banjolearner - Posted - 07/29/2012:  20:36:19

thinking buying one. How do rate them comparing to others.thanks

kirbonite - Posted - 07/29/2012:  21:25:16

youtube.com/watch?v=a1UNEppcub...e=related

nuff said..... prucha

mralph - Posted - 07/29/2012:  23:37:49

quote:

---

Originally posted by kirbonite

youtube.com/watch?v=a1UNEppcub...e=related

 

nuff said..... prucha

---

You said it!

Chris Cooper - Posted - 07/30/2012:  01:18:42

I have recently had the privilege of getting to meet Jarda (Jaroslav) Prucha, play a good selection of his Banjos from the most basic "student" model to the range topping "fall in love" and "diamond point" models. I also got to pick a few tunes with Jarda and I am pleased to say that he is a masterful player; something I think is important, as a masterful picker, IMO, is likely to have a similarly masterful knowledge of what is expected from his banjos.

Needless to say I am well and truly converted! Anyone who knows me will tell you it takes something really very, VERY special to get me to put down my Huber Lancaster.

The first thing that hits you when you pick up any of the Prucha Banjos, is the quality of workmanship which has obviously gone in to building the instrument, the gorgeous contours of the hand stop and heel, the beautiful fit and finish of all the hand made parts. This amazing craftsmanship all add up to the next major thing you notice!

The feel! These banjos feel better than any other I have ever held in my hands, period! The neck profile is absolutely perfect, the 11" radius fingerboard is nothing short of sublime. Far better playability than any nechville, Huber, Yates etc.

So then you pinch the strings and the first thing that comes to mind is "it's got it" Prucha banjos have power, volume and tone in reserve. They sound Awesome just listen to Pavel Zicha picking the most basic "Student Model" on the Prucha website. That should tell you all you need to know about how good the more expensive models sound!

I can honestly say I've never played a better banjo, in terms of feel, finish, build quality, tone and overall sound the Prucha has no rivals. If you need more convincing, my actions back up my words, as we speak Jarda Is building my own custom Prucha "fall in love" which will be replacing my other banjos as soon as it lands in the UK.

To my mind the decision is a no-brainer, just get one!

Edited by - Chris Cooper on 07/30/2012 01:24:50

Halfgar - Posted - 07/30/2012:  04:00:44

Though this Banjo is brand-new it already has power, volume and a full rich tone. And the Prucha gets better every Day I play it 

If it continues that way, it beats my Goldstar in the near Future 

nicecloud - Posted - 07/30/2012:  05:10:13

Jarda goes further than delivering the best quality he can possibly offer to a banjo player. There is a bonus. Halfgar described the "singing voice". It won't remain in its case for this reason. You'll love how it responds with the tone.

I once described it as " little subtle sparkling dynamite", a thougt that comes to me when I pick it.

I am still very much in the learning process despite decades  but the banjo he built  became a companion like a cat, always next to me ready to help.

It gave me the liftoff, a late one unfortunately. But I am happy I waited.

Chris Cooper - Posted - 07/30/2012:  05:43:18

Halfgar,

Congratulations on you're dream come true. Yes I did meet up with Jarda at Conwy, he is a great guy and goes out of his way to help people regardless of what make banjo they play. He was setting up peoples banjos almost all weekend.

Once again huge congratulations I'll look forward to hearing some sound clips, seeing photographs and videos of youre new banjo!.

TTreppa - Posted - 07/30/2012:  05:46:06

After owning several banjos I've settled on a Fall in Love Prucha as my main instrument.. It is a superb instrument. It has all the power that I could possibly want especially at country jams and it has the very nice quiet tone for playing alone or in small jams.

I would reiterate all that has been said above. Go for it!

Terry Treppa

Edited by - TTreppa on 07/30/2012 05:47:06

banjolearner - Posted - 07/30/2012:  06:13:23

Wow, thanks. I am wondering why they are not as popular as other banjos.

banjolearner - Posted - 07/30/2012:  06:24:36

So what is the difference between the student model and his other highly ornamented models.

Halfgar - Posted - 07/30/2012:  06:45:36

Halfgar - Posted - 07/30/2012:  07:34:00

Here is a very informative Thread about Pruchas:

banjohangout.org/archive/197916

and here the Information from Stanger out of this Thread:



Hi, Bobby...

It's not hard to become fixated on the Prucha banjos. I was with Greg Boyd when we both saw one for the first time, back in 1996. I was completely knocked out by that first one, and they have only gotten better over the years since then.



