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The banjo reviews database is here to help educate people before they purchase an instrument. Of course, this is not meant to be a substitute for playing the instrument yourself!
7233 reviews in the archive.
Where Purchased: Elderly
Year Purchased: 2022
Price Paid: 2,000 m/l ($US)
The sound is amazing! Nice rich sound and Clawhammer perfection. It can be played softly or loud, and so easy to play. The 12” rim adds some depth to low response & with the Dobson Tone Ring it is the best of both worlds!
Nothing to dislike…
I just purchased an Audigo recording
System… incredible!
Sound Rating: 10
Action was spot on, very well set up
No changes to date…
Nice hard shell case
Deering planetary tunners - nice touch
Setup Rating: 10
It is in a word - beautiful, a work of art;
The maple rim and neck are dark stained walnut, the neck is smooth and fast. The fingerboard has an elegant streaked & smoky look.
No embellishments to date
Appearance Rating: 10
I’ve used for gigs, guard it like a hawk & treated like a child, to date no marks or scratches.
The hardware is first rate- should last for years
Reliability Rating: 10
Elderly has always been a excellent company & great service
Customer Service: 10
The fingerboard has a unique appearance of different hues & very pleasing. Very strong bridge
No weak parts
The Dobson tone ring is awesome
Components Rating: 10
It's simple, if you can find one, buy it! you'll not be disappointed. A perfect banjo for Clawhammer. I'm in the market for one in Cherry!
Overall Rating: 10
Where Purchased: Banjo.com
Year Purchased: 2025
Price Paid: $5595 ($US)
Rich, full tone all the way up and down the neck. No tweaking needed for my taste, this banjo had the sound I was looking for from the first note picked.
Sound Rating: 10
I have not made any changes to the setup. Barry and his folks already had this in great shape but, as with other banjos I have had, I'll probably need to do a bit after everything settles in.
Setup Rating: 10
This is a beautiful mahogany banjo with top shelf parts, wood, finish, and fit. I'm a fan of the wreath inlay as well.
Appearance Rating: 10
Yes, finish and hardware is top notch and I have zero concerns about it's longevity.
Reliability Rating: 10
Barry Waldrep is extremely helpful, friendly, and accessible. Lifetime warranty.
Customer Service: 10
No weak or cheap parts on the Shelby banjos, they have purposely held to the top tier of parts and workmanship. Super nice fiberglass case as well as some interesting touches with respect to engraved owner's card to go with it.
Components Rating: 10
I cannot say enough good things about this Shelby Whitewater banjo. It will be one of my best banjos ever and in my possession until I'm gone and the kids have the farm sale...you cannot go wrong with one of Barry's banjos.
Overall Rating: 10
Where Purchased: Steve , Stone Banjo Co.
Year Purchased: 2025
Price Paid: ($US)
In my opinion this is the perfect banjo. Steve built it to my specifications yet also offered guidance for the things wasn't sure of. I play clawhammer in my home at camp and small gatherings and the sound is amazing and not to loud to sing along with. The playabilty is the best I've experienced.
Sound Rating: 10
The set up is spot on. The action is set up perfectly for playing over the scoop or the head without any interference issues.
Setup Rating: 10
The appearance is fine furniture quality. The peghead inlay and brass plated scoop are awesome and are complemented by the hawk tail tail piece. This banjo looks as good as it sounds.
Appearance Rating: 10
Reliability Rating: 10
The customer service is the best. Steve actually answers the phone and is willing to spend the time talk about the banjo you want. He sent many pictures of the build while it was in process.
Customer Service: 10
Components Rating: 10
If your looking for "The One" Stone banjo can build it. If he hasn't already.
Overall Rating: 10
Where Purchased: Willow Guitars (via Reverb)
Year Purchased: 2025
Price Paid: 850 ($US) (bought USED)
The Gold Tone HM-100 (High Moon) has a 12-inch Renaissance head and rolled brass tone ring. It projects a very nice clawhammer sound. The brass tone ring makes it brighter than wood tone ring, but it is not twangy. After setting it up the sound is well balanced and projects well.
Sound Rating: 10
I bought the HM-100 used, so I don’t blame Gold Tone or the seller, however, the setup needed some work. The head tension varied between 80 and 90 on the drum dial. The action was much higher than I prefer (about 5 mm at the twelfth fret), with too much relief on the neck. (Fortunately, the truss rod adjustment is in the headstock.) The intonation required a few hours of futzing around - new strings, adjusting head tension, and a new moon-shaped bridge - I was able to set it up just the way I prefer with good intonation. The fret work is very good; frets are well rounded at the edges with no overhang at all. It has a “zero glide nut.”
Setup Rating: 8
The High Moon is a very attractive banjo, with some nice details. The crescent moon inlays on the headstock and twelfth fret are a nice touch. It has a bound fretboard (maple binding), a feature that is uncommon in this price range. There are 14 tension hooks, which adds to an old-time appearance. It comes with a maple arm rest.
