Report to Moderator Posted - 8/26/2011 12:50:39 PM

I first tried a Nechville about 3 years ago when I visited the 12th Fret in Toronto.  I had a bit of time on my hands before the start of a professional conference so I visited the shop just to see what they had and play some different banjos.  If nothing else, at least I would temporarily take care of my banjo withdrawal.  When I tried the Nechville I was really impressed!  This was clearly different and not like any other Jo!!

In the middle of March I went to the Suwannee Banjo Camp and met Scott Anderson who plays a Nechville Phantom.  He sounded great and the Phantom was super cool.  By the end of the camp I was glad it was over since the pain of lugging around my Stelling had gotten to me.  What a chore, and what shoulder pain. 

After the camp, in March, I had an angiogram because of family history and a suspicion that I might have some issues.  Sure enough I was told that I would need bypass surgery, which I had the next day.  The double bypass went well and I have fully recuperated and am feeling fine.

In April I had my 60th birthday.  I figured a new light weight Nechville would certainly make a perfect birthday gift so in June I called Tom Nechville and started deciding exactly which model and components I wanted. 

 As a result, I ordered a custom Walnut Galaxy Phantom, with the cocobolo Timbertronic  tone ring and half Delrin and half ceramic tone spheres.  I loved the cocobolo fingerboard but with my small hands (I can reach about 1 octave on a piano) I certainly didn't need the  wider fingerboard of the Phantom.  After discussing the issue with  Tom and measuring my Stelling fingerboard he said he could customize the fingerboard more to my needs (about 1/8 inch slimmer than the normal Phantom fingerboard).

Additional changes to the regular Phantom was a bound head to match the curly maple binding and the helimount powder coated in copper/bronze.  Tom even agreed to have the brass brass tailpiece and  resonator bolts powder coated in bronze to match.  Gold Tuners would also be added.

Thinking back to my banjo camp experience and after reading the reviews on BHO on the new Reunion Blues gig bag I thought it would be a perfect substitute for the hardshell case and really great to make transport easy.  Tom was really great when I mentioned this and he ended up ordering the Reunion Blues Gig bag and substituting it for the hardshell for a very reasonable upcharge.

My experience in ordering this banjo has been great Tom is so open to questions nd just wants to make sure the banjo is just what you want.  It is a true collaborative experience and it has been really cool.  He is very patient as I can be a bit of an anal retentive on these matters.  BTW, he thought the new Phantom would come in at about 6 lbs.  Wow!!

Well the banjo is due to arrive in 3 days and you might say I am a bit excited. I am trying to savor my excitement.  It's not like I don't have any good banjos since I now play a 1983 Stelling Sunflower and a Deering 25th Anniversary with the Jens Kruger tone ring. I think the Phantom, though will be a whole different animal.  As many of you know it's not just another banjo, its a Nechville.

I am looking forward to test driving the new Phantom and will post my thoughts here very soon. I am particularly looking forward to trying out the new slimmer fingerboard.  More to come soon!!!!!

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