I eventually met Jarda, and to know the guy is to understand his banjos. He's the most perfection-obsessed person I know in the business, and all the banjo makers are obsessed folks. I'll put it this way- he's a great friend, but I would hate to work for him! (and I've worked in the trade.)



Essentially, he builds 3 much different types of banjos. His Gibson clones, his original designs, and his openbacks. All of them sound and feel different, but each has equal craftsmanship. All his materials are the best that can be found, and he makes all the parts himself, or in conjunction with 2 other Czechs who also make banjos. What does not come out of his shop is made with his participation and supervision. 



Of them all, I like his original resonated design banjos the best. They have a unique tone that is singularly deep, rich, and complex. The string-to-string balance in the tone is very even, and there is no drop-off at all in the highest notes as there often is in other brands- the very highest notes are as crisp and sparkly as they are on the lower frets. The bass has a lot of punch and growl.



His necks are supremely comfortable under the hand. It's very hard to put into words sensory details, but the first word that comes to my mind is 'silky'. They feel smooth, silky, and slick, not matter where you are playing. I have a lot of other good banjos, but my Prucha is the one I always use when I'm really into my playing- I sometimes play for 6 hours or more without a break, and the Prucha is my only banjo that lets me go that distance without hand fatigue. 

In fact, the tone and playing ease tend to keep me going in those long sessions. I'll get hooked, and go on for hours more than I intended when I first begin.



I've owned my Diamond Point for 5 years now- I bought it in Feb. 2006- and even though I have played it for thousands of hours, I still enjoy the sensation of picking it up just as much as the first time.

Needless to say, I've worn the frets, but everything else remains just as it was when brand new. 

The durability of this banjo is as good as it gets. While the flange is pot metal, which has proven to be problematic with the Gibson flange, Prucha designed his original flange to eliminate the problems he saw in the Gibson design; it is thicker, and has more cast reinforcement on the underside than the Gibson flange. This is true with the rest of the parts he makes- his tailpieces are similar to the old Grover and Kerschner designs, but everything on them is sturdier, stronger, and better detailed and finished than the old stuff.



It's very hard to compare any brand to another. While the Gibson prototype dominates banjo design these days, and Prucha's Gibson clones are very Gibson-esque, Pruchas show their Stelling influences in the originals. Jarda eventually came to the US, and spent some time with Stelling. His banjos sound much different from the Stelling, but Stellings also have a unique tone of their own. 



Deering is the same- their clones sound a lot like a Gibson, but their original stuff has a characteristic sound of their own. Hubers are probably the closest copy of the old Gibsons of the bunch you mentioned.



They are all very good banjos. Any of them would totally satisfy any player. I chose the Prucha in part because I've been playing so long that I have developed my own set of preferences, and these days, I'm not at all interested in trying to sound like anyone other than me- I have never tried to imitate anyone else, even though I've stolen licks from almost every one I have ever listened to or played with.



Eagle Island, and a bunch of other members here have played my Prucha, and mine is not exceptional in any way to any of the other Pruchas I've played in it's feel and tone. I bought mine because I loved it's looks, and right from the first, I knew it had the other qualities that really appealed to me. If you decide to go for one, yours will be equally as good as mine- Prucha's consistency is as good as a human can do. 



You can see and hear mine on my home page... as far as the appearance goes, I always get a kick out of the reactions it gets in a room full of other good banjos. Pruchas are very understated and elegant looking. It's like driving a Mercedes into a parking lot full of Cadillacs. I completely understand your fixation- it will only become more intense when you have the opportunity to actually see and play one.



Call Greg Boyd. He can tell you all about the differences that come from the different woods used, the archtop vs. flathead, and the other details. 

regards,

stanger

 

Marcus

stanger - Posted - 07/30/2012:  14:24:52

quote:

---

Originally posted by clawplayer

Wow, thanks. I am wondering why they are not as popular as other banjos.

---

Hi, Claw...

One of the biggest reasons why Pruchas are not more popular is simply due to their scarcity. He only makes about 60 a year. Since he is widely known in Europe, over half of those banjos stay there. His banjos are also popular in Australia, so some go there, too. 

Many of his buyers purchase directly from him as well. His only dealer for the US & Canada (and a good hunk of the New World) is Greg Boyd, who lives in Montana. Greg is a very well known dealer, but is better known west of the Mississippi than in the east, which is ironic as he was born and raised in Mississippi. Greg does travel, and hits as many festivals as he can, but his shop keeps him busy in Missoula, so he doesn't hit some big ones like the IBMA regularly.  As a result, owning a Prucha is always going to be a rare thing compared to the big brands. Prucha is amazing productive, but he's essentially a one-man operation.

