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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!
7198 reviews in the archive.
Where Purchased: World Music Supply
Year Purchased: 2017
Price Paid: 349.99 ($US)
Couldn't set it up as the neck was cracked.
Sound Rating: not rated
Couldn't set it up as the neck was cracked.
Setup Rating: not rated
Very easy on the eyes and the MOP inlay from the Peghead to the pot was very appealing.
However, inside the pot rim the terminator seem, where the rim meets, still had dried glue protruding out of it. The rim itself had small chunks out of it on the edges, and even had burnt saw blade markings on it. Poor quality workmanship. Wood seemed very dry and brittle.
Give it a 5 due to the rim poor workmanship. I have an old RK-25 and the pot rim, on the inside, is as smooth as the outside. No burnt saw blade marking either.
Appearance Rating: 5
Hardware looked like it would last and was sturdy except for the resonator retention screw nuts. They were barely screwed into the resonator and were very easily pull out of the resonator.
Finish was fine as well and looked like it would last through lots of gigs.
Give it an 8 due to the resonator retainer nuts because if you pull the resonator off a lot you will have to glue them back in.
Reliability Rating: 8
Customer service is top notice. Even the company president answer the phone and emails. He even sent me his cell number and said to contact him with any problems or concerns.
Had to send two of these back as FedEx busted them in shipping. Company paid shipping both ways.
Customer Service: 10
Fisherman electronic pickup is really heavy and makes the banjo dip to the pot end. It also makes the banjo shift a lot if you strap isn't stationary.
Don't see any upgrade on components, all were good quality.
Components Rating: 10
Fender made these for a special purpose and they didn't sell well, I guess. So they sold the remaining lot to a clearing house and now they have to deal with the poor workmanship.
I want buy another Fender unless I can inspect it before purchase. I hope the folks who paid top dollar, instead of clearance price, for these got the good ones. I saw other reviews were the neck cracked in the same place as mine, and one even said he played it for a couple weeks and it cracked at the nut also.
Overall Rating: 5
