Deering Maple Blossom  Reviews

Deering Maple Blossom submitted 9/11/2008 Submitter akcarter (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased hob goblin wadebridge Year Purchased 2008 Price Paid £1500.00 (sterling) (bought USED) historic exchange rates / currency converter Sound A beautiful sound.I have set it up for a warm mellow tone. I supose i tend to play a bit melodic. Sound Rating 10 Setup Very slight adjustments were made Setup Rating 10 Appearance Walnut stained maple neck.Ebony fingerboardwith mother of pearl inlays and nickle plated metal work Appearance Rating 10 Reliability Last a life time Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service na Customer Service not rated Components at about 14 pounds its bit on the hevy side Components Rating 10 Overall Comments exspensive but save up its well worth it Overall Rating 10

Deering Maple Blossom submitted 3/24/2007 Submitter csuscheck (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Janet Davis Year Purchased 2006 Price Paid 2300 ($US) Sound I've tried a lot of different banjos. Deering, when compared to Gibsons, has a mellower sound - gibsons have a harsher clangy sound - which is fine for rough and tubmle bluegrass. Deering is a little more melodic - which is what I prefer. Also OME resonators and Stelling seem a little more brash than a deering. So this sound what best for me. Sound Rating 10 Setup The action is SOOO low and SOOO smooth - it's almost mystical how easy it is to play. Setup Rating 8 Appearance Good looking and understated. I added a mother of pearl truss rod cover to brighten it up a bit. I'd rather see some engraving on the armrest, but the banjo is NOT gaudy. Appearance Rating 8 Reliability No data. Reliability Rating not rated Customer Service No dat.a Customer Service not rated Components Deering parts are mythical in their quality. The tuners are heavy, the other components are top notch. I just replaced the brudge with a snuffy smith and it brightened up even more. Components Rating 8 Overall Comments If you're looking for a good playing and mellow banjo, this is a nice one. The action can be set so low that you can play at lightning speed and it doesn't overshadow other instruments by being brash and clangy. It's refined. The maple blossom tone ring is very nice. If you buy this banjo, keep in mind it is HEAVY - get a great backpack gig bag (like a reunion blues) so you don't pull a muscle carrying the case at festivals. Overall Rating 10

Deering Maple Blossom submitted 2/6/2007 Submitter Aikipappy (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased 12th Fret Toronto Canada Year Purchased 2004 Price Paid 3400 (Canadian) historic exchange rates / currency converter Sound Has a deep rich sound,almost like its been played for years Sound Rating 10 Setup Action was well adjusted and soft to play there was no need to change the setup Setup Rating 10 Appearance The wood used in the Maple Blossom is a dark rich maple. If held to the light it is full of tiger stripes and it has a very nice finish Appearance Rating 10 Reliability Have played many gigs and I am never worried about it failing on hardware issues, the finish hasn't lost any lustre as of yet Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service No repairs yet. The hard shell case did start to loosen on the covering but not to the extent that it is a serious issue. Customer Service 6 Components I believe that the case is the only thing that could be improved, this would be the exterior cover only. The inside of the case is nice and provodes lots od support for the Banjo, Components Rating not rated Overall Comments I would reccomend the banjo to anyone who is serious about playing. The cost might hinder someone who is just starting and might not continue to play Overall Rating 7

Deering Maple Blossom submitted 11/8/2006 Submitter banjobulldog (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Jams Year Purchased 2002 Price Paid 1200 ($US) Sound not looking for another banjo so its sounds great Sound Rating 10 Setup ok setup. did some work on it myself and was easy. changed bridge, head and tailpiece. Setup Rating 7 Appearance piece of art love it. Appearance Rating 10 Reliability no problems yet. played all over the country with no problems. Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service wow. great. Customer Service 10 Components no matter what you buy you always think you need to upgrade so upgrade what you will. the sound is still great. Components Rating 8 Overall Comments buy..buy...buy... if were stolen i have my name is on the fret board so it should be easy to find on ebay. played alot of banjos.. gibson...stelling..fender and still come back to the blossom. Overall Rating 10

