Cedar Mountain Appalachian 2  Reviews

Cedar Mountain Appalachian 2 submitted 10/22/2007 Submitter jojo25 (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Clifftop Year Purchased 2007 Price Paid 1700 ($US) Sound I bought this banjo because it spoke to me. Maybe I'm just caving to a perceived trend, but I love the response in the bass range, even though a banjo doesn't have much of a bass range. I haven't played a single note on my old banjo since I bought my "woody" from Lo. The only reason I don't give this banjo a 10 at this time is because I'm still learning the sweet spots on it...i.e. the jury is still out. Sound Rating 9 Setup Although I like the frailing scoop, the rim is in the way. Why have a frailing scoop if the rim/brackets protudes up into that space? I know this can be avoided becasue I've seen it on other banjos. Action is a little high for me, but I like lower action than most OT players, I think. Setup Rating 8 Appearance Very plain Jane...but that is OK by me. The wood, esp. the solid rosewood rim, is beautiful...it evens smells good. As another reviewer noted, there is a total lack of inlay on the neck. This is a bit of a challange when I go up the neck, but I'm adjusting. I guess I would have been willing to pay another 100-200 dollars for simple dot inlays. Appearance Rating 9 Reliability So far, so good. Stays in tune fairly well, though I do have to tune after capoing...or removing the capo. Reliability Rating 9 Customer Service Other than meeting Lo at Clifftop and letting him give me his sales rap, I've had no further dealings with the maker. Customer Service 5 Components The rosewood pot is absolutely wonderful...sounds great, great pop, great bass response, smells good, neck feels good Components Rating 10 Overall Comments yep, I'd recommend this banjo to anyone wanting a good OT banjo. It was $500 less than my 2nd choices (Ramsey and Lee)...and I like the tone better than my 2nd choices. If it was stolen, I'd get rather upset and go out and get me another one just like it...most likely. Wish I had asked Lo to lower the rim so's it wouldn't be in the way of the frailing scoop...I'm so ignorant that I didn't even know enough to ask at the time. Overall Rating 10

Cedar Mountain Appalachian 2 submitted 9/10/2004 Submitter maryzcox (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Lo Gordon Year Purchased 2004 Price Paid Don't Remember historic exchange rates / currency converter Sound This is a beautiful banjo. Mine is Honduran rosewood rim and tone ring with a mahogany neck, gingseng inlay on the peghead. It has a scooped area, black tuners and there are side dots but no inlay on the ebony fingerboard. It is sleek and beautiful and has a perfect tone to play in an old time dance band or with a fiddle. The workmanship on it is the highest quality--it frets with a lovely tone to the very last fret down the neck. Lo has one banjo with marled rosewood that is slightly prettier than mine--but it is not for sale. However, the rosewood on mine is the nicest one he's made except for that one. :) My banjo is #237 of his rosewood models. I think this batch of banjos will end up collectors' banjos. It also has my initials on the wooden rod on the back so it won't get mixed up with any one else's Cedar Mountian banjo. Sound Rating 10 Setup Lo set it up and sent extra bridges. He talked to me about everything before and during its building. I even got to see it being built in his shop. The shop was a wonder in itself--Lo is meticulous and organized and it was fun getting to see all the steps in making a custom banjo. He is also jovial and congenial and I feel he would be willing to re set it up if I were unhappy with it in any way--but I love it. Setup Rating 10 Appearance I love fancy banjos. Love the gleam of abalone, pearl, and gold. But this banjo's beauty resides in it's simplicity and sleekness that allow the lovely woods to be the main feature. Lo knew I really wanted the look of marled rosewood--but he could not find anymore pieces that were exactly like his--but he searched and found me one of the prettiest pieces I've seen. The Honduran mahogany neck sounds wonderful too. This banjo is brand new and already sounds great--I can't imagine what it will sound like in twenty years. Appearance Rating 10 Reliability Pegs are nice--no knot tailpiece--actually the only feature that I didn't get was heel carving. It is not an available option--but Lo assured me that if he started doing that--he would carve the heel on my banjo. Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service Wonderful. Lo's wife, Mary, is also a great fiddler/guitarist and is a most helpful and knowledgable music store owner. They have two grown sons that play fiddle and banjo and they are talented and delightful too. We enjoy visiting and picking with them. Customer Service 10 Components Woods and workmanship and wooden tone ring are the standout desirable features. Components Rating 10 Overall Comments I would reccommend this banjo for the price I paid. If this banjo were stolen I would cry and scream and stomp my feet like a toddler and I would hunt down that person and force them to give it back. I would attend every festival and check every Cedar Mountain Banjo back for my initials and number 237. I would pine until it was found and returned. Please, please--no one take number 237--my family and friends and I will make your life miserable--you will have to leave the continent and run and hide for the rest of your life. It won't be worth it. Overall Rating 10