Appearance Rating: 10
This is a solid, well-built instrument that I expect to last for decades.
Reliability Rating: 10
The staff at Willow Guitars were great! I have not interacted with Gold Tone staff, but they have a good reputation.
Customer Service: 10
Gotoh tuning machines are solid. The tension hook nuts do not fit either my 5/16” or 1/4” wrenches, but the banjo did come with a wrench that fits. I ran into a problem with the “Zero Glide Nut” because I put on heavier strings that did not fit into the slots that were cut into the nut. I have nut files, so I widened the string slots, but had to temporarily remove the zero fret to avoid marring it. I like the concept of a zero fret and zero-glide nut is a nice compromise between that and a traditional nut.
Components Rating: 9
The HM-100 is a very good banjo when setup properly. I paid $850 for a used instrument in excellent condition that just required some patience to setup. I am very happy with the banjo at that price! It is a well-made, attractive, good sounding clawhammer banjo.
Overall Rating: 10
Where Purchased: Ryan Hardison
Year Purchased: 2025
Price Paid: ($US)
Nice clear sound, not sharp like many "master clones" do. It still bites but without bass muddiness. My wife says it's very loud.
Sound Rating: 10
Banjo was set up beautifully. Neck shifted a little during shipping but Ryan Hardison made good on that.
Setup Rating: 10
Beautiful walnut banjo. Straight grain walnut neck, Walnut veneer body with curly maple binding. Looks like a monolithic walnut back to the resonator. It has mother of pearl inlay, Richlite fingerboard and head lamination.
Appearance Rating: 10
It came with Prucha hardware and a full sized Sullivan tone ring.
Reliability Rating: 10
Ryan was real easy to work with. Highly recommend working with him for a custom build.
Customer Service: 10
Everything was top notch
Components Rating: 10
Ryan Hardison is a to notch custom build luthier. His craftsmanship is superlative. It took a couple of weeks for the parts to settle in but now this banjo sounds awesome (it was great when I first received but now its even better). I wanted a walnut banjo and RRyan did an excellent job on mine. Highly recommend. What I like the best is the bass sounds clean and clear - not overwhelmed by the higher registers. PERFECT!
Overall Rating: 10
Where Purchased: The BHO
Year Purchased: 2025
Price Paid: 3600 (CAD)
historic exchange rates / currency converter
This banjo suites any playing style, suites me fine for clawhammer and fingerstyle.
I found the tone to be rich and dynamic layered with perfect balance and note separation. Has a brilliant sound.
Plays very well up the neck.
Sound Rating: 10
The banjo setup was perfect with low action and Renaissance head.
I found a higher bridge and a goat hide was more to my liking.
Banjo is easy to work on.
Setup Rating: 10
This banjo is beautiful. Has a very nice dark almost red maple for the neck and pot.
It has custom inlay pearl on the fingerboard.
The hardware is all beautifully aged brass, done in a very unique way giving it an almost colored smoky look.
There is absolutely no flaws i can find.
Appearance Rating: 10
Everything is built to last in this banjo.
Built very sturdy.
I can depend on it to last my life time and beyod.
Reliability Rating: 10
Carl is a pleasure to deal with.
He was able to help me an issue I had with another banjo.
He would definitely help with any issues if they were any to arise.
Customer Service: 10
The stand out parts to me are the tone ring, hardware, bracket band.
All the hardware is high quality and has such a nice finish.
Components Rating: 10
Carl Arcand is an expert luthier, truly a master of his craft.
I'm pleased to own a banjo made by him and wouldn't hesitate to purchase another in the future.
I'm grateful and pleased to behold such a beautiful heirloom instrument.
Tyler
Overall Rating: 10
Where Purchased: Viken Musikk
Year Purchased: 2025
Price Paid: 6000 (NOK)
historic exchange rates / currency converter
After some setup (not extensive, I still have things I want to try) and having tried a couple different bridges on the thing, the sound is okay. Reasonably loud. Not deafening. Seems to work pretty well with soft playing too. There's a bit too much sustain for my taste and the volume dies down quite a lot whenever you go much past the 7th fret on the neck.
Sound Rating: 5
The instrument was set up poorly and sounded like utter garbage out of the shop, but I blame that on the shop having no experience working on banjos. Rather than taking any chances they've left everything more or less finger-tight. Either that or that's how it left the factory and they never touched it.
Thankfully everything here is fully adjustable with some basic tools. It has a truss rod and two coordinator rods, so you should be able to get everything to your liking. Mind you, it still won't sound like a pre-war Gibson.
My only issue is that you can't get the angle of the tailpiece fully cranked down to the head, but I'm guessing that can be replaced for those who are interested.
