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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!
7210 reviews in the archive.
Where Purchased: banjo.com
Year Purchased: 2009
Price Paid: 2500 ($US)
This banjo has an astounding sound. Rings like a bell with good lows and highs along the fretboard.
Sound Rating: 10
As usual banjo.com set ups banjos perfectly. The head was tight and, the bridge in the proper place, the angle of the tailpiece brought an ieal sound from the strings.The action beat. Very nicely done.
Setup Rating: 10
The Heirloom has a classical beauty. The mother of pearlis of the best quality. It is simple but beautiful. The cover of the rod up the headstock has a beautiful shape andelegant colour. The design up the neck is really original and distinguished
Appearance Rating: 10
Very new yet, but it sound terrific. Has nothing to envy to my other banjos of a much higher price.
Reliability Rating: 10
Excellent. John from banjo.com makes you feel in good hands. He is a gentleman
Customer Service: 10
Thebvest in the market. Gotosh machines are very fine to adjust and keep the tuning. The chrome plating looks very sturdy. Not a single item is of poor quelity
Components Rating: 10
It is becoming my favourite banjo. It is difficult to put it down.
Overall Rating: 10
Where Purchased: Banjo.com
Year Purchased: 2009
Price Paid: 2195 ($US)
I play bluegrass. Great tone up the neck with plenty of bottom end. I'm sure the sound will improve further as it "plays in" some. The walnut is not as harsh as my last (Maple) banjo and not as "mellow" as some mahogany banjos I have played.
Sound Rating: 10
Mark at Banjo.com adjusted the head tension while I was at the store. The action was already perfect. He installed RR spikes and oiled the fret board before it was shipped. It arrived looking better than it did when I first saw it.
Setup Rating: 10
Burled Walnut resonator, Walnut neck, Rosewood fret board, maple binding. Inlay work is simple and nicely done, leaving more of the wood visible than on most banjos, which is one of the reasons I like this model. The finish is very nice
Appearance Rating: 10
Everything looks to be of high quality. Time will tell, but I don't forsee any problems. I've only had it for two days.
Reliability Rating: 8
Mark at Banjo.com was great. Very helpful and easy to work with. He did a great job on the set-up and spike installation. I was even impressed with the packing job they did. I called Bishline with some questions before I commited to the purchase and Rob Bishline himself answered the phone. He was very friendly and helpful. We talked for a good while. Try calling some of the larger manufacturers, and I doubt the guy whose name is one the peghead will be the one answering the phone. Too bad the scale only goes to ten. I'd give Mark/ Banjo.com and Rob Bishline a much higher score.
Customer Service: 10
Kulesh Vintage 20 tone ring, Sosebee bridge. As I said before, time will tell, but all of the components seem to be of high quality. The standout is that burled walnut resonatorand the figured maple binding.
Components Rating: 10
I don't think you could buy a "better" banjo in any price range. I played a $10,000.00 Gibson in Nashville that didn't sound any better. I played a Gibson Grananda, a Stelling Red Fox, a Wildwood Artist and a couple of Deerings when I was looking at this one. The Bishline sounded (to me) better than the Wildwood and the Deerings and no worse than any of the others. This is subjective and there are many variables, (wood type, set-up, strings, etc) but that was my assessment.
Overall Rating: 10
Where Purchased: Elderly Instruments
Year Purchased: 2006
Price Paid: 1900 ($US)
Playing bluegrass and the walnut neck & resonator give the banjo a great sound, not too hard like maple can be and not a growling as mahogany. The sound is tight and punchy without being too harsh. I couldn't wish for more.
Sound Rating: 10
The set up is perfect for me, and Rob (Bishline) was keen to set up the instrument as I wanted, a nice easy action.
Setup Rating: 9
I bought this instrument as a pro spec without the fancy parts kind of banjo. I live in Scotland and I took a fair chance in buying unseen. I couldn't belive the quality in the banjo when it arrived, it's beautiful and has a real classy understatement to it that I like. The finish is top notch
Appearance Rating: 10
It's too early to tell but I think that the parts seem to be high quality, it's got a kulesh vintage 20 tone ring in it, so no problems with volume!
Reliability Rating: 10
I had a couple of problems with the shipping of the the banjo to start with and Rob Bishline could not have been nicer, to be be fair the problems were not his fault and he helped as well as he could and a fast as he could. It was very frustrating waiting on the banjo (it was damaged intransit and took a while to get sorted. To be fair It wans't anyones fault and both Elderly and Bishline helped without any problems. I thing that Rob stands by his work and feel confident that if I had any problems he would get me sorted.
Customer Service: 10
I am not a great player (yet!) and so I'm not too discerning about parts. The banjo scene is not big in Scotland and there aren't the people who cosntantly upgrade parts on their banjos, so I don't know how big a difference changing bridges, tailpieces etc make. It's so good I would be scared to mess with it.
Components Rating: 9
I think I got a fantastic instrument from a great maker at a good price. Even with import tax there is nothing to compare in the UK, a deering sierra in the Uk is around $600 dearer and just isn't in the same ball park. I know quite a few musicians who play and all think it is fantastic. I know that with time it will get even better. I can't imagine what banjos at twice this cost must be like. I can't belive there can be a huge difference in playability or tone, but as I don't have the range of instruments available to test against as you guys in the states I cant comment. I'm sure that I have the best instrument I could have bought for that money and was happy to be able to speak to the man who made it, it makes it much more personal. I can thouroughly recomment Bishline
Overall Rating: 10
