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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!

6991 reviews in the archive.

Nechville: Aries

Submitted by coherent on 6/8/2020

Where Purchased: Avenue Guitars

Year Purchased:
Price Paid: $3400 ($US)

Sound

Clean and smooth. Very warm and full. I like the sound of a classic bluegrass banjo but to my ears to much "twang" can sound like loose parts with not enough warmth an fullness. The Aries is a walnut banjo which seems to find a happy medium between the brightness of maple and the warmth of mahogany. To my ear a great middle ground.

Sound Rating: 9

Setup

I relayed to the retailer my preferences and it arrived set up perfectly. Great action and the intonation was spot on with every string. I know the Nechvilles are known for their easy adjustments and ability to tune in the desired sound, but I haven't had the need or desire to change anything so far.

Setup Rating: 10

Appearance

I'm a fairly new banjo player and while I have not played a lot of banjos I have been able to try quite a few and have also held and played a number of guitars over the years. It's fairly easy to recognize quality by not just the look, but feel, fit and finish if an instrument. The Nechville is top notch. I could find no flaws whatsoever in the workmanship. A beautifully made banjo.

Appearance Rating: 10

Reliability

I haven't had it long enough to rate reliability, but seems to be made with quality parts and assembled well. The clear coat finish is exceptional in my opinion and expect it to hold up extremely well..

Reliability Rating: 9

Customer Service

I have called and email Nechville a few times prior to the purchase and they were helpful and answered my questions promptly. The warranty is lifetime to my understanding and from other buyers feedback they seem to be very responsive to owners if they have issues.

Customer Service: 10

Components

The radius neck is exceptionally smooth and easy playing. Overall feel and "playability" is top notch. I have no negatives as to the quality of parts or workmanship.

Components Rating: 10

Overall Comments

I also own a Deering and am a big fan of the Deering necks and the way they feel. I didn't think I'd find a neck that fit my personal preferences more until I played the Nechville. I realize that the feel of any instrument is very subjective to individual preference but it's hard for me to believe that anyone wouldn't be pleased with the Nechville's feel and playability. Sound is also a very subjective and important quality, but the adjustability of these banjos was an important factor to me as having the ability to easily "fine tune" the sound to personal preferences is a plus in my opinion.

Overall Rating: 10