Deering Maple Blossom submitted 3/20/2005 Submitter sthigpen (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Heritage Music Year Purchased 2003 Price Paid Don't Remember historic exchange rates / currency converter Sound The sound of this banjo is incredible. It has a snap that will cut through a room full of other pickers. It has what I consider a true bluegrass sound. Sound Rating 9 Setup The banjo was in tune, and the action okay when I bought it, but I really wasn't satified with the sound. Pat at Heritage music dialed it in. After putting on a 5 star head, setting the tension correctly on both the head and the tail piece, this banjo came alive. I also installed a set of Schaller D-Tuners. I also had Deering install spikes. Setup Rating 10 Appearance Although quite plain in appearance, the fit and finish is flawless. The curly maple neck is beautiful. The resonator is stained very dark, and the grain doesn't show as well as some others I have seen. Appearance Rating 8 Reliability Wish I would have upgraded to the chrome hardware. I hear now it's up to 500.00. It was only a 250.00 option when I bought this one. As long as you keep it wiped down it seems to be okay so far. Reliability Rating 9 Customer Service The inside of the hardshell case started to come apart. I sent it back to them after a phone call, and had a new case within a few days. They were very nice to deal with. Customer Service 10 Components I don't care much for the tail piece that comes standard on any Deering banjo. Or the head for that matter, but thats why they make replacement parts. Everyone is going to set it up to his or her liking. Components Rating 8 Overall Comments In this price range this is one of the best banjos I've played. I have compared it to banjos costing as much as 6,000.00. It'll hang with the best of them. Overall Rating 9

Deering Maple Blossom submitted 11/26/2004 Submitter MoJo Banjo (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Guitars Etc. Year Purchased 2003 Price Paid 1900 ($US) Sound I play bluegrass, and as a step up from my Goodtime, it has the sound i want. The sound gets better and better the more and more I play it. Sound Rating 9 Setup The store I bought it at isn't really a banjo store, they just deal Deering. I had to adjust the head and the tailpiece, but other than that, I have had no other problems! Setup Rating 8 Appearance This is a beautiful banjo! The peghead isnt too fancy, just enough to draw small attention when others give it a look over. The inlay pattern is easy to ready, and the binding around the neck and resonater cleans up the look. It keeps looking great now that my head is dirrrrrrty. Appearance Rating 10 Reliability The hardware used on this banjo seems to be lasting great. I think if I never sell this banjo, I will be able to use it the rest of my life if taken care of. It has a great sound for three finger, or if i decide to do clawhammer, it does me well. I have used the banjo for some gigs, and it has performed beyond expecation. Reliability Rating 9 Customer Service There was a problem with the hardshell case it came with, and deering replaced it within a week of shipping it out. I know that if anything happens to it, I can depend on deering to be there when I need them most. It is a great idea to have a card with the serial number on it that deering gives out so i can Identify the banjo if ever lost or stolen. Customer Service 10 Components Components Rating not rated Overall Comments I think iIa real fair price, and I got lucky to get it before deering had a price increase. I think i would have paid up to $2300-$2500 for this banjo, but I got a good price. If the banjo is stolen, deering gives to a warenty card that has the serial number printed so I could identify it. I love this banjo, and my playing really took off after i had purchased it. I would compare this banjo to higher priced gibsons, becuase they almost sound and play the same ( not pre-war). Oh yes, I Love this banjo! Overall Rating 9

