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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!
7210 reviews in the archive.
Where Purchased: Stone Banjo Company (in-person)
Year Purchased: 2024
Price Paid: $1290 ($US)
My new Stone Banjo Company Half Fretless 12" is both rich and full sounding while retaining enough crispness to let the melody and fretless slides stand out. Sustain all day if you want it. Spot on for Round Peak, rhythmic tunes and a generous dose of melody as well!
Sound Rating: 10
Steve Gerritsen, owner of Stone Banjo Company and the sole builder of Stone Banjos, handed me the banjo on Thursday, February 15th, 2024 and I've been playing it exactly as delivered ever since. The attention to setup detail is amazing!
Setup Rating: 10
This banjo is not only beautiful, it is built to be played. Sturdy, but not overbuilt. Lightweight with a good solid feel.
12" Cherry block thin, deep rim. Walnut rim cap.
Wood Tone Ring
Cherry neck with walnut center strip
Rosewood fretboard and peghead overlay.
Handmade brass tension hoop.
Brass plate up to 7th fret.
Beautiful!
Appearance Rating: 10
This Stone Company banjo will be played for decades! Beyond my time - sure hope one of my daughters keeps it going (but don't ask me for it anytime soon.)
Top notch hardware and finish.
This banjo has already made the stage and will continue to be my teaching and gigging player.
It's meant to be played!
Reliability Rating: 10
Steve Gerritsen at Stone Banjo Company was a true pleasure to work with. A visit to his shop, if you can swing it, is worth a million words here.
From wood choice to pot size, to neck width, to scale length, to inlay, to brass plates, to peghead shapes ... Steve is with you every step of the way. Regular updates on progress.
Excellent warranty.
Visit the Stone Banjo Company website for all the details!
Hope to continue to get to know Steve and play a few tunes with him!
Customer Service: 10
Components: Simply: All components are handmade and/or top of the line. No shortcuts here!
Components Rating: 10
Mark Twain said:
When you want genuine music—music that will come right home to you like a bad quarter, suffuse your system like strychnine whisky, go right through you like Brandreth’s pills, ramify your whole constitution like the measles, and break out on your hide like the pin-feather pimples on a picked goose,—when you want all this, just smash your piano, and invoke the glory-beaming banjo!
My new Stone Banjo Company Half Fretless banjo makes me smile even more than that Mark Twain quote!
I've posted a couple of sample Stone Banjo Company banjo tunes on my page.
Overall Rating: 10
Where Purchased: Nate Calkins - calkinsbanjos.com
Year Purchased: 2009
Price Paid: $550 ($US)
Full, rich sound. I have been playing a bunch of fretless lately and this tackhead is perfect for achieving a deep, expressive sound that fills a room.
Sound Rating: 10
#17 arrived in Pennsylvania from Oregon safe and sound - required about 5 minutes of set-up and tuning (Nate sent the banjo tuned down with the bridge laying flat) and I have been playing ever since. Bridge position is marked lightly on the head for easy positioning.
Setup Rating: 10
#17 is a truly beautiful banjo - photos are on Nate's website - calkinsbanjos.com. Neck is Chilean Cherry - very pretty, pot is an antique grain measure, pegs are boxwood (violin style). Workmanship is outstanding - fit and finish perfect.
Appearance Rating: 10
I plan to play the heck out of this banjo and it sure is built well enough to stand the test of time. I will travel with it, gig with it, etc. without hesitation.
Reliability Rating: 10
Nate Calkins handled my questions and my purchase with kindness and professionalism as well as in a timely manner.
Customer Service: 10
On a tackhead the workmanship and the wood are the key components - both are amazing.
Components Rating: 10
Highly recommended, great price, truly beautiful sound, easy playability - I really like this banjo!
Overall Rating: 10
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