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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!
7199 reviews in the archive.
Where Purchased: Calkins
Year Purchased: 2010
Price Paid: Don't Remember (bought USED)
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This was an old Dobson "Matchless" banjo pot that needed a new neck... so I put Nate to the task and ended up with a super old-timey sounding banjo. The sound is EXACTLY what I was looking for in a clawhammer banjo.
Sound Rating: 10
Nate tightened the calfskin head... added a Sampson submerged wood (walnut/ebony) bridge... as well as a new tailpiece. He strung it up with nyl-gut strings and the strings are exactly where the need to be.
Setup Rating: 10
The old pot I had was brass wraped and very distressed so I wanted to stay with that "old" look... So I had him carve a walnut neck, fretted with a frailing scoop. To me it's the coolest banjo I've seen and it just melts in your hands.
Appearance Rating: 10
No problems at all.
Reliability Rating: 10
Nate is extremely kind and patient... I may have been a little picky (Check with Nate to confirm this) but He never got frustrated with me in the least.
Customer Service: 10
I chose my parts personally but he installed them and I've had no problems.
Components Rating: 10
I had a wonderful experience with Nate and I highly reccomend him as a banjo maker... in fact, I'm considering a fretless from him at this very moment. www.calkinsbanjos.com
Overall Rating: 10
I had an old Dobson banjo with a very warped neck but the pot was very sweet. I really needed a good neck for it, so I contacted Nate and he made me a beautiful Walnut neck. The neck has a very nice feel and I swear the banjo sounds 1,000 times better than before. Calkins was very careful and attentive to the work he did and I am very pleased. Stop by my page sometime and I'll try to put up some pics of my banjo. Thanks Nate!!!
Overall Rating: 10
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