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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!
7225 reviews in the archive.
Where Purchased: From Brooks
Year Purchased: 2010
Price Paid: 1870 ($US)
This banjo has a very nice balance between warm/smooth and deep and plunky. It has a decent amount of volume. It tends (atleast to my ears) to sound better in the upper registers rather than the lower.
Sound Rating: 9
The setup was perfect when I recieved it. The bridge hieght is great; It is incredibly playable.
Setup Rating: 10
It has a curly maple rim with burgandy stain. The neck is walnut. It looks terrific. The only minor appearence flaw, is that it could stand to be sanded a little better where the neck widens at the fifth fret.
Appearance Rating: 8
Haven't had it long enough to comment on reliability; however it looks and feels very well built. Also Brooks has a more than fair repair policy, were anything to go wrong.
Reliability Rating: 10
I have to say I was very dissapointed by customer service. Emails were not responded to. I was charged for a custom feature on the banjo that was never done ( it was resolved when i brought it to his attention however). And the banjo took twice as long as initially estimated. I know others have had much more positive experiences, and by the look of his blog he was very busy. I don't believe my experience was typical.
Customer Service: 2
A lot of the hardware he makes himself and it is both beautiful and functional. The tuners are five star pegs.
Components Rating: 9
This a wonderful banjo that I will own till I die. Well worth the money and the wait. If it weren't for the customer service problems it would be a 10.
Overall Rating: 8