Greg has been selling them for a long time now, and they're gradually becoming better known every year. For the past few years there has been a lot of renewed interest in top tension banjos, and Prucha's top tensions have sold very well.

If you ever have an opportunity to play one, you will immediately understand why their owners rave about them. Pictures and recordings just can't provide the full experience- they simply feel better under the hands than any other brand I have played, and their tone is immensely complex and  versatile.

You can hear mine on my home page tunes- while I recorded some of the tunes with other banjos, most were done on my Diamond Point.

regards,

stanger

Montanarick - Posted - 07/30/2012:  14:45:29

Claw, I live in Missoula Mt., where Greg's shop is located. I play clawhammer banjo and I have played a couple openbacks that Greg has had in the shop. The quality of workmanship is amazing......and as others have said the banjos have a great feel. If I played a resonator banjo I would own a Prucha for sure. I personally don't think that Jarda has developed the old time banjo to the degree I would like, aside from the quality of build, which I think rivals anything on the market. I totally understand why he hasn't or can't spend a lot of time on openback banjos. He is a one man operation with a relatively small number of builds per year. Greg is extremely knowledgable about the Prucha brand.....Prucha is also what he plays when he performs.... and he plays very well.  People from all over the country trust him because of his knowledge and love for the Prucha line. If you become interested in purchasing a Prucha give him a call and you'll learn a lot.  Regards, Rick

stanger - Posted - 07/30/2012:  14:49:23

quote:

---

Originally posted by clawplayer

So what is the difference between the student model and his other highly ornamented models.

---

Prucha makes 3 different styles of banjos. The top of the line models- the Bat, the Professional, the Diamond Point and the Fall in Love, are all his original designs. These banjos have his own peghead design, and their rim and flange is different from a Gibson; the flange is heavier and has more substantial reinforcements cast into it than a Gibson one-piece flange. The flange is also mounted a little lower on the rim. These banjos have their own sound; typically the tone is very balanced, very smooth, and very complex. The bass is quite deep and the highs are very chimey all the way up the neck with no dead spots. The banjo holds a note when a string is bent exceptionally well.

His second line are essentially Gibson clones; they all have a 3-ply rim, a Gibson style flange, and have a characteristic Gibsonesque tone. The Beginner has a simple brass tube tone ring, and the Pioneer has Prucha's cast bronze flathead tone ring. Both are matte finished, with no frills.   His higher end in this line are the Legend models, which are similar to the Gibson Earl Scruggs and Granada. They are made in a variety of woods and inlay patterns.

His third line are openbacked banjos patterend after the Vegas. He makes 2 models; one is simple and has the tube tone ring, and the other is very similar to a Tubaphone.

He also makes an amplified banjo called the Elban. This banjo is fully functional as an acoustic banjo, and has a cast tone ring in it.

He can provide a banjo with a tube and plate flange, makes an excellent arch-top tone ring that can be ordered, and has a variety of tailpieces, plating and engraving options, and other stuff.  Since he makes his living selling parts to all the other banjo manufacturers, you can get just about anything your heart desires as far as options go. I personally like his original tailpieces very much.

Here's a link to his website: en.pruchabanjos.cz/index.php

regards,

stanger

kirbonite - Posted - 07/30/2012:  16:12:50

If I played openback.. I'd probably be looking at Ome or J. Romero.. but what do I know.. I play 3 fingered..

banjolearner - Posted - 07/30/2012:  17:29:33

Thanks everybody, I will keep looking for a used one. I will  learn both BG and clawhammer , so resonator banjo is good.

Montanarick - Posted - 07/30/2012:  18:02:37

quote: Claw, I don't know for sure but I think there are "convertible" banjos where you can remove the resonator and convert to openback. They don't have a flange....maybe someone with more knowledge can chime in. This could truly be the best of all worlds if you plan to play clawhammer and Scruggs. You can certainly claw on a resonator banjo but it might be kind of cool to be able to switch back and forth. Rick

---

Originally posted by clawplayer

Thanks everybody, I will keep looking for a used one. I will  learn both BG and clawhammer , so resonator banjo is good.

