Neat Neat Kentucky submitted 9/27/2004 Submitter Chris Quinn Where Purchased Russell Springs, Kentucky Year Purchased 2003 Price Paid Don't Remember historic exchange rates / currency converter Sound Fantastic sound! Deep, full fourth string. Clean, clear notes up and down the neck. Rich tone. Many people have said it sounds like an old RB-3 or RB-75. Sound Rating 10 Setup Set up was perfect when it came out of the shop. Setup Rating 10 Appearance Inlay looks like what you'd find on the J.D. Crowe RB-75 model, except it says Neat on the headstock. Inlays beautifully cut and placed. High quality mahogany neck, Brazilian rosewood fingerboard. Zero flaws in workmanship! This is not a flashy looking banjo, but still very elegant and clean in appearance. Appearance Rating 10 Reliability Absolutely reliable banjo. I've used it on stage and in the studio and I have had great results every time. Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service Frank and his son are terrific! These guys know banjos! No sales pressure. Frank knows his banjos speak for themselves. Customer Service 10 Components Mahogany neck, Brazilian rosewood fingerboard. Pot components are identical to my Bean Blossom (also reviewed here.) Components Rating 10 Overall Comments This is another superb banjo from Frank Neat. It sounds quite different than my Bean Blossom. Not better; just different. I have played banjos that were much more expensive which sounded like mud compared to this thing. As I continue to play this banjo, I expect it will open up even more. Highly recommended! Overall Rating 10

Neat Bean Blossom 72003-15 submitted 8/21/2003 Submitter Chris Quinn Where Purchased Frank Neat Banjo Repair, Russel Springs, Kentucky Year Purchased 2003 Price Paid historic exchange rates / currency converter Sound It's a fantastic banjo! Great, deep fourth string. All the strings note clearly and evenly all over the neck. No dead spots. Volume is of no question! The tone is as close to pre-war Gibson as could be desired. Sound Rating 10 Setup The setup is exactly what I requested from Frank. The neck fits the pot flawlessly. The action is moderate. Head tension seems just right. 11/16" Crowe-spaced bridge. This is the first brand new banjo I have ever picked up that didn't need any set up work. Setup Rating 10 Appearance The walnut in the neck comes from a tree that stood beside the stage at Bill Monroe's Bean Blossom festival. Frank's making a series of 24 Bean Blossom's from that tree. David Talbot has Bean Blossom #5 and mine is #15. The banjo has a Brazilian rosewood fingerboard, Jimmy Cox maple rim, mahogany resonator with 2 concentric circles (looks like an RB-3). The wood is stained a deep reddish brown. The three stained woods are matched perfectly. The headstock has a Gibson style double cutaway. The neck inlay was designed by Gibson during the 1930's, but never used! A fern decorates the headstock and the tip of the fern arcs around the second string peg. Neat is elegantly written across the end of the peghead. There is a Bean Blossom block inlay at the 21st fret. This is a beautiful banjo! To see a few photos of this banjo, go to www.foggyhogtownboys.com and look in the gallery section. Appearance Rating 10 Reliability This banjo is top quality and I would not hesitate to use this without a spare banjo. Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service Frank is a gentleman and a craftsman. He knows banjos!! Sonny Osborne, Ralph Stanley, J.D. Crowe, Earl Scruggs and many other top pros have banjos and necks built by Frank. There is a reason. He's the best. Customer Service 10 Components Blaylock tone ring, Presto tailpiece, Keith D tuners on second and third strings and Keith tuners on first and fourth. Jimmy Cox says the flange metal is made of space age metal and is much stronger than pot metal. Good thing 'cause mylar heads are pretty tough on the old flanges. Everything on this banjo is first rate. Components Rating 10 Overall Comments Pre-war flatheads are increasingly out of reach, but Frank has the sound captured and available. If my Neat banjo were stolen, I'd be on the phone to Frank the next day. Overall Rating 10