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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!

7199 reviews in the archive.

Zachary Hoyt #127 Cherry 12” Banjo Reviews

Submitted by Chris Cornwell (see all reviews from this person) on 1/22/2020

Where Purchased: Zachary Hoyt

Year Purchased: 2020
Price Paid: ($US)

Sound

This banjo has a very full, dark tone, and sounds amazing when played in clawhammer or fingerstyle. It’s highly responsive and loud enough to hold its own when I play with guitar and fiddle. It can easily switch between melodic and subtle, or percussive and powerful when needed. The wider nut and thicker neck is incredibly comfortable to play.

Sound Rating: 10

Setup

Setup on arrival was fantastic including two 5th string spikes I requested.

Setup Rating: 10

Appearance

The banjo is absolutely gorgeous. The design and execution are simple and elegant throughout the instrument. The cherry rim and jatoba fretboard have lots of character, but the absolute standout for me is the beautifully figured cherry burl peghead overlay.

Appearance Rating: 10

Reliability

Construction is very solid, and I have no doubt that this instrument will be here after long I’m gone.

Reliability Rating: 10

Customer Service

Zach could not be more helpful, and responds very quickly to emails. He’s always more than happy to answer any questions and is one of the friendliest guys you’ll ever encounter!

Customer Service: 10

Components

All components are clearly high quality.

Components Rating: 10

Overall Comments

I really can't recommend this banjo highly enough. It's now my number one banjo and is clearly going to be a lifelong member of my musical family. With Zach's extremely generous prices, I don't think there's a higher value to be found anywhere.

Overall Rating: 10