Deering Maple Blossom submitted 9/18/2004 Submitter randall collins (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased deering custom shop Year Purchased 03 Price Paid historic exchange rates / currency converter Sound deering maple blossom with granadillo wood tonerim. good rich deep timbre,beautiful bass tones,good clear round notes in high register and does not give out to become harsh and clattery., or nasal with single string runs.and is a very responsive instrument with a wide tonal range. Sound Rating 10 Setup .presently set up with a gary sosebee11/16 bridge and goldtone skin head tuned somewhere around f#.i'd really recommend anyone with a wood tonerim banjo trying out this combination of one of gary sosebees bridges and the GTS head it really seems a good match and to brings out the best of the possibilities of all three .the action doesn't need to be set up masochistically high to retain good clarity also this is a loud banjo. Setup Rating not rated Appearance though i'm not a luthier i cant pick any fauts with the fit and finish of the parts.nice understated looking banjo. Appearance Rating not rated Reliability no trouble so far . Reliability Rating not rated Customer Service good friendly servicefrom the custom shop. no complaints. Customer Service not rated Components replaced the stock deering tuners with waverly two bands, the stock tuners did seem to stick a bit just where you didn't want them to.replaced the stock steel presto with a kerschner.nice easy neck.(I believe deering have started using different tuners and tailpieces on their instruments in the time since this one was purchased) Components Rating not rated Overall Comments a great sounding banjo.deerings write up on the wood tonerim has so far rung true.it is avery responsive and beautiful sounding instument, theres plenty of volume without ever becoming harsh.it has really sold me on the wood tonerims. Overall Rating 10

Deering Maple Blossom submitted 6/10/2004 Submitter Unknown Where Purchased Zepp Country Music Year Purchased 2004 Price Paid $2000 ($US) Sound Crisp yet not piercing and very clear. Good resonance as well. The lows are pronounced and the highs have just the right ring for me. Nice range and brightness. Very satisfied Sound Rating 9 Setup All I had to do was tune it. The head was already adjusted properly and the bridge was in the right place. Neck is almost perfect for me. Setup Rating 10 Appearance The Maple Blossom isn't anything fancy, just good sound and playability. The fit and finish is very good overall. No blemishes that I can find. Well made instrument Appearance Rating 9 Reliability This appears to be a very well made and crafted banjo. The parts are of high quality and the finish is well done. I don't anticipate any problems at all. Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service Haven't had to deal directly with the Deering company at this point but there is a lifetime warranty and I would expect them to honor it. Bought the banjo through Zepp Country Music and he was a real pleasure to deal with. Very nice guy who seems genuinely interested in serving his customers. Customer Service 10 Components I think the neck is excellent in terms of playability. Right now I'd say that's the standout part of the banjo. It came with a Presto tailpiece which seems to be very good. Standard Planetary type tuners. I don't see any shortcuts here. Components Rating 9 Overall Comments Really like this banjo very much for the price. It should last for years. I think Deerings kind of have their own sound and I'm sure it's not for everybody but I'd recommend the banjo to almost anyone. Would also recommend doing business with Zepp if you're considering buying a banjo. Overall Rating 9

Deering Maple Blossom submitted 4/2/2004 Submitter Unknown Where Purchased Saitensprung, Switzerland Year Purchased 2004 Price Paid 3000 ($US) Sound I've never played on a banjo with such deep sound as in this Maple Blossom. A slide on the low D-string is really powerful and clear, compared to other banjos that I've played on. Overall, the sound is powerful and strong ... and it has a kind of Sound Rating 10 Setup It was well setup. However, there was a slight buzzing when hitting the strings really hard. I changed to a set of thicker strings, and the slight buzzing disapperad. Thicker strings has given it a more compressed tone, yet still with the same sound quality! I probably won't change anything else. I love it the way it sounds! Setup Rating 9 Appearance This banjo is really down-to-earth. No fancy inlays and nothing that attracts (unnecessary) attention. This banjo is what comes out of it. And I like it simple!!! Appearance Rating Reliability It's definitely a high quality instrument. You can feel it! Deering gives a life time warranty, so ... Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service I've had some e-mail correspondence with Deering, and they seem very helpful. Customer Service 10 Components Everything seems great. There is no reason to start experimenting with the components. Components Rating 10 Overall Comments I just sold my Stelling Sunflower. It was a nice banjo, but I always thought the sound was too crisp and too sharp. The Deering Maple Blossom has a unique sound, compared to other banjos that I've tried. I really love the strong, deep and popping sound. I recently played on some Gibson and OME models, but sorry ... I like the Maple Blossom better! And the price is reasonable! Overall Rating 10

