Alvarez silver princess Banjo Reviews
Alvarez silver princess
submitted 7/12/2007
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Submitter |
divingsailingdoug (see all reviews from this person) |
Where Purchased |
Private Sale |
Year Purchased |
07 |
Price Paid |
800.00 (Canadian) (bought USED)
historic exchange rates / currency converter
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Sound
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this Banjo has a rich sound with great sustain. It has a Tubaphone tone ring and it looks to me like it's a brass one. |
Sound Rating |
7 |
Setup
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this banjo had bee professonaly set up prior to my purchase. It has required no adjustments so far however I might get the action lowered a little after I get to know her better. |
Setup Rating |
8 |
Appearance
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This is a mid 70's copy of a Tubaphone OB. It is very easy on the eyes with good use of MOP thought not overdone. |
Appearance Rating |
8 |
Reliability
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Great reliability solid goto tuners no back up nessisary. |
Reliability Rating |
8 |
Customer Service
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Haven't dealt with the company |
Customer Service |
not rated |
Components
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good tuners, not the original tailpiece and I may switch to a Kershner in the future. |
Components Rating |
not rated |
Overall Comments
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I feel I got a great Banjo for a reasonable price
Hunt the sucker down!
I really like the inlay on the inside of the pot
none
Nice and loud when needed but mellow at the same time, great sustain. |
Overall Rating |
7 |
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Alvarez silver princess
submitted 8/13/2006
|
Submitter |
stringbeaner (see all reviews from this person) |
Where Purchased |
Tulsa, ok, big music store |
Year Purchased |
1975 |
Price Paid |
250.00
historic exchange rates / currency converter
|
Sound
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clean, clear-great variations avaliable by adjusting head tension; everything from ear-piercing bluegrass to bascom lamar lunsford plunky. I bought it when I was building a new neck for my Stromberg and needed something to perform and teach with. Turned out to be a great choice. When i finished the neck on my reg'lar gourd i gave it to my wife. she played clawhammer. |
Sound Rating |
10 |
Setup
|
Setup was jus' dandy for my style (clawhammer, some classical, old-timey and some blugrass). I don't recollect having to do anything to it but I did fool around with the sound by adjusting head tension. Put it back about where it was when I got it tho. |
Setup Rating |
10 |
Appearance
|
Good (japanese) finish for the times. Basically a dead copy of a 30's Vega tubaphone - Open back, Tubaphone-type tone ring, vee-shaped neck, good quality accessories. I added a sliding 5th string capo and an old Orpheum tailpiece 'cause it looked like an old window-latch. Vega-style armrest. |
Appearance Rating |
10 |
Reliability
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Banjo looked like new 10-12 years later when I finally sold it to a student who still owns and plays it.
I never take a back-up banjo to a gig, just extra strings and maybe a bridge. |
Reliability Rating |
10 |
Customer Service
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Never had to deal with them. |
Customer Service |
8 |
Components
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This was just a dandy banjo. Every thing worked, looked and sounded like it was supposed to. after 8 or 9 years some of the plating wore off the armrest. The only thing I would have replaced would be the tubaphone tone ring. It WASN'T brass!! |
Components Rating |
10 |
Overall Comments
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If I could find another one I'd grab it just to have another one. Played good, looked good and sounded good even with an alloy tone ring. |
Overall Rating |
10 |
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