Noho Banjo: Long-Neck Parts Banjo

Submitted by Gary Blanchard on 6/22/2009

Where Purchased: Noho Banjo

Year Purchased: 2009
Price Paid: 600.00 ($US)

Sound

I play folk music, and the long neck is perfect for this. The banjo has a nice "tubby" sound thanks to the fiberskyn head, but the Whyte Laydie tone ring gives it nice volume and sustain. With the capo, bringing it up to standard tuning makes it brighter but not too bright for my tastes.

Sound Rating: 9

Setup

Since the banjo was custom-made for me, it came fully set up. Bruce installed a fiberskyn head and railroad spikes for me. I have not had to change a thing on it.

Setup Rating: 10

Appearance

The banjo is actually a bit fancier than I would usually choose, but it is beautiful. The neck, purchased from Bruce Wei, has beautiful inlay on the headstock and neck. The heel has a carved look, though I imagine that may have been machined. The back of the neck is mostly blonde with stripes of darker color and a dark color on the back of the heel that ties it in with the darker pot.

Appearance Rating: 8

Reliability

The hardware seems very sturdy and the finish very smooth and polished. I would see no reason to bring a back-up banjo to a gig.

Reliability Rating: 10

Customer Service

Bruce Kriviskey, who basically is Noho Banjo, was an excellent person to work with. We discussed what I was looking for and he respected my wish to avoid an overly ornate neck. When I purchased a neck on EBay, he readily agreed to work with it and discounted the cost of the banjo accordingly. (The price listed includes the neck, which was purchased seperately.) As for warranty, Bruce said to just bring it by if there are any problems. There is nothing in writing, but I imagine the warranty is only limited by his and my expected lifespan.

Customer Service: 10

Components

The tuning keys are very well made. The tone ring sounds great. The neck has a truss rod (important for a long-neck) and appears very sturdy. I don't see anything that looks cheap or in need of upgrade.

Components Rating: 9

Overall Comments

I never imagined that I could have a one-of-a-kind banjo, especially a long neck, for this price. Bruce builds and restores a number of banjos and the prices for them are all reasonable. You can see what he has for sale at http://nohobanjo.com/.

I don't know what I would do if this banjo were stolen. I could get another long-neck, but it wouldn't be as affordable or as nice.

Anyone interested in a long-neck banjo, or a unique one-off banjo, should check out Noho Banjo.

Overall Rating: 10