Deering Maple Blossom submitted 3/27/2004 Submitter Greg Earnest (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased http://www.banjo.com Year Purchased 2003 Price Paid 2200 ($US) Sound This banjo has tremendous depth and punch but still has the edge and clarity of a great maple banjo. It's extremely responsive all the way up and down the neck. I've been playing for nearly 25 years and few banjos have ever turned my head the way this one did. Sound Rating 10 Setup The setup was excellent right out of the box. I did replace the stock bridge with a Sosebee Submerged Wood 5/8 Setup Rating 10 Appearance The appearance of this banjo is understated but quite beautiful. The finish is a plain dark brown and the inlay pattern is a simple blossom design. The craftsmanship is immaculate. The finish of the frets looks almost surgically precise! Appearance Rating 9 Reliability The finish quality is excellent. . . very mirror-like. I do have another banjo (a 1989 Granada) but on gigs since I got the Maple Blossom it's the only one I've taken out. Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service No contact with Deering so far except to register the warranty. . . I quickly received my confirmation and then recently got a newsletter. Customer Service 10 Components The only components I might feel the need to upgrade are the tuners. They're serviceable but are not up to the quality of a set of Waverly V2s. Components Rating 9 Overall Comments This banjo plays like a dream. . . the neck is wide and low-profile and the action is very easy. The fingerboard is slightly radiused (I understand this was a custom order banjo that was cancelled). I'm very happy with this banjo and the people I play with have had only good things to say about it. Overall Rating 10

Deering Maple Blossom submitted 1/25/2004 Submitter Ranger (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Richmond Music Center Year Purchased 2004 Price Paid 2085 ($US) Sound Sounds great, with deep growling tones low and crisp notes at higher frets. Great for Bluegrass! Sound Rating 9 Setup Playing as is, but considering an Emerson Power Bridge for a little more volume. Setup Rating 9 Appearance Not overly ornate, so your not afraid to play it. You can buy prettier banjos for less money if that's what your after, but this banjo is all about sound!!! Appearance Rating 9 Reliability So far no problems. Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service Very helpful, but I havn't had the banjo long enough to see if they will back up any problems that may occur. Customer Service 9 Components Very well built banjo. Components Rating 10 Overall Comments I tried a lot of brands, but for my budget, the Deering Maple Blossum blew the competition away. I have not regretted my purchase and look forward to many happy years with my 'blossum. Overall Rating not rated

Deering Maple Blossom submitted 11/21/2003 Submitter Unknown Where Purchased Wagstaff Music Year Purchased 1979 Price Paid 800 ($US) Sound I play bluegrass. I played this banjo in all my bands for the last 24 years(unless I was playing bass in the band). Just this year I took the back off for a richer, softer tone. I like it better than ever! Sound Rating 9 Setup This banjo didn't need too much set up. I messed around with the head a bit and through the years I've tried pick ups in various assortments. I now just mike it with an AKG C100S, like I do my Tacoma PKK40 Koa I got earlier this year. Setup Rating 9 Appearance I've never really cared about how it looked... It looks nice!, but it's like my expensive pair of skiis that don't look absolutely gorgeous. Nobody really has their eye on them to steal them. Appearance Rating 9 Reliability My finish is starting to show the hairline cracks. But I think it adds class to the machine. It will last my lifetime. Reliability Rating 9 Customer Service Never had a problem with it Customer Service 10 Components No problem Components Rating 10 Overall Comments I would reccommend it for the price I paid. But you'll never get a new one today for the price I paid! If this banjo was stolen, I would buy an open back Goodtime banjo and be very content until I could get the bucks for a new one. While I was buying this one I was seriously thinking about an OME banjo. I could have been swayed to that one, but I'm very pleased with what I got. It has help pay a lot of bills over almost 25 years Overall Rating 9