Setup Rating: 5
This is about as bling as it gets in this price range. Personally I absolutely adore it, but I see how it can be divisive.
the fit and finish is okay. Far from great, but luckily that seems to mostly go for things that don't affect playability. The ends of the frets aren't great, a couple of the screws for the resonator have gacked threads, the nut seems to be held in place with caulk in a slot that looks too wide for it (doesn't budge though). The tone ring is also mounted a bit off axis.
In addition to all this, my particular example had been in the window of the shop I bought it from for somewhere around four years. The banjo did not take kindly to this and some white piping and especially the nut has started to turn yellow. In addition, there's a pretty big crack in the clearcoat on the resonator (neck looks factory fresh) and some corrosion (?) on the chrome. I try to think of it as patina and make an effort to remember how much I got them to knock off the asking price because of it.
At the end of the day all I ever notice when I look at it is that beautiful neck inlay and headstock pattern, and I think "this is my first banjo, I bought it in large part for the looks, and by some miracle of god it's not complete garbage"
Appearance Rating: 7
Hardware seems pretty good overall. I've heard rumors that the hooks for the head are all pot-metal and prone to breaking, but we'll see. I don't mind changing them if they do.
I've talked a bit about the finish already. It has some blemishes and the lacquer is cracking on the resonator. The rest of it looks solid, though. Absolutely reminiscent of your classic Ibanez bazillion-layer paintjob.
It sometimes stays in tune for days on end. It sometimes likes to go out of tune at the slightest provocation. This makes me suspect the tuners. I've left them alone for now, because spending 90 seconds every once in a while tuning really isn't a big deal for me.
I've already gigged this with a hardcase and plan on continuing to do so. Nothing makes me worry more about doing it with this than I would with any other banjo (though I don't have much experience).
Reliability Rating: 7
Shop guy was nice, but he didn't know squat about banjos. Never dealt with Ibanez. Can't remember what sort of warranty Ibanez themselves give, but I'm covered by law for five years for any faults not due to regular wear or gross negligence anyway.
Customer Service: 7
Standout components are of course that wonderfully gaudy neck inlay, and the neck and headstock overall is quite beautifully finished.
It also has an all wood pot which I haven't seen in any other banjo over here at this price point. If I'd known this I would have bought it right away instead of looking at all kinds of other no-names first.
I don't know whether the tone ring really adds much to the party. It's made of some sort of unspecified metal.
Aforementioned hooks might be worth upgrading. Tailpiece and tuners too. After that I don't see how anyone can tell you that you don't have a completely serviceable "proper" banjo.
Components Rating: 7
When it comes down to it, this thing is a lot more than the sum of it's parts. What it is is a fully tweakable, relatively solid, playable AND upgradeable beginner's banjo at a price I can afford.
I get that it comes up short in places where there's an actual used market and it's priced similarly to Recording Kings and Gold Tones.
That's not the case here, though, and for that, I give it a 10/10.
It also seems to be pretty common in places where banjos aren't, so I would especially recommend this over taking a gamble on some nameless thing from your Gear4musics or Thomanns.
Overall Rating: 10
Where Purchased: Jake's Main Street Music
Year Purchased: 2025
Price Paid: 2480 (approx.) ($US)
Sound is mellow but rich and layered. Given the fiberskyn head and the thickness of the rim, I wasn't expecting it to bark and I didn't want it to. Sustain is remarkable. A slight brush on the strings, and the notes chime for 15 seconds before decaying. Wonderful clarity of tone up the neck. Slides are smooth and easy to do.
Sound Rating: 10
Perfect setup.
Setup Rating: 10
Pretty to look at. The staining is lovely and even, and the inlays are a nice touch. I mentioned the Enoch Tradesman, and while these two are tied in my estimation, I prefer a wooden fingerboard to Richlite.
Appearance Rating: 10
Looks and feels very sturdy.
Reliability Rating: 10
I have not needed to contact Deering about this banjo yet, but I know from past experience that their customer service is stellar.
Customer Service: 9
Nothing weak, cheap, or faulty. I initially considered swapping out the fiberskyn head with a renn head for a louder sound, but the more I play this, the more impressed I am with the sparkling clarity of the tones produced.
Components Rating: 10
I am already growing with this banjo. I played it twice after unpacking it yesterday. By the second session, the instrument was opening up and I was hearing details in the tone that I had not heard immediately after unboxing. A truly superb banjo that encourages me to play more often. I hope this will last me many years. This stands level with the Enoch Tradesman, in my opinion. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Overall Rating: 10
Where Purchased: Banjoteacher.com
Year Purchased: 2024
Price Paid: $1399 ($US)
I just love the sound of this banjo. It has a crisp banjo twang to it. I'm a bluegrass banjo player and this banjo holds its own no matter where or how I play it.
