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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!

6910 reviews in the archive.

Mike Ramsay // Chanterelle Luthier Reviews

Submitted by angler (see all reviews from this person) on 6/25/2017

Overall Comments

I purchased a new Chanterelle Electric for $1600 two years ago from The Music Emporium in Lexington, Massachusetts. Within a month the fingerboard cracked and the fret ends and ivoroid binding became distorted. The neck and dowel stick were not properly aligned with the pot. I returned the banjo to Chanterelle and Mike Ramsey, the luthier, for repairs. He addressed the fret and binding issue but returned the banjo to me with cracks running under the inlays. I had a lot of contact with the builder via email and telephone. He told me to send it back, and eventually said that he was making a new neck.

Two years. Where's my Chanterelle Electric s/n 2778. He must have told me "two weeks" at least five times. And The Music Emporium, a most reputable retailer, called him several times to ask for the return of the instrument. "Two Weeks" ~ so the store manager was told.

Mr. Ramsey is a liar and a thief. $1600.

Overall Rating: 1