Deering Maple Blossom submitted 6/14/2003 Submitter Unknown Where Purchased Willis Music, Florence, KY Year Purchased 2003 Price Paid Around $2000 w/accs ($US) Sound After adjusting the head tension this instrument sounds incredible!!! It really has alot of crack and pop. The volume is also very good. I play traditional bluegrass and gospel bluegrass and this banjo has awesome sound and tone for this style of music. Sound Rating 10 Setup The head was a little loose at purchase and the tuners needed to be tightened. Setup Rating 6 Appearance The fit and finish are good. This model is not overly ornate but it is still very attractive. It does have a couple of places with the neck inlay that could have, or might I say should have, been better. Appearance Rating 7 Reliability I have owned this instrument only about 6 to 8 months and it has developed some problems on the headstock with the finish. I may have to send it back to Deering for repair. Reliability Rating 4 Customer Service I don't know about Deerings customer service yet but I am very disappointed in their decision to push H.Ron Hubbard's philosophy on me, their customer. Customer Service 2 Components As I stated before this is a very well made instrument. Components Rating 6 Overall Comments I have been a musician for about 30 years playing almost all stringed instruments. This Maple Blossom has great tone and playability. Overall Rating 5

Deering Maple Blossom submitted 4/10/2003 Submitter Unknown Where Purchased Deering Factory-Spring Valley Year Purchased 2002 Price Paid Don't Remember historic exchange rates / currency converter Sound I play mostly bluegrass and this banjo can handle anything with ease. I prefer maple over mahogany and this maple cannon fits the bill. I had a Price tailpiece and an Emerson Power Bridge put on and it truly is louder with better tone. The Emerson Bridge is for real! This Deering is as high quality as you will find from any maker. They only build top quality banjos, and for that matter, they ONLY build BANJOS, unlike Gibson, Stelling, Gold Tone and a host of others. This is a true banjo builder who's sole business is banjos. They KNOW banjos! This Maple Blossom cracks and pops. It's loud. Sound Rating 9 Setup Since Deering set it up for me, it was EXACTLY as I requested. The head tension is just right to my ear. Like I said, Deering knows what they are doing. Setup Rating 10 Appearance This is a fine looking banjo. A chocolate brown stain and a great gloss. The maple is curly and is top quality. Appearance Rating 10 Reliability This hardware could take a beating if you were so inclined. The nickle plating is thick and wipes clean after playing. A great deal of work went into this banjo and no corners were cut in quality. The flange is THICK and you know you are holding a quality instrument when you pick one up. Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service Deering went out of their way to help me. They believe in their banjos and regard customers as friends. Customer Service 10 Components Some of the standout components are the thick flange and the top quality woods. The frets are made from top grade wire and should last a long time. They give a lifetime warranty but it's doubtful I or anyone would ever need it. Quality needs no warranty. Components Rating 10 Overall Comments This banjo is a steal for the price compared to the Overall Rating 10

Deering Maple Blossom submitted 10/25/2002 Submitter Unknown Where Purchased Year Purchased Price Paid historic exchange rates / currency converter Sound Sound Rating not rated Setup Setup Rating not rated Appearance Appearance Rating not rated Reliability Reliability Rating not rated Customer Service Customer Service not rated Components Components Rating not rated Overall Comments Overall Rating not rated

Deering Maple Blossom submitted 10/25/2002 Submitter Unknown Where Purchased Twelfth Fret in Toronto, Ontario Year Purchased 2002 Price Paid 2950 (Cdn) historic exchange rates / currency converter Sound I'm a Scruggs and melodic player. When I got the head tension dialed in --- WOW. I had it set up after purchase (not the same place) and the head was far too tight. I backed it off generously and gradually cranked it to optimum. The sound just leaps out of it now, and the "bong" factor is huge. There's a nice growl to the low notes. You can really get a good range of tone color depending on how you set it up. Sound Rating 9 Setup Head was a little loose at purchase, but it could have been in the showroom for a while. I can't stress enough that proper tuning of the head will yield a beautiful tone from this baby. Tuners needed slight tightening at purchase. Setup Rating 8 Appearance Like others have said here, it's understated. However, the more you look at it the more elegant it appears. The ebony overlay on the peghead has a beautiful grain. Inlays are simple flower design, but if you want lots of pearl, go jump in the Pacific. The neck binding really adds class compared to the lower models in the line, and the inlay is generally well done. Appearance Rating 9 Reliability It's so new I can't tell how the nickel will hold up, but it looks like it's well plated. No backup needed. Reliability Rating not rated Customer Service They're excellent to deal with. Turn around time for email questions is incredible considering how busy they must be. Top shelf service all the way. No need for warranty use yet, but it's lifetime so I'm not concerned. Customer Service 10 Components Changed the Presto tailpiece to a Price and the tone difference is significant. An Emerson bridge also helped boost the volume a bit. The neck is superbly shaped and plays true all the way up. It's all solid. Components Rating 9 Overall Comments Rings loud and clear and has so much versatility in tone. If you want an all-round professional level banjo, I can't imagine anything better for the money. It will be my workhorse from now on. Reasonably priced and a dream to play. Overall Rating 9

