Brooks Masten Spartan Reviews

Brooks Masten Spartan submitted 6/19/2006 Submitter clawhamper (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased from the maker, Brooks Masten Year Purchased 2006 Price Paid call Brooks ($US) Sound 3" deep open back pot, goat skin head, walnut neck. This is the perfect clawhammer banjo. This banjo can make a wide range of sounds. Everything from a bright ringing tone, to a deep plunk depending on how you hold it and where over the neck you play. The volume is excellent also. This would be a perfect choice for someone playing in a band. Sound Rating 10 Setup I had Brooks set mine up with pretty high action. He'll do what you request with respect to setup. Brooks is also a player, familiar with a variety of playing styles and can help a person choose a good setup depending on what style they're into. Setup Rating 10 Appearance Incredible!! The look is what initially attracted my attention. Brooks has done a masterful job of building a solid banjo that plays great and has the look of a 120 year old classic. The rectanular peghead with Indian head penny inlayed into the headstock (his personal tribute to the late great musician/folklorist Blanton Owen), the walnut neck, the burgundy pot, the striped ebony fingerboard, and the hardware all give the feel of a banjo era of old. This banjo has very cool remanufactured butterfly shoes he found on an old Civil War era banjo U.Utah Phillips gave to a friend of his. Brooks 'antiques' his hardware upon request, which I find very appealing. The goatskin head is beautiful also. Brooks stretches his own. The contrasts in the goatskin and the specs of hair give this banjo an amazing, real, and charming look. Appearance Rating 10 Reliability This banjo is only about 1 month old, but it sure seems like a solid piece of machinery. I believe this will be my 'workhorse' banjo. I have two other 'nice' banjos, but at this point, ths seems like the one I'll take to jams, trips, etc. In fact, a couple of weeks ago my Brooks banjo was my traveling companion when I went to Midwest Banjo Camp up in Michigan. It still plays great after I used it to beat off the mob of wild eyed pickers that tried to take it from me. Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service This is a one-man operation. Brooks Masten is a great guy. Easy to get in touch with, easy to deal with, and one heck of a craftsman. In fact, he rushed it to me so I could take it on the trip to Michigan. He told me that he'd like me to send it back so he could do some more work on the finish. I told him it wasn't necessary - I love the thing just the way it is. Customer Service 10 Components The hardware is beautiful. Brooks uses a variety of hardware from the 1800's that he remanufactures. He can also do custom hardware if you like. Check out his website: www.brooksbanjos.com for pictures of the hardware he uses. Components Rating 10 Overall Comments Buy one. Brooks is an incredible artist. This banjo bridges the gap between the past and present beautifully. This is my third 'nice' banjo. I also have an Enoch 100 and a custom Chuck Lee. All three are amazing instruments...and all have very different personalities. Brooks is newer to the scene (in his 6th year of making banjos) than Kevin Enoch or Chuck Lee, but Brooks Masten's work puts him in their league. This banjo is a handmade work of art by a master in the making. Please don't hesitate to email me for pictures/sounds of my Brooks banjo. Overall Rating 10