Sullivan Deluxe
submitted 8/1/2007
|
Submitter |
pastorharry |
Where Purchased |
banjo.com |
Year Purchased |
2007 |
Price Paid |
1695.00 ($US) |
Sound
|
Great BG banjo, loud, bright, with alot of snap. Good range of tone in the different right hand positions.Sounds as good as any Mastertone,etc. I've ever heard! |
Sound Rating |
10 |
Setup
|
Barry at banjo.com set the banjo up on the spot for me, and installed spikes. We tweaked the tension and tailpiece just a bit to give it a little more versatility for when I switch to drop thumb.Head is tuned at about G flat, tension is at 88. |
Setup Rating |
10 |
Appearance
|
Bill Sullivan does exceptional work. This banjo is simple, but elegant. Curly Maple neck and Cox curly maple resonator with tortise binding. Rosewood fretboard with style 1 type inlays. Inlay and all other workmanship-flawless. |
Appearance Rating |
10 |
Reliability
|
Hardware is exceptional, Finish is flawless.Sullivan tonering, new double hump tailpiece,beautiful pancake tuners-very precise with ivoroid buttons. A lifetime banjo-no backup required. |
Reliability Rating |
10 |
Customer Service
|
Limited lifetime warranty. FQMS are always great to buy from, but I have not needed to do anything to this banjo, except play it. |
Customer Service |
10 |
Components
|
Standouts-tuners, tone ring, tailpiece,old factory floor bridge,.
No cheap parts ,no upgrades needed. |
Components Rating |
10 |
Overall Comments
|
Buy one-love it, I do! It's all the banjo I'll ever need for BG. Incredible value, easily woth twice what they sell for...how do they do it?? Gibson, look out........
The B.A.S. stops here!! |
Overall Rating |
10 |
|
Bart Reiter Galax
submitted 6/16/2006
|
Submitter |
pastorharry |
Where Purchased |
Gryphon music |
Year Purchased |
2006 |
Price Paid |
1,170 ($US) |
Sound
|
Great -"one does it all",all around openback banjo. Very loud, crisp and clear-plenty of variation in tone as you change right hand positions and move toward the neck or bridge.Sounds good any style played-3 finger,2 finger or frailed. Played hard or soft-it is an awesome sounding instrument. |
Sound Rating |
9 |
Setup
|
Setup was excellent-head adjustment and bridge placement ,tailpiece heigth all right on.Action low with standard 5/8 bridge no buzz but dangerously close on a couple frets. I immediatly put on a 5/8 heavy moon bridge (personal preference), and will add a vega repro armrest-might replace the 5 star head with a renissance,however this head sounds surprisingly good and well rounded for this banjo. Stock strings seem a little light for my personal tastes, which i will change to Ome mediums. |
Setup Rating |
9 |
Appearance
|
Beautiful, albeit plain banjo.Excellent star and dot inlay-no filler visable at all,nice color contrasts in the MOP.Mahogany neck and rim-painted black rim cap with tortise inside rim-coffee colored stain-perfectly done-no blotches-no sanding marks visable. Awesome job! Hardware heavy-top quality,new planet tuners-work perfectly.Perfect fret job on ebony fretboard, all workmanship A+ |
Appearance Rating |
10 |
Reliability
|
Hardware-solid! Finish is satin stain-thin, which I prefer over thick-asian type finishes.May wear in time,no big deal to me. This is my only steel string banjo which I will use for everything,seems very trustworthy. |
Reliability Rating |
10 |
Customer Service
|
Gryphon Music came highly recommended by none other than our own Bill Rogers, and they lived up to the rep in every way. I have to order banjos sight unseen living in Hawaii, and Tom at gryphon A/B'd two banjos for me over the phone, took time to answer all questions-very courtiously. They installed spikes for free and did a great job (Frank Ford ,HELLO??!!!) One year warrenty-Bart is well known for being very helpful if there's a problem or question. The banjo was ordered on tues. afternoon and arrived on thursday morning!!! |
Customer Service |
10 |
Components
|
Planet tuners-heavy duty notched rim,waverly tailpiece, nickle silverd frets, whyte laydie tonering. All parts excellent-would only upgrade bridge and include hotdog armrest.It would also be nice if Bart gave a choice of heads-although the 5 star is just fine. |
Components Rating |
9 |
Overall Comments
|
Highly recommended-after 30 banjos in 45 years. I might keep this one around. I LOVE it!!I especially love the neck-very similar to Wyatt Fawley's vega style necks,not quite as much V,a little softer, but very comfortable. Whyte Laydie tone rings rule!! BTW; what kind of a NUT would steal a banjo?? |
Overall Rating |
10 |
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