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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.

Glenn Carson Luthier Reviews

Submitted by Dan Drabek (see all reviews from this person) on 10/21/2014

Overall Comments

I've admired Glenn's work for a long time. His engraving is at least as good or better than that of the original Fairbanks/Vega craftsmen I love so much. And I'm a fussy guy. His heel carving is the finest I have ever seen. Period.

I recently sent off a neck I made to Glenn for both pearl and metal engraving. It was a pretty special banjo and I wanted the engraving to be special as well. Glenn is a great guy, and was very responsive to what I had in mind. The banjo was a bit outside of his normal style, but he proved to be flexible and creative as needed, and returned a banjo that was far more beautiful than the one I sent him.

Quality engraving is a skill that isn't easily learned, and impossible to fake. And Glenn has taken it to a very high level. His work in both pearl and metal are exemplary. And aside from the skill, we have his artistry. Always tasteful and creative. Not a combination one often sees.

I would not hesitate to give Glenn a rating of 10/10. He's one of the best.

Dan Drabek

Overall Rating: 10

Submitted by R. Blakeslee Gilpin (see all reviews from this person) on 6/4/2014

Overall Comments

I own one of Glenn's custom collaborations with Will Fielding (see review here: http://www.banjohangout.org/reviews/search.asp?m=m&v=10106&redir=true) and I couldn't be more impressed with Glenn's work. I asked Glenn if he might be willing to engrave a neck I had made, which was inlayed with plain but solid MOP. Glenn agreed and was finished so quickly I wondered what he possibly could have done with it. The answer: a stunning and superlative bit of engraving that only someone with a keen artistic eye and the highest skill level could achieve. Glenn did a bit of setup work on the neck and shipped it back to me without any payment to make sure I was happy with the work. After all that the price was fantastic! That's someone who stands behind the work they do. If anyone out there wants the highest caliber of contemporary pearl work and engraving, an honest and reliable luthier who works quickly and charges a very reasonable price, Glenn's your man. He's as good as they get.

Overall Rating: 10

Submitted by Couchie (see all reviews from this person) on 6/13/2011

Overall Comments

I was introduced to Glenn by a mutual friend of ours, Reed Martin. Reed knew that I had an old Vega #9 that needed extensive repair/restoration. He told me that Glenn was just the man for the job. With some hesitation I handed my old #9 over to Glenn and said that he could do what ever he wanted to make it better. To ease some of my hesitation, Glenn showed me some banjos that he had built over the years and from what I saw I knew that it would be in good hands. Glenns carving and inlay work are nothing short of amazing. Glenn is one of those rare people who understands how the old banjos were built and is able to recreate the same craftsmanship that was used over a century ago. Absolutely amazing! I consider it an honor to have an instrument that has been restored by his masterful hand. Glenn, I cannot thank you enough.

Overall Rating: 10