Sound Rating: 10
I bought this banjo from Ross Nickerson at Banjoteacher.com and he has a close relationship with Gold Tone. I did not like the looks of the Terminator tailpiece and I am familiar with the Presto style tailpiece. Ross had the banjo sent to me straight from Gold Tone assembled with the Presto tailpiece installed in place of the Terminator and with the 7th, 9th, and the 10th fret stakes installed there at the factory. They also put it together with a Snuffy Smith bridge for me. The setup was spot on. It is a very playable banjo straight from Gold Tone.
Setup Rating: 10
It is a beautiful banjo with wood binding, a zero glide bone nut and planetary tuners. There was no blemishes. Someone did a review some years ago and found blemishes in the inlays and on the frets, so I checked mine over thoroughly and couldn't find a single problem with them. All and all, it is well made and well finished. I'm proud to play it.
Appearance Rating: 10
I had the Terminator tailpiece switched out for a Presto style tailpiece at Gold Tone before it was shipped to me. The hardware appears to be top notch. I don't like to do a review until I've played an instrument for a while. I've been playing the OB-250 now for four months, gigging and jamming regularly and it is rock solid.
Reliability Rating: 10
I have bought two Gold Tone banjos from Ross Nickerson at banjoteacher.com. I really like Ross. If I express and interest in a particular banjo he will call me up and talk to me about it. He is always interested in what I want to do with the banjo. After talking to him I always feel like he has been up front with me. There is never a surprise. I also like Gold Tone. They send you a banjo set up and ready to go right out of the box. I really feel like they give it that extra bit before it goes out the door.
Customer Service: 10
Everything stands out to me. I would say though that the wood binding is the biggest thing. There are no cheap parts. But I did have the tailpiece switched out. I'm sure that the Terminator tailpiece is just fine, I am just more familiar with the Presto tailpiece and that is what I asked for and that is what they delivered for me.
Components Rating: not rated
I just have to reiterate how nice it is to work with Ross Nickerson and with Gold Tone. They seem to have a working relationship that really delivers what I want in a banjo. I'm not going anywhere else. I have recently bought another Gold Tone banjo from Ross and got the same personalized treatment. I have given each item in the review a 10, and I honestly feel like the whole experience has earned that rating, no reqrets whatsoever. I will do a review on the other one after I have played it a while.
Overall Rating: 10
Where Purchased: Bucks County Folk Music, Doylestown, PA
Year Purchased: 2025
Price Paid: $2,044 ($US)
The sound/tone of the Possum is precisely what I was looking for. I play old-time and do most of my picking on my deck with my dog. Full, plunky sound, not too loud or overly bright. 11 inch pot, Persimmon tone ring, and goatskin head are a prefect combination
Sound Rating: 10
Between Pisgah and Bucks County Music the setup was perfect when purchased! The banjo string action is a bit higher than I have had on past banjos and I really like it, makes it easier to play!
Setup Rating: 10
The banjo is aesthetically pleasing. The combination of walnut pot and heel,Persimmon tone ring and fretboard and walnut arm rest make a beautiful banjo. The craftsmanship is fantastic, not a blemish anywhere!
Appearance Rating: 10
Looks as reliable as I could expect, time will tell.
Reliability Rating: 10
Patrick Sawyer at Pisgah and Kim and Jackie Dietrich at Bucks County Music in Doylestown, PA were great to work with. Very helpful and responsive. Considering the turmoil Pisgah faced as a result of Hurricane Helene, I was impressed by Pisgah's ability to produce a first rate banjo and deliver a month earlier than their ETA.
Customer Service: 10
Walnut armrest and skin head are more than worth the small extra cost. The included gig bag is surprisingly sturdy and handsome!
Components Rating: 10
I could not be happier than I am with the Possum! The relative lightweight (5 1/2 lbs) is a delight for my aging arms and shoulder. I particularly like that Patrick uses locally produced and procured woods and components (except for the Japanese Gotoh tuners). Patrick's banjos have among the highest American content and are among the most American made on the market. I've had some really good banjos in the past (Deering, Ramsey and Ozark), the Pisgah Possum is right up there!
Overall Rating: 10
Where Purchased: Greg Boyd
Year Purchased: 2025
Price Paid: $7250 (bought USED)
historic exchange rates / currency converter
Pure Ralph. Powerful, cutting, rich tone. Fabulous.
Sound Rating: 10
This banjo had not had much play. I know Greg Boyd had it in his shop for over a year. Not set up at all.... I took it to Jaroslav Prucha for a complete disassembly and re-set. I live in the UK so just a short flight. Absolutely worth the trip. I have owned some great Banjo's but this Neat Stanleytone is on another level.
Setup Rating: 5
Build date was 2004 but has hardly seen any playing. Like a brand new model. Gorgeous rock maple, 5 piece neck, gold plated, based on Ralph's old Gibson style 5 including a solid raised head ring, also gold plated.
Appearance Rating: 10
The finest banjo I have ever owned. The absolute best.
