Whispering Pines Banjo Company: Fretless tackhead

Submitted by jlink on 7/18/2023

Where Purchased: Direct from builder

Year Purchased: 2023
Price Paid: $753.45 (delivered) ($US)

Sound

I love my Whispering Pines banjo! (No relationship, other than being a satisfied customer.) It has a wonderful sound, with a crisp attack and a nice warm resonance, and it's very responsive to the dynamics of my playing. (The videos on Maxwell's Instagram page capture the sound quite well.)

Sound Rating: 10

Setup

Setup was fine. From winter (when I got it) to summer the action dropped a bit (no surprise with a goat skin head) but there was plenty of height to spare and I haven’t had any string buzz. I haven’t made any changes.

Setup Rating: 10

Appearance

I love the design, which is simple, elegant, and beautiful (a combination that is hard to pull off!) Oak pot (a little under 12”), walnut neck (cherry and maple are also available), geared tuners, and the minstrel peghead shape (other shapes also available). You can get it with wooden tuning pegs, in which case there’s no metal at all except for the tacks and the screw that supports the fifth string.

Appearance Rating: 10

Reliability

The tuners are about the only “hardware” on the instrument, and they haven’t given me any trouble. I’m not sure what brand they are. The goat skin head is nice and tight, the pot, neck, and end block are simply but well finished. This isn’t a fancy instrument but it’s clearly made with skill and care.

Reliability Rating: 10

Customer Service

Maxwell was great about answering questions quickly and keeping in touch before and during the build, as well as after delivery. A very nice guy to deal with.

Customer Service: 10

Components

This is a well thought-out design and everything works together harmoniously. The goat skin head is great, the wood is nice, the bridge and tuners are fine. I don’t think I would change anything.

Components Rating: 10

Overall Comments

This probably wouldn't be your first choice for playing fancy stuff high up on the neck, and it's not for showing off elaborate inlay or art-gallery woodworking. But as a "back porch" instrument it couldn't be more fun, and I absolutely love the sound. I've been a musician for more than forty years, but this is my first time with a banjo. In the four months I've had it there haven't been many days that I haven't picked it up, and once I do I seem to just want to keep on playing. (That's probably the best thing you can say about any instrument!) Highly recommended.

Overall Rating: 10