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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!
7209 reviews in the archive.
Where Purchased: Banjoteacher.com
Year Purchased: 2022
Price Paid: 1800 - ish ($US)
This banjo has remarkably good sound. It is extremely responsive, notes clear and true all over the neck, and now that I have the right setup, it is, no exaggeration, the best playing-and-sounding banjo I have ever played. Really surprising from what I had always considered a lower-end manufacturer. You don't have to play hard, but when you do, the Twanger will roar.
The no-hole tone ring is an unusual choice, but it gives a very crisp, crunchy note, with plenty of depth, character, and volume. Action is right about average. Capoing up the neck doesn't reduce the oomph either, and the sound is good all the way to fret 22.
Sound Rating: 10
Setup from Banjoteacher was OK. It came with very heavy strings, and a pretty good Snuffy bridge. I'd say it didn't come into its own until I put light strings on, and found a Sullivan FF bridge that was the perfect height and gave it the sound I was looking for. But that's all I've changed -- tailpiece is good (has that little bit of felt that cuts overtones just a hair), and I have not had to mess with the head tension or the neck at all.
Setup Rating: 8
It looks fine. Like a banjo. Clearly a factory nitro finish, which is ok. Resonator doesn't sit perfectly, typical for a cheaper instrument.
Appearance Rating: 7
I've gigged with this banjo constantly since February, and it sounds the same every time I pick it up. That's huge -- banjos are very fussy, they go out of whack with the weather, parts shift or come loose. This is my main gigging banjo now, and I have no reservations.
Reliability Rating: 9
I asked for the banjo, they sent it. That's been the extent of my dealings with the company.
Customer Service: 10
Swap out strings and bridge (you'd do that with almost any new banjo). Everything else is fine out of the box.
One minor issue - the neck is just a hair narrow at the nut. 1st string pulloffs at the second fret bring the string off the edge and give you a pfft note if you're not careful. It might be fixable with a recut nut; so far it only bothers me during "Fireball Mail" and "Dill Pickle Rag."
Components Rating: 8
I can't recommend this banjo enough, IF you go just a little beyond the out-of-the-box setup and find the strings and bridge that work for you. Every bridge I tried sounded pretty good, and then I found one that was perfect.
Now the Twanger plays and sounds better than some of my friends' Hubers and Gibsons. It really sounds surprisingly good. Every note comes loud and even, and it has let me ratchet up my banjo game.
The neck is not as good as my Hatfield (hard to compete with the hand-carved) but it's comfortable, smooth, not the least bit clubby. While we're comparing, the Hatfield is also a great sound, but is much more finicky, and the Twanger makes my RK-80 sound like rubber bands.
For your main gigging workhorse banjo, you can't do better, and it's more than good enough to be your studio axe.
Overall Rating: 10
Where Purchased: Banjoteacher.com
Year Purchased: 2021
Price Paid: 600 ($US)
Banjo style: LOUD, ELECTRIC, FUZZED
Used with: Amplitube iRig for iPad electronic amplifier modeling
Sound: I wouldn't have expected the neck-position humbucker + drumhead to give both a good acoustic AND electric banjo sound, but it really does. I'm amazed at how good this really basic design works for both banjo sounds and electric sounds.
The low-end humbucker isn't great, but it does the job. Electrically, it's maybe just a little dull. I plan to swap it out for an EMG 85 - the wiring is simple enough to where that's easily doable.
Big question most will ask: when I plug in, can I get a good amplified-but-banjoey sound? Answer is yes. Recommend that you set the amp on clean, dial down the tone to about half to avoid grittiness, and you'll get a sweet twangy banjo sound, maybe a little less bright than you'd like but pretty good.
UPDATE: I swapped out the low-end stock pickup for an EMG 85 active humbucker. The difference in sound is extraordinary. Although now I have to duct-tape a 9V battery to the back!
Sound Rating: 9
Very solid, sturdy instrument. Plays remarkably easily, tunes well. Action is good and low. Strings were too heavy, swapped for lights. Tailpiece that comes with it is pretty lousy, so I swapped it for a Kerschner, which fit perfectly.
Setup Rating: 9
Lovely dark wood finish. No flaws. Looks nice. I plan to make it uglier, but that is the way of BEEFUS!
Appearance Rating: not rated
That big ugly stock tailpiece is sturdy enough, but hard to change strings on so I changed it out. Otherwise, tuners are solid, drumhead good, this is well-built.
Reliability Rating: 8
Ross Nickerson is great, very helpful, shipping was real quick.
Customer Service: 10
I looked under the hood, and the wiring is pretty amateurish. Dodgy soldering, no heat shrinks, little stray strands of wire just waiting to short circuit something. It's also not grounded - less of an issue with humbuckers, but could cause problems with noise in some situations. If you're serious about gigging with this instrument, I highly recommend a rip-and-replace for the wiring; for casual playing, it should be fine.
Components Rating: 5
A better-than-expected low-priced electric banjo, with a better-than-expected design and sound. Everything is just fine with this, except the wiring job which is relatively poor quality (though no worse than I've seen on some high-end vintage guitars!). Because it's so simple, it has rich potential for modding and upgrading, so I consider that a big plus.
Overall Rating: 9
Where Purchased: frum Smitty
This bridge make BEEFUS' banjo blow down th walls! reel nice kraftwerk, reel solid n sturdy, and a awsum LOUD crisp toan!
Overall Rating: 10
