. Very fine banjos. I still love my Hubers, but wouldn't mind owning a Yates too.

"Run, Forrest, Run!"

gibson1933 - Posted - 10/09/2009:  09:16:13

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Which just goes to show..........play what you like, and like what you play!

Just my opinion.........

Dick
www.sawmillroad.net

Beardog - Posted - 10/09/2009:  11:18:59

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You will be in good company if you play a Yates!



Beardog

nittio - Posted - 10/09/2009:  15:30:10

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Well said Mr. Brown!!!!!!!

May all your picking be true!!

RK-R20
Williams Kenny Ingram #14
Frank (nittio) O.

granderman - Posted - 10/10/2009:  04:00:30

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i am with Dick , i have a yates and like it , i have a burlile and like it , stellings like em , Ome , Bishline like it , Scorpion , like it , parts RB18 like it . in my opinion they are built better than i can play them . sure did miss seeing Dick at the IBMA

"for those of you who think you hold the cards , I send to you my kind regards
For those of you who love and care I'll see you down the road somewhere "
SteelDrivers

www.4everBlue.net www.nucraftdental.com
aloha T

lethegoodtimesroll - Posted - 10/11/2009:  03:30:38

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quote:

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Originally posted by Beardog

You will be in good company if you play a Yates!



Beardog

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look at that smile...Sam is in Banjo heaven

bigmr_clean - Posted - 10/12/2009:  09:52:30

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I played a few yates banjo's at IBMA...I played ron's maple and warrens mahagony. They are very good banjo's..Like someone up there posted it's all preference..and not knocking warrens stuff or anything but he has a VERY small shop he works out of 2 other guys helping him...So he doesn't have the resources some of these others have to produce in bulk. The hopkins banjo's were as good as anything I played all week at IBMA...that includes the ORIGINAL 34' Granada I played and the original 39 RB75 I played as well. The mahagony hopkins is as close to earl's 60's sound as you could ask for. The new Huber, the yates, the hopkins..They are all getting SO similar...but different in sound if some of you know what I mean. You can have 2 jim mills models identical and they both will sound different. I sat with Mr. Silvio and played an original Rb75 for a while friday and I'd hate to see what that feller paid for that thing a few months back...Whew! I think either way you go..weather it be a new Huber or a new Yates or a new Hopkins you can't go wrong.....course Tim Mirolosa wasn't there...BUT the new KK's are awesome as well..The dannick tone ring is MY favorite out of all of them..but that's just MY opinion and My ear. I am just glad I can be a part of all this on the hangout and testing and playing different banjo's is really...really a fun thing to do and a great learning experience. It was very cool to hold a 250,000 dollar 1934 5 string granada and play what was pretty much Earl Scruggs banjo back in the day. IBMA Was AWESOME!! I met several hangout guys...and everyone was really nice. You can't ask for a better bunch of people...bluegrass is the way to GO!! Anyways there are a of new builders out here today that are really smokin' and Warren just Keeps on and on trying to make better. He told me there is no stopping point you keep diggin' and diggin' and that is why his stuff sounds so good and will keep gettin better. It won't be long until these new banjo's are so far surpassing prewars...We're pretty much there now and that is just really cool.

Mike Smith

D.W. - Posted - 10/20/2009:  17:58:33

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quote:

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Originally posted by drwt1

Has anyone noticed there are no Yates banjos for sale in the classifieds?? Almost every other brand name is there... This says a lot for Yates, IMHO...If anyone knows of a used Yates for sale, please let me know...Thanks

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There's a Yates up for sale there now. Link: http://www.banjohangout.org/classif...35&cid=11758

I will also note. I don't see any Bishlines up for sale currently. That says a lot for Bishlines.