Reliability Rating: 10
Bought used. I discovered a very slight rim delamination and had Jaroslav Prucha fill it. Greg Boyd agreed to pay the repair cost.
Customer Service: not rated
Frank Neat used the best timber... parts, and the best construction methods. It simply can't be improved upon.
Components Rating: 10
A quite fabulous raised head banjo. I am a big Ralph fan and I am very lucky to now own this Banjo. Amazing.
Overall Rating: 10
Where Purchased: Eagle Music in the UK
Year Purchased: 2025
Price Paid: £1599 (GBP)
historic exchange rates / currency converter
I play Old Time music and chose this banjo for the wood tone ring. Just used it at my first session and wow did the sound cut through without losing any warmth when driven hard.
Sound Rating: 10
The set up was perfect for me right out of the gig bag.
Setup Rating: 10
I really dislike bling on banjos so the Pisgah banjos appeal, to me for their earthy, woodiness. I don’t want bling, I want honest to goodness workmanship and a great sound and that’s what I got. The walnut is a rich, warm dark brown and the persimmon used for the headstock inlay and fingerboard blends perfectly with the walnut. I chose walnut for the warmer tones as well as a fiberskyn head for a little more plunk and the whole thing is very easy on the eye.
Appearance Rating: 10
The workmanship on this banjo is mighty impressive. It just feels like it is built to last without feeling chunky or cumbersome. Lovely aged brass hardware and a really nice finish in the wood. I’d be more than happy to gig with this as my only banjo and to rely on it to deliver.
Reliability Rating: 10
I bought through Eagle music as I am in the UK so I didn’t have any direct contact with PBCO during the making of the instrument. As the exclusive dealer in the UK, Eagle Music honours the Pisgah limited lifetime warranty on faulty workmanship for the life to the original owner - and there’s no way I’d sell this beauty! Still top marks though to Pisgah for choosing Eagle Music who I have shopped with for many years and always received the very best of customer service.
Customer Service: 10
There is nothing on this banjo that would need to be changed. Maybe I’ll slip a moon bridge on there simply because I like the aesthetic but it’s not necessary. The intonation is fine as is. Nothing about this banjo looks or feels cheap.
Components Rating: 10
I was aware of Pisgah banjos even before they became available to buy in the UK but I couldn't imagine the taxes and shipping if I bought straight from the company. As soon as I heard that Eagle Music were selling them in the UK, I put my order in. I did play the Appalachian in store before making my order for the Possom which is essentially the same banjo with a different tone ring. Figuring heavily in my choice was Pisgah's environmental stand, as well as their political stand. They seemed like a company I wanted to support. I also loved the idea of having a banjo made of hardwoods local to the company so I knew that the wood in my banjo had been listening to old time music for a couple of centuries. A romantic notion maybe, but it felt as though it might add some authenticity. I cannot say how delighted I am with the warm tones, the lightness of the bank in its gig bag and the overall plain but well made appearance. I am well and truly smitten and would definitely recommend Pisgah Banjo Company and the Possum in particular. This is my fourth banjo and I can see it fast becoming my go-to.
Overall Rating: 10
Where Purchased: Stone Banjo Company
Year Purchased: 2025
Price Paid: $1320 shipped ($US)
With its 12 inch pot and wooden tone ring, this has a beautiful mellow sound for clawhammer. Of course, it has a little more bite as you move back toward the bridge, and the scoop provides for a great sound without the thump of hitting the head. For someone investing in his first open-back banjo beyond the $300 beginner instrument, this is truly inspiring to play.
Sound Rating: 10
The setup was spot on. Steve's string selection is interesting and really effective, using slightly different gauges than you'd find in a set (10,12,13,24,10). Intonation was spot on and he marked the bridge location so it was easy to flip it up and be ready to play. I rounded off a couple corners on the nut and have no desire to change anything else at this point. The neck shape is very comfortable and the natural finish on the neck feels great.
Setup Rating: 10
It's a beauty. I wanted something woody and rustic looking. The combination of persimmon fretboard and peg head cap with the walnut neck, pot and dowel is beautiful. The walnut arm rest really stands out. I love the aged brass hardware. The inlays are simple dots. There were no appearance flaws.
Appearance Rating: 10
It feels like it's well made and that it will wear as any well-made instrument should. I wouldn't worry about having it as my only instrument on a gig. This is a very organic-feeling instrument - everything is natural and there's nothing shiny to wear down.
Reliability Rating: 10
Steve was a pleasure to deal with. He even sent photos of the production of this instrument while I was waiting for him to get it ready to ship. UPDATE: Have had a couple questions about the instrument setup since purchasing and Steve has been phenomenal in his willingness to talk and follow-up. He was on the phone as I was in my shop making adjustments. This is the ultimate in personal customer service.
