Alvarez 4294 Reviews

Alvarez 4294 submitted 5/14/2006 Submitter wtbryant (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Beanstalk Music--McCalla, AL Year Purchased 2005 Price Paid 817 ($US) Sound I own a 70's Alvarez and this one is not up with it. Still yet, for the money, it's hard to beat. After doing a couple of things to it, the sound is as good as anything I've heard for this kind of money. Sound Rating 8 Setup Most things were set up fine. The head wasn't tight enough for my likiing, so I tightened it. As with most lower-mid banjo makers, they put what I call "block" bridges on their banjos. I called Gary Sosebee and asked him what the brightest bridge he made was. He sent me a Style #3 Bosnian wood bridge (5/8"). It made the biggest sound difference I've ever gotten from a bridge. This banjo now sounds hundreds of dollars better. Setup Rating 7 Appearance This is one place Alvarez doesn't skimp. They're instruments (banjos, mandolins and guitars) look good. Appearance Rating 9 Reliability I can't see any problem with the hardware. I've had no problems with it. Reliability Rating 9 Customer Service haven't had to deal with them. Customer Service not rated Components Bridge should be upgraded. But, this is the case with most every lower-mid end instrument. I don't even care for the Bridges that Gibson puts on their new banjos. The only banjo I have not changed the original bridge on is my Stelling. Other than the bridge, everything else is OK. But the bridge has a huge effect on the sound. Components Rating 8 Overall Comments I would recommend this banjo for anybody desiring to have a good playing, good looking, decent sounding (for the money) banjo. I don't think you'll beat it. I'd say (after changing the bridge), this one sounds similar to a Gold Star for similar money. Overall Rating 8