----------------------------------------------
"A life lived in fear is a life half lived."
- Fran, "Strictly Ballroom" (1992)

orioletb1 - Posted - 10/21/2009:  06:28:53

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I have one coming this week and I'm stoked. The "small shop not having resources" comment was way off. I think he's got all the resource he needs in Ron Stewart. He personally helped design several parts of the banjo, sets them up, and is the spokesperson. If you hear him play one live, you don't need to play one. In my opinion, the best live banjo tone I've ever heard was the first time I heard Ron play a Yates that was 8 or 10 days old. Ron knows tone as good as anyone. He is as close to Crowe as anyone has ever come. Most banjos that are "produced in bulk" have hit and miss banjos. The more banjos that they make, the more chance that a bad banjo gets out. Gibson banjos might make a great banjo one out of 20-50. Huber might make a great banjo one out of 5-10. Right now, with the small shop in Hickory, NC every banjo, while slightly different in tone, is a GREAT banjo. I have owned several Hubers and played several conversions and original flatheads. Yates are probably the best banjos made since Steve Huber started. And when Huber started, his were the best banjos since 1930s Gibsons. Yates banjos, to me, are as good or better than any Huber built. Anyone that wants to play one and in the Oklahoma area, please let me know. I have an early Huber and will have a Yates by the end of the week.

mike gregory - Posted - 10/21/2009:  10:16:31

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..................................

"I Yates It When That Happens!"

orioletb1 - Posted - 10/25/2009:  16:48:31

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My Yates is great and it sounds awesome through a mic.

gottasmilealot - Posted - 10/25/2009:  17:36:25

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quote:

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Huber might make a great banjo one out of 5-10.

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Can't agree with that statement. All the high end banjo makers that I can think of are meticulous in their efforts on every banjo, they just offer different products.

Keith

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Edited by - gottasmilealot on 10/25/2009 17:36:59

orioletb1 - Posted - 10/26/2009:  20:30:57

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I've owned 3 Hubers. I know what I'm talking about. If you find the right one, they are great. I happen to own one of the best they ever built. I have played alot that I wouldn't own. Assembly line banjos, and that's what Hubers have become, aren't going to be as consistent as a top small shop luthier's. That's just my opinion, but I think most pros would agree. I'd endorse Huber too if they gave me a banjo.

89GranadaHF - Posted - 10/27/2009:  05:06:18

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I could not disagree more. I haven't owned 3 Hubers but I own 1 my best friend and cousin both own 1 and I have played probably 20 or more in the last 3 years. They are anything but an assembly line banjo. I will say some have different tones but a mahagony and a maple and a walnut all sound somewhat different at least to me. I bought a new Huber in April of this year a custom mahogany that has what I describe as an old sound typical of old prewar 3's and 75's. Quite different from the GRich era granada that I also own and like which is a brighter sound typical of maple banjos. I had decided sometime back that I didn't need another banjo as I had primarily been playing guitar and singing lead vocals for the past ten years. That all changed when I played a Huber. The Yates banjos are good and from what I hear Warren is a great guy but to say that Steve Huber has resorted to assembly line practices is ridiculous. Just visit his shop and play and purchase one of his banjos and you will see the quality and dedication to a great product. Just my opinion.

vincentbanjogh - Posted - 10/28/2009:  04:21:40

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Quote: "Assembly line banjos, and that's what Hubers have become, aren't going to be as consistent as a top small shop luthier's."

I would say that "top small shop luthier" pretty much describes Huber, doesn't it?

www.keithkline.com

Forrest - Posted - 10/28/2009:  07:04:34

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quote:

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Originally posted by orioletb1

I've owned 3 Hubers. I happen to own one of the best they ever built.

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I thought I owned the best Huber ever built!

I know you've owned more than one Huber, but have you ever been to the Huber shop? There are a handful of guys buidling these banjos and while I'm sure they have a few assembly line processes going on for efficiency, Huber banjos are anything but an assembly line banjo. My conversations with Steve and Jim have left me with the impression that they care very deeply about the banjos they produce and I'm convinced that they are committed to making the best banjos possible.

"Run, Forrest, Run!"

orioletb1 - Posted - 11/03/2009:  05:19:18

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I also have been to his shop and at the time he just had a few guys working for him. Now he has tripled production and employees. I'm not saying that Steve doesn't care. I'm saying that his supply demands perhaps forced him into letting banjos go out of his shop that aren't as good as all of them. I'm not dissing anyone. The more hands that touch a banjo, the more inconsistencies. I'm just saying that Yates, IMO, are the most consistent banjos out there.

Goldstarman - Posted - 11/16/2009:  21:45:25

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Ive owned two Hubers that had a few things on them that could have ben better like finish and binding work ETC. Still a super banjo, in the top 3 I think

"Aint" aint a word

gottasmilealot - Posted - 11/16/2009:  22:18:34

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The subject is Yates Banjos.

Keith