---

kirbonite - Posted - 07/30/2012:  22:06:23

might want to spend some time learning.. most people gravitate towards one style.. then choose the banjo..

schwimbo - Posted - 07/31/2012:  00:10:42

My Prucha Professional banjo has been my "go to" banjo for 13 or 14 years now, and everybody seems to really like its tone quality. A few years ago, I visited Curtis McPeake, and he played it for 2 hours straight and was impressed with the tone quality, and he has played lots of PW Gibsons. There are other good banjos for sure (that I could see myself playing), but Prucha is second to none.

eagleisland - Posted - 07/31/2012:  05:06:47

quote:

---

Originally posted by clawplayer

Thanks everybody, I will keep looking for a used one. I will  learn both BG and clawhammer , so resonator banjo is good.

---

Your best bet in finding a used Prucha, just like buying a new one, is through Greg Boyd.  He's the center of the universe for American Prucha aficionados and owners trading up or out tend to send their babies home.  They tend to hold their value very well in re-sales, so don't be expecting a bargain.

As Stanger and others have noted, Prucha doesn't produce many instruments each year, and they are NOT inexpensive; depending on the exchange rate of the Euro they often appear to run at a premium to top American instruments like Huber and Stelling.

That said, they are extraordinary instruments and the Prucha original designs have voices all their own.  When Stanger handed me his Diamond Point a few years back it settled into my hands like it had belonged there forever, and if Stanger wasn't such a great guy I'd have been hard pressed to give it back to him. 

jswkingsfield - Posted - 08/01/2012:  06:53:00

Interestingly, someone has listed a Prucha "Fall In Love" on E-Bay:

ebay.com/itm/180941519161?ssPa...423.l2649

Disclaimer: I have no real knowledge of this instrument.  The risks of buying online via E-Bay have been vetted quite a bit on this site, so be forewarned.

banjoy - Posted - 08/01/2012:  07:46:13

Pruchas are top shelf banjos. The quality of components, workmanship, attention to detail and fit-and-finish is second to none.

I met Prucha at banjothon a few years ago. I had him put a new bridge on my top tension banjo which has a radiused fingerboard. He pulled out a bridge from his stash and had it fit to my banjo in less than 5 minutes. And I tell you, that bridge is amazing. Just that one change made by banjo pop much nicer than before. It's still on that banjo today.

At the time I met him I had a Nechville already on order. Man it was a tough choice. Pruchas remain in my list of banjos to own someday. Right there at the top.

Edited by - banjoy on 08/01/2012 07:47:14

AKUSfan2 - Posted - 08/01/2012:  16:03:07

I've met Yaroslav twice at the 2007 & 2009 IBMA's, in Nashville.

Holy Cow! He's a top notch guy! His banjos are unbelievable! Pure works of art!

His hardware (flanges, tension hoops, hooks, nuts) are considered some of the best machine work currently produced!

I would put him on your "A-list", for sure!

Gary

Edthebanjo - Posted - 08/01/2012:  17:45:30

I played a Pioneer the other day, and to be honest it didn't impress me. BUT i think it was set up poorly, and the strings seemed to be a bit dead, so who knows?

MrNatch3L - Posted - 08/02/2012:  13:22:36

quote:

---

Originally posted by banjolearner

Wow, thanks. I am wondering why they are not as popular as other banjos.

---

Popular is a relative term. Go to the Czech Republic sometime. Prucha is hugely popular there - and given the size of the country there is quite a high concentration of banjo players. Prucha is popular in other places around Europe because he has access to the EU market in which American banjos are not so readily available.

Pruchas are top-flight banjos - I think you can't go wrong with one in terms of quality, craftsmanship, playability, sound etc. But you need to play and compare to others to find out if one is the right one for you.

I have too many banjos now but if the right Prucha came along I'd probably grab it. There's one in the classifieds now that has me sweating a bit more than is good for my bank account. 

jessie - Posted - 08/03/2012:  14:12:08

i have a prucha top tension bat .has frosted nickel plating ,abalone inlays ,solid timber resonator ,radius fingerboard ,tortoise binding with wood purfling allround .great sound ,great playability .unbelievable highly figured maple .it was expensive ,but worth it

terje_t - Posted - 08/04/2012:  01:42:43

quote:

---

Originally posted by jessie

i have a prucha top tension bat .has frosted nickel plating ,abalone inlays ,solid timber resonator ,radius fingerboard ,tortoise binding with wood purfling allround .great sound ,great playability .unbelievable highly figured maple .it was expensive ,but worth it

---

Chris Cooper - Posted - 08/04/2012:  04:13:03

Has any one got some sound clips and/or photographs of their Prucha banjos they could share on the thread? It would be great to see and hear them.

stanger - Posted - 08/05/2012:  02:28:15

quote:

---

Originally posted by Chris Cooper



Has any one got some sound clips and/or photographs of their Prucha banjos they could share on the thread? It would be great to see and hear them.

