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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!
7231 reviews in the archive.
Where Purchased: Acutab
Year Purchased: 2004
Price Paid: 3200 ($US)
Has a lot of the sound of classic Gibson banjos, really rings with a lovely rich tone. Is very even across bass/treble and up/down the neck. Listen to the Team Flathead MP3 on the Huber website or get the CD, that is what you will get, except maye a bit warmer & richer in real life. Is excellent for bluegrass and more mellow or celtic music. Slides & hammers on the 3rd string jump out at you, the 4th string was pretty good to start with but got better as the banjo opened up.
Sound Rating: 10
After transatlantic shipping only needed 3 bolts slightly tightened to torque (recommended setting & guage supplied with banjo) and tuning. Guage useful to be able to quickly get to optimum once you have decided your optimum for a particular setup.
Setup Rating: 10
The mahogany of the neck & resonator is a rich deep brown with beautiful shine, the inlay is pretty as is the rosewood, all the metal is very shiney and seems fairly resistant to marking. Only flaw is a slight scratch on tailpeice string cover, am sure would get a replacement if I asked but dont want to change anything, very happy with the banjo.
Appearance Rating: 10
The Waverly V-2 tuners are excellent, pretty, smooth & accurate, work well, am planning on putting on Keith D-tuners all round at 1st string change, will be hard as the Waverly's are great. Finish seems excellent.
Reliability Rating: 10
John Lawless of Acutab handles the service excellently, perfect balance of helpfulness, enthusiasm and professionalism regardless how dumb or sensible your question was.
Customer Service: 10
Lots of people were worried about the smaller neck, I have small hands and am used to Deerings so was worried about the thicker neck! Needn't have, its great, it is thicker than Deerings but is very comfortable and I am adapting to it quickly. All components are top draw.
Components Rating: 10
This is an excellent banjo full stop, for the price its outstanding. If mine was stolen I would get another - no question. I love the banjo, the tone is the best feature though everything is great except for the 5-6 month wait.
Overall Rating: 10
Where Purchased: musicground doncaster UK
Year Purchased: 2000
Price Paid: 1700ish ($US)
Good sound, good volume, accurate up the neck. Different sound to Gibson or Stelling. In 2004 improved tone with a Fults Cumberland 20 Tailpiece and custom bridge (Desert Rose, KatEyz & Scorpion all work great for me), very good now but my Huber has the edge in tone and is more responsive (so it should at twice the price)
Sound Rating: 8
Excellent setup, only adjusted head which may have stretched slightly. Easy low action a joy to play.
Setup Rating: 9
The plain mahogany looks very nice but not so flashy as some banjos, would have liked more ornate inlay than the plain dots I had, Deering quoted $499 extra for a wreath pattern inlay as a custom option (June 2004). The peghead logo is pretty poor too.
Appearance Rating: 7
Shiny stuff shows marks easily but a very solid reliable instrument. Accidentally damaged in 2004 due to my stupidity, fixed up fine.
The Satin neck does gloss with use over the years.
Reliability Rating: 9
Took over 2 weeks to get a reply to an email with a query about this banjo, the follow up e-mail got no response. Though I got no failure report apparently Deering did not receive the 2nd email explaining the lack of response. When I mentioned this on a topic here Janet Deering looked into it herself. Bottom line resend your emails if they dont respond, they will respond if you mention in the Discussion Forum here so you will get there in the end. Lots of others on the hangout have had good service from Deering.
Customer Service: 8
The neck is fantastic, best neck I have held, slim, very easy action, great for beginner (was my first banjo), the satin finish is very fast with a great feel, makes you want to pick it up all the time. Get a new bridge - I tried 6 different bridges all gave better tone and more volume, I found Desert Rose, KatEyz & Scorpion all great for a bluegrass sound, Sampson Birch really good for a mellow rich tone. Fults Tailpiece drastically improved richness and ring of the banjo.
Components Rating: 8
The Sierra is an excellent banjo, is a joy to play, great for a beginner, especially if you have smaller hands.
Probably I would not buy another if it was lost though, these days if I was to buy in this price range I would think about a Goldstar (or maybe the new Recording Kings), less money for a prettier banjo with more of a Gibson tone. The build & finish on the Sierra probably has the edge though, the neck is great.
Not so responsive as my Huber Lancaster where subtle differences when playing slides etc make a noticeable difference to sound, that probably makes the Sierra easier to play when starting out.
Overall Rating: 8
Where Purchased: Ivor Maraint London UK
Year Purchased: 2004
Price Paid: 2750ish ($US)
Unplugged is much quieter than a 'proper' banjo, very quiet without picks but clearly audible with picks(quiet enough to practice in a different closed room without disturbing anyone else in the house)
Loud as you want plugged in.
Unplugged & more so plugged has a hint of country electric guitar sound, was a bit disappointed did not sound more Banjo like, but there is a good bit of banjo in the mix at one extreme. Range of tone adjustment very good compared to electric guitars I was told by a friend with years of guitar experience. Can sound very mellow guitar like at other extreme of adjustment.
Sound Rating: 7
Action nice and well setup. There is a problem with the strap location buttons & balance, the Crossfire wants to be almost horizontal so you end up supportting the neck.
Setup Rating: 7
Nice styling, does not look as 'fat' in the flesh as in photos, but still plump compared to an electric guitar.
Standard Black body & Blonde neck a good colour combination. Nice shiny finish on body & neck. Being picky if look carefully can see poorer (lumpy) finish on hidden part of body, under head tensioner but most would not notice. Peghead shape not very appealing.
Appearance Rating: 7
Hardware seems very solid and shines easily after marked.
Reserve judgement on the shiny body for long term and minimal little pick up selector switch(both fine so far). Generally a solid Instrument.
Reliability Rating: 9
Took over 2 weeks to get a reply to an email with a query about my Sierra, the follow up e-mail got no response. Though I got no failure report apparently Deering did not receive the 2nd email explaining the lack of response. When I mentioned this on a topic here Janet Deering looked into it herself. Bottom line resend your emails if they dont respond, they will respond if you mention in the Discussion Forum here so you will get there in the end. Lots of others on the hangout have had good service from Deering.
Customer Service: 7
Am told range of sound available better than usual on electric guitars, so assume pick ups etc good.
Neck good, maple looks nice but feel not as good as the sierra, at least in part due to gloss finish not feeling so fast.
Components Rating: 8
As usual with Deering a solid instrument with good feel and good value for money (compared to electric banjos - but can get top name electric guitar for a lot less money- UK very expensive for banjos).
Would have liked it with more 'banjo' sound and the balance of the instrument is wrong with the strap button locations, which irritates slightly.
Would probably buy another if stolen, prefer the look of electric Nechvilles some with more sophisticated circuitry but 11month wait too long and more expensive, gold tone electrics look awful but cheaper - crossfire best compromise.
Good quiet instrument for practice with the option of plugging in as well, handy if some of your friends are electric.
Overall Rating: 8