Submitted by cgbnjo (see all reviews from this person) on 5/18/2012

Where Purchased: Vance Banjos

Year Purchased: 2012
Price Paid: 3400 ($US)

Sound

Colin and I talked a lot about what I wanted it to sound like, and he nailed it. I wanted a banjo that would be a great for bluegrass, but would have darker, more guitar-y tones available. The maple and Honduran rosewood combo we decided upon is exactly what I was hoping for. The tone ring arrangement is a kind of a hybrid, with a rosewood ring under the Kulesh 20-hole. It sounds amazing!

I play a lot of melodic fiddle tunes, single string stuff, and Scruggsy things, and everything is so easy on this banjo it is ridiculous. Every note on the neck feels dynamic, and has such a wide tonal range, it feels like anything is possible, dark jazz licks, funky blues bends, tinkly bell tones, woody marimba sounds, cracking bluegrass tone...

All the components are fit together so well, you can feel every note, high and low, making the whole resonator vibrate. It feels so much more musical and responsive than any banjo I've ever owned.

Sound Rating: 10

Setup

Colin set it up really low, and with the slightly wider, radiused fingerboard, tunneled 5th string, and a nice oil finish it is incredibly comfortable. Since I got it a couple weeks ago I have been playing things that I have never been able to play before. The head was super tight when I first played it, and I dialed it back a bit, and it just warmed right up in the best way. The railroad spikes leave room for fretting the 5th which is a plus. I chose to get a Fults tailpiece, I believe its the Cumberland, which I also think is a great idea.

Setup Rating: 10

Appearance

This banjo was intentionally left pretty simple. I wanted a clean fingerboard, no dots, and the piece of rosewood he chose is simple and nice. I was told it was selected for its tonal properties over figure. The side dots are easy enough to see in the dark binding. The neck and resonator are both maple, with a dark stain and a built up oil finish. Its been turning heads everywhere I go. The peghead has ebony veneers, front and back, and lacquer, and he did an inlay of an Amanita lanei that turned out really nice. There's a beautiful piece of shell for my truss rod cover as well. Did I mention the matching rosewood armrest, that mounts directly to the tension hoop? Custom deco-style peghead?

Appearance Rating: not rated

Reliability

So far, its solid as a rock. The tunneled 5th tunes a bit slow but I think I'll get used to it. The finish, being oil, will wear eventually, but its so worth it for the feel of the neck. I will just learn to reapply it! I have been playing this thing like crazy and it just gets better and better...

Reliability Rating: 10

Customer Service

Colin was pretty amazingly spot on with everything I asked for in this instrument, I got very specific and I got exactly what I asked for.

Customer Service: 10

Components

The tuners are great, parts seem solid, the bridge is well made with a compensated 3rd string, the armrest is incredibly comfortable. I brought Colin the tone ring, a chrome-plated Kulesh 20-hole, and the Fults Cumberland tailpiece, and I'm happy with both of those things.

Components Rating: 10

Overall Comments

I haven't had this much fun playing the banjo in a long time. I'm going to go play it right now.

Overall Rating: 10