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The banjo reviews database is here to help educate people before they purchase an instrument. Of course, this is not meant to be a substitute for playing the instrument yourself!
7232 reviews in the archive.
Where Purchased: banjo.com
Year Purchased: 2011
Price Paid: 699 ($US)
Sounds unbelieveable for the price....big, loud, open....i've had many banjos that cost much more that can't best this banjo....
Sound Rating: 10
setup was almost perfect....were some loose nuts on some of the head hooks....and the arm rest was a little loose....was a little rattle until I snugged them up....after that...perfect....
Setup Rating: 10
looked better than I thought....grain in the resonator was beautiful..satin finish was great......inlay was perfect...love the gulls....
Appearance Rating: 10
I'm sure it's reliable
Reliability Rating: 10
not used
Customer Service: 10
I'll replace the bridge with a taller bridge.....and replace the tuners with kieth d-tuners.....just a preference...not necessary...the current components are fine....
Components Rating: 10
I love this banjo; in my opinion it's definitley the best bang for the buck in the banjo world...you can play it anywhere and not be ashamed....it's a hoss....I love the feel of the neck....I might buy another one just to have a back up.....heck I could buy 7.1 of these for the price of the last new banjo I bought and I'd rather play this one....
Overall Rating: 10
Where Purchased: JDMC
Year Purchased: 2002
Price Paid: 2900 ($US)
Sounded great. It was a little tight and green at first, but with about 6 months of playing really opened up into a fine banjo..from video recording it sounds as good as any new banjo I've owned.
Sound Rating: 10
Set up was good..the gibson frets were a little bigger than I was used to and had I kept the banjo any longer I would have had the frets dressed to tone them down a little, but the action was great in any position.
Setup Rating: 9
Perfect. Flying eagle inlay is one of my favorites and this was executed flawlessly..the concentric rings on the reso were perfect there were no finish flaws..the banjo was very well put together.
Appearance Rating: 10
Great...I had it for two years with no problems...
Reliability Rating: 10
not evaluated.
Customer Service: 10
great
Components Rating: 10
I don't know why folks give gibson a hard time..this was as fine a new banjo as I've owned.....I sold it to buy a Huber and sometimes wish I had it back....
Overall Rating: 10
Where Purchased: Traded a Huber for It
Year Purchased: 2004
Price Paid: Don't Remember
historic exchange rates / currency converter
This banjo sounds better than any other banjo I've ever heard. I traded a Huber Kalamazoo for it and I wouldn't take $10,000 for this thing.
Sound Rating: 10
Perfect the neck is an early 90's neat neck made out of walnut that it plays like a dream. The ring is a Huber triple gold and this thing is a Monster...
Setup Rating: 10
A lot of wear nice patina...arm wrest has the brass showing through it and it's just a gem....love it...best part is the smell...nothing smells like an old banjo....
Appearance Rating: 10
Reliability Rating: 10
Customer Service: 10
Old and beautiful...lasted over 70 years...I'm sure they'll outlast me....The frank neat neck is a dream...
Components Rating: 10
The best banjo hands down I own...if were stolen I'd go crazy buying and converting 11's or 1's until I found one that would match it...I've since aquired another style 11 that's almost as good as this one and certainly better than any new banjo I've ever played...these things are the bargain of the century in banjos...I'm just glad everyone doesn't know about them.....keep buying new banjos folks.....you'll never know what you're missing.....
Overall Rating: 10
Where Purchased: Guitar and Banjo Shop Beaumont Texas
Year Purchased: 2002
Price Paid: 900 ($US)
This banjo is all original...meaning it still has it's brass tone hoop and has not been cut for a flathead tone ring. The banjo sounds so sweet the way it is I have no reason to mess with it...this is one great sounding banjo with plenty of volume. I've had folks here me play it and claim they had no idea that it didn't have a tone ring. I'm going to keep it this way.
Sound Rating: 10
It's got light strings a grover bridge and a clear 5 star head just like it did when I bought it...I haven't changed a thing and in my opinion it doesn't need changing...there is significant fret wear from heavy playing but it still frets great....a previous owner has added a second coordinator rod and a sliding 5th string capo
Setup Rating: 10
looks great..understated with the sunburst resonator fly swatter peghead with dots inlay but I think it's beautiful
Appearance Rating: 10
It's still working fine....must be reliable..40 something years old now...
Reliability Rating: 10
not evaluated.
Customer Service: not rated
great..still work...I even borrowed a tuner from the peghead when one went out in one of my newer banjos.....they all still work fine...
Components Rating: 10
Great...Great....inexpensive banjo....you get a lot of banjo for the money with these old RB-100s....it sounds so great rigt now I cannot imagine how good it would sound with a full flathead tone ring...If it were stolen i'd get another one....I see them all the time...they're going for $1,000 or better now and I'm sure they'll continue to rise...
Overall Rating: 10
Where Purchased: Steve Huber IBMA
Year Purchased: 2005
Price Paid: a lot ($US)
Great Sounding New banjo. Picked out of a bunch of Great sounding Hubers at their booth at IBMA...they all sounded great this one sounded a little more open...like it had some age on it....
Sound Rating: 10
Great Set up ....action was fairly low with 5/8's bridge it played like butter..the neck in the lower register is very thin and took some getting use to in order to keep from pushing the 4th string off the 3rd fret...but within just a short time it felt like an old glove.....
Setup Rating: 10
flawless in appearance..antique nickel and antique finish and antique binding and the inlay was perfect...it looks incredible...this is my sitting on the couch banjo the one I'm the most comfortable playing....when I grab one of my other banjos it takes a little adjustment...this one is like an old freind...
Appearance Rating: 10
been great so far don't anticipate issues...
Reliability Rating: 10
haven't used it...
Customer Service: not rated
top notch....love the components...although I have had problems with waverly tuners on a Gibson banjo I owned these are working fine....
Components Rating: 10
A mighty fine new banjo...sounds great, plays great....if it were stolen I'd probably get a Lancaster now that they no longer make the Vintage series....the Lancaster is basically the same banjo with different cosmetics....
Overall Rating: 10
Where Purchased: Private individual
Year Purchased: 2006
Price Paid: 3600 ($US)
great sound typical brightness that is characteristic of a professional level maple banjo the 1st thru 3d strings are particularly strong..rings up the neck, I'm very pleased with the sound.
Sound Rating: not rated
Set up was perfect, 5/8 bridge...I use medium light strings 10, 11, 12, 20, 10...banjo is effortless to play.
Setup Rating: not rated
Best looking banjo I've ever seen
Appearance Rating: not rated
banjo is very stable and always sounds great no matter the weather conditions....almost never needs retuning..
Reliability Rating: not rated
Sonny Osborne, Frank and leon neat are very responsive and great folks to do business with.....Sonny is committed to ensure the Chief's are right.
Customer Service: not rated
All components are of the highest quality. the Neat speed neck is a thing of beauty and is the best playing neck I've ever played.
Components Rating: not rated
The quality of this banjo and the integrity and character of Sonny Osborne....his customer service and personal involvement make buying and owning this banjo....priceless.
Overall Rating: not rated
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