Customer Service: 10
The handcrafted neck and block constructed pot are both lovely and well designed. The walnut neck feels great and the fretwork is excellent. The walnut arm rest is a bonus. Its curvature is super comfortable and it looks great. I appreciate the wider nut - that's made playing clawhammer much more comfortable for me.
Components Rating: 10
I was looking for an upgrade. Learning clawhammer on my resonators wasn't really working since they aren't set up for it. The inexpensive RK was OK, but I wanted to step up. I'm so pleased to have stumbled onto a Stone Banjo as an option as I looked for a domestically crafted upgrade. You can't possibly beat the quality and buying experience for the price. I am inspired to learn and play more and more with this instrument. I wish I needed another banjo so I could order it from Steve all over again! Maybe I need a fretless.....
Overall Rating: 10
Where Purchased: Direct from Companion
Year Purchased: 2025
Price Paid: 2800 ($US)
This is a custom designed baritone banjo, similar to the Gold Tone ML-1 "Missing Link." It sports a wood tone rim, so it's pretty light. I've been able to play it strung at low pitch (C, a fifth down from G standard), as well as standard pitch by just changing the bridge. In both configurations it's warm and ringing.
Sound Rating: 10
It was shipped, so I had to tighten the tailpiece, position the bridge, etc. Action is great, tone is accurate all down the neck. The neck shape is comfortable.
Setup Rating: 10
This was designed to my specs with a burled walnut resonator and walnut neck, satin finish. I will say that a flat finish might be the wrong way to go with a burled wood, as it can look too grainy. That was my choice, however, and the finish is excellently done. The headstock and board have custom aspen leave inlays, which are really remarkable.
Appearance Rating: 10
All the hardware and manufacture is top of the line. Chris makes really good instruments, and though I'm not a professional, or even a competent amateur, I have owned an Ome and a Nechville, and Chris' work is just as fine.
Reliability Rating: 10
Chris was nice enough to spend way too much time making sure I was happy about this banjo, from initial discussions about tone, playing style, fingering and intonation issues I have, etc, to finish, decoration. He kept me apprised throughout the build process and was really accommodating as I had to reschedule pickup/shipping several times. He's just a great guy.
Customer Service: 10
All the components are top notch.
Components Rating: 10
I can't recommend Companion Custom Banjos enough. I got a wonderful instrument designed to my specs for a price comparable to the high end Chinese banjos, a fair amount less than I would have paid from some of the other top American luthiers.
Overall Rating: 10
Where Purchased: Stone Banjo Company
Year Purchased: 2025
Price Paid: 1200 ($US)
Great rich old time sound.
Sound Rating: 10
Excellent setup.
Setup Rating: 10
Great choice of woods and quality brass hardware. Smooth finish. Really a beautiful banjo.
Appearance Rating: 10
Light weight but very solid.
Reliability Rating: 10
Steve has great communication skills and was very easy to talk to. Quick response to questions and very helpful.
Customer Service: 10
A combination of high-end components such as tuners and handmade components such as tension hoop, block rim and traditional items.
No weaknesses.
Components Rating: 10
Very happy with the banjo. I enjoy looking at it as much as playing it. I have previously owned both Ome and Pisgah banjos and this stone banjo compares well with them. Most like the Pisgah. I am an older player and wanted a lighter more comfortable shorter scale banjo. This fits the bill nicely.
Overall Rating: 10
Where Purchased: Zach Hoyt
Year Purchased: 2025
Price Paid: $1048 ($US)
I have always loved thin rimmed banjos and when I saw this for sale, it peaked my interest. It has a rolled brass ring sitting on the pot with a Dobson ring on top, so it encapsulates the best of both worlds. It chimes perfectly with nice, bright highs and has the Dobson focus and growl on the low end.
Sound Rating: 10
The banjo came with the perfect set up for me with a 3/4” bridge. The height was just right for my playing style.
Setup Rating: 10
What can I say? The banjo is simply beautiful and rivals any maker out there today. The fingerboard is a nice Brazilian cherry with brass dots. The banjo is made from a beautiful cherry wood with figured walnut headstock and armrest and neck heel cap, so it’s a very nice contrast. The wood has a nice oil finish and the neck is nice and smooth and makes sliding down the neck a breeze. About the neck..it is the best neck on a banjo I have ever played. Nice and full in the hand but not too big and the nut width is perfect. A little wider than most open backs out there so I have plenty of room for chords.
Appearance Rating: 10
Everything about this instrument screams quality made by an artisan craftsman and will last for decades. No shortcuts taken on anything. The tailpiece, tuners, tone rings, tension hoop, fret work, shoes and lugs are very high quality.