Deering Maple Blossom submitted 3/13/2002 Submitter sjh6 (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Homestead Pickin Palor Year Purchased Dec. 1999 Price Paid Around $2000 w/acces ($US) Sound I am mainly bluegrass (with a little Bela thrown in) and it has a rich full sound. Very loud. Sound Rating 10 Setup Homestead did it prefectly. I need a high action and they did it. Have not had to change it once. Setup Rating 10 Appearance It is a very pleasing banjo in sound and looks. I mainly like the simplicity of it. I can't stand very ornate instuments. I didn't want mother of pearl. I wanted a banjo. And this was perfect. Appearance Rating 10 Reliability Nothing has loosened up on me. Nothing broke. Always dependable. Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service Homestaed will back anything. They can get the banjo fixed, if I needed it. Customer Service not rated Components Nothing cheap about this banjo. Solid and sturdy. Deering never makes anything cheap that I have seen. The bast part about the Maple Blossom is the maple. Nice and hard. Components Rating 10 Overall Comments I highly recommend this instument. It was the first banjo that felt good, even after a Gibson (I tried about 8 of them). If it were stolen, I would cry. More like weep. Nothing else has been better. Overall Rating 10

Deering Maple Blossom submitted 12/23/2001 Submitter Joe Larson (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Elderly Instruments-Used instruments Year Purchased 1990(?) Price Paid $900 (bought USED) historic exchange rates / currency converter Sound The banjo is very heavy with a thick 1/4 flange like the old Baldwin Odes and has a similar tone, very chunky with strong bass. I tune the head (5 star) to D# making sure the tension is even. All the super loud banjos I've heard are very mid-rangey. Although this banjo would rate an 8 or so on the volume scale, the tone is much more balanced. Sound Rating 10 Setup The neck is very true and similar to an electric guitar and so the action can be set much lower than most banjos. To compensate for the loss of volume this creates, I've gone from a 5/8ths to an 11/16ths Snuffy Smith bridge. I would recommend one of these to anyone using the shorter bridge. Of all the "simple" things you can do to affect tone and volume, changing the bridge will make the most dramatic difference. Setup Rating 9 Appearance The Maple Blossom isn't terribly ornate, as someone said to me, "It's kind of a plain jane for the money" Appearance Rating 7 Reliability The hardware seems to be of good quality although the armrest is going to have to be replaced due to corrosion. But it's the only banjo I own. Reliability Rating 9 Customer Service Since I got it used, it had no warranty. Customer Service not rated Components As I said, one of the best things about it is the neck. I believe that was Greg Deerings specialty when he was working for other banjo makers. It came with a non adjustable Presto tail piece which I replaced immediately with the Kirshner Components Rating 10 Overall Comments Basically, If you think banjos reached their peak with the pre-war Mastertone then this would not be the instrument for you. But I personally find that Gibson sound, while very percussive and ideally suited for hard driving straight ahead traditional bluegrass, to be too clangy (like banging on pipes) for the music that I like to play. Although it took me ten years to find the sound I wanted, I no longer 'lust' after other banjos. All in all, one great honkin' goose of a banjo Overall Rating 10