---

You can hear mine in the tunes section of my home page. There is only one professional grade recording of it- a tune called Texas Moon. My short version of Home Sweet Home, which I recorded with just the mic on my computer, sounds pretty accurate, but as I mentioned, their tone is very flexible. My own tune The Flower of O'Neil was played with a strong attack, so it sounds different than Home Sweet Home, where I was going for maximum sweetness and nostalgia. Texas Moon was a backup gig; you can hear the banjo best right at the first, when we were fooling around before the session started, but it's being played throughout the song. I guess this could give you a taste of how one sounds in a band setting.

Prucha has some very accurate tune samples on his website. Most of them are connected with specific models he shows, so what you see is what you hear.

Greg Boyd also has some accurate tune samples as well. He will know of some professional recordings of Prucha players, and if you call him, he'll be happy to play one live for you; he keeps his personal banjo, a Prucha Bat, right by the phone, and at the moment, he has a top tension in the shop that recently arrived.

Most of Alison Brown's uTube videos will have her Prucha. She uses a Dimaond Point mahogany almost identical to mine on the road, and also in the studio. She has a Gibson pre-war that she uses on studio recordings, so if you're really interested, any of her CD's will give you a good comparison between the tone differences. The same goes for Peter Schwimmer's recordings.

regards,

stanger

stanger - Posted - 08/05/2012:  02:36:50

quote:

---

Originally posted by Edthebanjo

I played a Pioneer the other day, and to be honest it didn't impress me. BUT i think it was set up poorly, and the strings seemed to be a bit dead, so who knows?

---

Yup. Pruchas do lose a lot of tone as the strings go dead. (Of course, so do many other good banjos.)

I like the Pioneers; as the banjos are relatively easier to come by here in Idaho- Missoula is a half-day's drive north from here- I've played quite a few of them. For quite a while, Prucha was putting Renaissance heads on them, as he likes the sound of the Ren head (as do I), but the Ren does make any banjo sound much different when one is used. Recently, he's gone back to the Remo top-frosted white heads on most of his banjos, including the Pioneer. 

regards,

stanger

stanger - Posted - 08/05/2012:  02:48:39

quote:

---

Originally posted by stanger

quote:

---

Originally posted by Chris Cooper



Has any one got some sound clips and/or photographs of their Prucha banjos they could share on the thread? It would be great to see and hear them.

---

You can hear mine in the tunes section of my home page. There is only one professional grade recording of it- a tune called Texas Moon. My short version of Home Sweet Home, which I recorded with just the mic on my computer, sounds pretty accurate, but as I mentioned, their tone is very flexible. My own tune The Flower of O'Neil was played with a strong attack, so it sounds different than Home Sweet Home, where I was going for maximum sweetness and nostalgia. Texas Moon was a backup gig; you can hear the banjo best right at the first, when we were fooling around before the session started, but it's being played throughout the song. I guess this could give you a taste of how one sounds in a band setting.

Prucha has some very accurate tune samples on his website. Most of them are connected with specific models he shows, so what you see is what you hear.

Greg Boyd also has some accurate tune samples as well. He will know of some professional recordings of Prucha players, and if you call him, he'll be happy to play one live for you; he keeps his personal banjo, a Prucha Bat, right by the phone, and at the moment, he has a top tension in the shop that recently arrived.

Most of Alison Brown's uTube videos will have her Prucha. She uses a Dimaond Point mahogany almost identical to mine on the road, and also in the studio. She has a Gibson pre-war that she uses on studio recordings, so if you're really interested, any of her CD's will give you a good comparison between the tone differences. The same goes for Peter Schwimmer's recordings.

regards,

stanger

 

---

Dang... forgot this one.

Here is a uTube vid where I'm playing my Prucha with champ fiddler Jaci Sites.

youtu.be/bAN68og8oKM

mjbrennan - Posted - 08/11/2012:  14:25:39

I'd like to vouch for Prucha banjos too.  I have a Fall in Love which I bought from Prucha Banjos directly.  It is just beautiful,  to look at and to play. The quality of everything about it is first class and  Jarda is excellent to deal with.

Good luck with your decision,

Michael.

Edited by - mjbrennan on 08/11/2012 14:31:16