Reliability Rating: 10
Now for the best part and that is Zach Hoyt, the builder. I’m the type person that really takes my time when deciding to make a purchase. I’ll ask questions, think a few days, ask more questions, think a few more days. You get the point. I must’ve sent Zach 10 different emails over a couple weeks time, asking a variety of questions. Within a couple hours, I would get a response. He was more than patient with me and always professional and very courteous. A selling point for me was his 7 day trial period. Buy the banjo, play it for 7 days and if you don’t like it, send it back for a full refund minus shipping costs. It hard to beat a deal like that in my book.
Customer Service: 10
All parts are high quality and very dependable.
Components Rating: 10
I have to say this banjo exceeded my expectations. It's well crafted and looks incredible. It has nice embellishments like the brass fingerboard dots and walnut accents on the cherry neck and rim. I own 3 other banjos, two of which are custom instruments from boutique builders, all 3 of which have either a wooden tone ring or no tone ring at all. I wanted to try a Dobson to see if I would like it and it was a wonderful purchase decision. This banjo rivals any of my boutique banjos and is an upgrade in quality to my Enoch Tradesman. I love all my banjos for different reasons and this one has carved its own little niche in my stable. I wouldn't hesitate in the least to purchase another banjo from Zach Hoyt. His banjos coupled with his willingness to go above and beyond to please his customers really won me over. I can't say enough good things about the entire experience. I am one HAPPY customer! Thank you, Zach!
Overall Rating: 10
Where Purchased: Rob Bishline (direct)
Year Purchased: 2025
Price Paid: Don't Remember
historic exchange rates / currency converter
Love it so far. (This was a mahogany Heirloom) Nice full Mastertone style sound, and good overall feel when playing it. Still getting use to the tunneled 5th (what the hail !), but so far so good.
Sound Rating: 10
Excellent. Action was a little low, but I'm getting use to it.
Setup Rating: 10
Bishline quality - good components and beautiful workmanship. I was on the fence, but I ended up loving the Maple binding.
Appearance Rating: 10
Again, Bishline quality - good components and beautiful workmanship. I'm sure it will outlive me.
Reliability Rating: 10
Not applicable yet. Rob is easy to work with - that I know.
Customer Service: not rated
Again, Bishline quality - good components and beautiful workmanship.
Components Rating: 10
I'm not sure why I waited so long to pick up a Bishline. This was the year, and absolutely no regrets so far.
Anyone looking for a quality 5-string bluegrass banjo will not be disappointed. The tunneled 5th was a twist that I'm actually getting use to.
Overall Rating: 10
Where Purchased: Gold Tone
Year Purchased: 2024
Price Paid: Don't Remember
historic exchange rates / currency converter
I play Scruggs style and the "Twanger" is perfect for that style. I can't believe how loud the instrument is. I also own an RK-75 and the Twanger is compared to the RK by some, but the Gold Tone is far above the RK in just about every respect. The clarity of each note is amazing not sure if that is due to the Dotson bridge that came on it or the no hole tone ring or a bit of both. But it notes clear every place on the neck.
Sound Rating: 10
After reading some reviews, I was concerned about the set up. I talked with a representative from Gold Tone and expressed my concerns about their set up's and he assured me the set up would be good. When I received the banjo, it was set up perfectly (for me). I did not have to change anything or tighten anything up at all.
Setup Rating: 10
The leaves and bows inlays are okay, personally I like more flash but it looks good to me. I have gone over the instrument a few times looking for finish flaws but can not find any.
Appearance Rating: 9
It appears the banjo was built to last, there does not appear to be any "short cuts" taken in materials or construction. I would use this banjo in any situation, on stage or jam.
Reliability Rating: 10
This is my first time dealing with Gold Tone. I made the purchase on Dec 24, and did not expect to hear anything back from them until the holiday was over. When I purchased the banjo, within 15 minutes I got an email from a Gold Tone representative telling me that they would process the purchase on Jan 2, 2025. I contacted him back (through email) and he replied soon afterward. A nice personal touch I thought.
Customer Service: 9
I have found nothing cheap about the parts nor nothing that I would replace. The Gotoh tuners they used are great. I give it a 9 rating because I guess there are always something better on the market.
Components Rating: 9
This is a great sounding banjo. The no hole tone ring really pushes the sound out and it is very loud. It only takes a touch to fret the strings, again the set up was done really well. The designers really went above and beyond with this one trying to match the RB-3 of J.D. Crowe. The looks are out standing nothing shabby about it at all. I can recommend the banjo to anyone who is looking for a professional banjo that you don't have to take a mortgage out on your house to buy. Easy to play, and defiantly easy to hear. This is the best sounding and play banjo I have played to date. I give it a overall rating of 10 because it is the best banjo I have played to date, not that I have played every other banjo.
Overall Rating: 10
Where Purchased: Private sale
Year Purchased: 2024
Price Paid: 1265.00 ($US)
This banjo suites my playing well, as I like to play both clawhammer and fingerstyle.
I would describe the sound as semi bright and full with lots of punch when needed.
I like the set up.
