Flesher Jubilo 01 Banjo Reviews
Flesher Jubilo 01
submitted 7/7/2005
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Submitter |
jubiloman (see all reviews from this person) |
Where Purchased |
From Bob Flesher |
Year Purchased |
2002 |
Price Paid |
4300.00 ($US) |
Sound
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Warm/clear notes with punch. Full round peak sound when played up near the rim and neck joint. Love the soft richness and ease of obtaining the full notes sought. It is sometimes difficult to go from bluegrass picking to claw-hammer because of the volumn differendce. Once you get settled in though it is just fine. |
Sound Rating |
9 |
Setup
|
Bob Flesher is the Banjo guru in my opinion. He taught me to play back in 1965 and did the wood carving and engraving and inlay in my Garepy long neck open back. Of course he would not set up a banjo to any extreme, but rather in a middle of the road type of set up allowing the individual picker to make adjustments suitable to him. |
Setup Rating |
9 |
Appearance
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Bob Flesher is a master wood carver, metal engraver and inlay specialist. I visited him at his shop and asked him to show me how he does the engraving around the tension hoop. No I expected some sort of computer or aid in this task. He simply put a piece of metal in a vice and took a tool and began chasing the figures with his bare hands. I have never seen anything like it before in my life. He did about six inches of engraving including the florentine effects in a matter of about three minutes. His wood carving is unparrelled. My inlay has a mother of pearl vine that is continuous with abalone shell flowers for position marks. He even put my initials on the dowel stick in the pot. The man is unbelievable with the talents he possess. A more beautiful banjo you will never find. Mine is gold plated too. |
Appearance Rating |
10 |
Reliability
|
It seems as sound as any banjo I have played or owned. What can I say, the banjo was made by a master, of course it is reliable. Bob was sold a bad batch of lacquer and my banjo showed some cracks in it after only one year. Bob is a stand up guy who would never want anybody to be unhappy about his work, he took the banjo back and made the proper repairs with a smile on his face, no problems. All of his stuff is guaranteed. Once you buy from him he is like a relative almost. |
Reliability Rating |
10 |
Customer Service
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Super honest and friendly repair job on a faulty lacquer job that seems not to have been Bob's fault. |
Customer Service |
10 |
Components
|
Craftsmanship, appearance, warranty work, sound are tops. If I had to choose one thing to complain about it would have to be the frets. I had a few high frets when the banjo was delivered. Bob filed them down for me with no complaints. |
Components Rating |
9 |
Overall Comments
|
The price is worth all of the art work even if the banjo did not play!!
If this banjo was stolen I would promptly order another from Bob. Nobody else can match the type of work he does. I love my Jubilo and keep it on a stand in the living room so I can play it every day. I also have it there so that when people come in to my home they will see the beautiful piece of art that I own. Bob is so trustworthy that he answers all of the questions you might want to ask before you ask them. The only risk involved here is committing to buy a high priced instrument from a builder without hearing what it sounds like. Being able to committ to a builder shows the confidence you have in him. I am living proof that you can rely on Bob. Of course the Jubilo is not as powerful as my bluegrass mastertone, but is beautiful in its own way, not only in looks, but in the soft, clear notes it plays without picks. |
Overall Rating |
10 |
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