Can be played lightly with the right touch, however this banjo has a lot of range and volume which can easily be increased when wanted.
Sound Rating: 9
This banjo was set up very well with the action set to about 1/8" at the 12th fret.. and a bridge height of 3/4" .
Bridge is also set up closer to the tailpice adding some punch and tone.
As well making for very nice harmonics.
I found the set up to be exceptional for
both tone and playability.
This banjo can easily be changed around with a lower bridge and different head choice.
I plan to install a goat hide and add a banjo bolster, which will enhance the tone further imo.
I'm very happy with this banjo.
Setup Rating: 10
This banjo has some very beautiful wood choices..
I particularly like the jatoba fret board and cherry neck.. very complimentary and pretty wood.
Appearance Rating: 10
The hardware is top notch, I would depend on it lasting for quite some time.
Reliability Rating: 10
Zach is absolutely the best luthier ive had the pleasure of dealing with.
He's of exceptional character and very kind, as well as very responsive to any questions or concerns.
Customer Service: 10
The comfort and playability stand out the most to me on this instrument.
The neck especially is very comfortable.
I also find the tension hoop to be well thought out as it rests almost level with the head.. making it an ideal position for playability.
I also find the Romero style armrest to be a very nice touch adding to comfort.
Components Rating: 10
I'm a very appreciative and happy new owner of a Hoyt banjo.
I've owned a few banjos from other top-tier makers, like Pisgah and Rickard.
I find Zachs better in a lot of ways. They're well thought out and beautiful.
The playability and tone are exceptional.
This one is a keeper and so will the next one made by Zach.
Overall Rating: 10
Where Purchased: Banjo Ben's General Store
Year Purchased: 2024
Price Paid: $579 with hard case ($US)
It has that mahogany sound, not particularly bright. This was my first banjo. I went from guitar player to banjo player for our country/bluegrass group and it was baptism by fire. I like the mahogany guitar sound, unfortunately after I bought the Morgan Monroe it took me about nine months to realize I like the maple sound better with Banjo.
Sound Rating: 5
It was supposed to be set up. I don't know if it was at that time or not. It was staked at the 7th, the 9th and the 10th fret. There were pencil marks on the head around the bridge which makes me think that they did something and wanted to the bridge back in the right place. Six months after I got it, I learned enough to check the string height and it was very high. I ended up learning to shim the neck to get it back to a more playable height. I don't know if it started out high, or if it had always been that way and I got to the point I noticed it.
Setup Rating: 5
It is very pretty. The finish is beautiful. It is probably one of the only things about the banjo that I still liked about it six months after I bought it.
Appearance Rating: 10
It is fine. I did gig with it all summer, less than prime time though. A few farmers markets, a few fundraising events and an antique tractor show. The hardware is adequate. As the summer went on, it seemed to get a bit wonky and I had to do some adjustments that were a bit beyond maintenance. It was a learning experience. I learned a lot about banjos.
Reliability Rating: 5
I can not blame Banjo Ben's, I called them to ask about that banjo specifically. I can't really expect them to say, that isn't the best banjo, it is the last one we have and when you buy it we are going to discontinue carrying them. But I was led to believe that as a beginner banjo it would take me well into the intermediate level and that's probably a stretch. I got what I asked for.
It is supposed to come with a lifetime warranty, but I'm not sure how good that warranty is. I think that I got the last one that Banjo Ben had and they quit carrying them as soon as that one was gone. It has no serial number and I was unable to register it with the manufacturer. I'm not even sure where I would send it to have warranty work done on it.
Customer Service: 7
There were no standout components. The tailpiece it came with was a Waverly style and it was brought to my attention by Jim Pankey that it was strung up wrong. I messed with it a bit, strung it up correctly and finally got rid of it and bought a Prucha Presto tailpiece. The Prucha Presto I think sounded a little better and was just a better more robust tailpiece. The tuners aren't the best, but they are adequate. They get the job done. As mentioned above, the neck either moved on it, or it came that way, but I ended up having to shim it to get the action down where it was easier to play.
Components Rating: 4
Overall this was my first banjo and it was a learning experience. I got along with it all summer. It sounded dull and was hard to play. The head tension needing tightening often. I accepted all summer that it was me and not the banjo that was holding things back as I was learning on the fly. I learned a lot with it, but it wasn't until after the summer was over and we quit playing out that I started to question the banjo itself. I upgraded to a Gold Tone OB-250 and realized that there was a world of difference. I can not recommend this banjo. There are just too many other banjos out there that are better even at that price range.
After I bought the Gold Tone, I decided that I wanted a lighter open back banjo. Someone suggested removing the resonator and the flange, and turning the Morgan Monore into an open back. I did that, and it actually makes a better open back banjo than a resonator banjo. But it still is lacking in many ways.
3/27/25. I sold the Morgan Monroe. I don't think I will wish I had it back.
Overall Rating: 5
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