DVD-quality lessons (including tabs/sheet music) available for immediate viewing on any device.
Take your playing to the next level with the help of a local or online banjo teacher.
Weekly newsletter includes free lessons, favorite member content, banjo news and more.
Premier Sponsors
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.
I bought a 1929 opf tb3 conversion back in the summer; I knew when I bought there were a few issues but just hadn't had time to take it to John to go over. Now my biggest regret is that I didn't make the time sooner!
John fixed several nasty delaminations in the prewar rim and corrected the fit of the tone ring. This literally saved my investment in the banjo!
The neck fit was terrible, with shims add to push the neck forward and the lag bolts bent over out of alignment. John corrected all this; making a beautiful early Frank Neat neck fit and play perfectly again.
There was a place that the back of the resonator had separated; so he took care of this also. After reassembling he touched up the frets and the nut; and set up the banjo which is now just unbelievably great!
Oh yeah, all this with only a week turnaround.
Overall Rating: 10
I just wanted to take a minute to share what a great experience I had doing business with Robby Boone and the folks at Janet Davis Music this past week. What a top tier business; if you're looking to purchase an instrument I can't recommend them enough! They will treat you fair, promptly respond to any questions, and go out of their way to satisfy.
Thanks again to Robby, Jake & everyone at JDMC!
Overall Rating: 10
A piece broke out of the flange on my beloved prewar conversion, I was completely heart broke. I had talked to several people I knew know about OPFs, many telling that it would be very difficult to fix without changing the sound of my banjo.
Along with several referrals from past customers, I had heard John speak about instrument repair in the chat room; so I felt very comfortable leaving my banjo in his care.
After calling John up and telling him my situation, he said he believed he could do the repair. He was very honest about the repair, telling me that there was a chance that the repair might not hold or could possibly change the sound of my banjo some; but the procedure he would use was the best possible repair he was aware of for this type of metal.
I dropped the banjo off and was able to pick it up only a few days later, repaired, looking great, and still sounding as good as before the repair. I was very surprised at my cost also; I will only say that I was prepared and would have been happy to pay more 3 times the cost for the repair.
John was great to deal with, very open and honest about what I could expect, and done a great repair on my banjo at a very reasonable price. I will highly recommend John Boulding to anyone in need of instrument repair work!
Overall Rating: 10
Where Purchased: Morrell Music, Bristol,TN
Year Purchased: 1999
Price Paid: 2,000 ($US)
Excellent tone and volume, powerful from nut to 22th. I have done a lot of work to get this banjo to the point it is at though.
Sound Rating: 10
Remo head tuned to G or G#, depending on how often I keep the setup work done. 3/4 snuffy smith bridge, I had the neck cut this height. I also had a bone nut cut to the height I like for this banjo.
Setup Rating: 10
Very nice appearance. Nothing special about the looks of this banjo othen than a personalized pearl truss rod cover.
Appearance Rating: 10
This has been the only banjo I've played since I purchased it, but once again I've changed a lot on the banjo since it was purchased.
Reliability Rating: 10
I haven't had any contact with the store i purchased the banjo from or from Gibson. Clancy Mullins, from Boone's Creek TN, does all my banjo work and i highly recommend his work and his custom banjos.
Customer Service: 10
When purchased the banjo came with standard tuners, a 5/8 grover bridge for which the neck was cut for at the factory, and the standard gibson/ kulosh (spelling??) tone ring. I have installed a set of keith/scruggs tuners, had the neck recut to support the bigger 3/4 bridge, and had a huber tone ring installed. The huber ring luckly fit perfect to the rim as was. So with that all said, I feel like this banjo will hold it's own. I must alos say the factory frets sucked, they didn't even make it threw one festival season before i had to replace them.
Components Rating: 10
When I purchased the banjo, it was sitting in the store with a big sign on it that said, "Gibson RB-250 $1,998.00." I immediately knew it was a RB-3 from the appearance. Although I wasn't impressed with the sound it had at the store, the potential was there. I had the store owner print me a reciept for the banjo that day so if they happened to figure out they had priced it wrong I would still be able to get it at the cheaper price. After making the chances I wanted to the banjo, I think it is one of the best banjo I've ever played. I don't want anyone to think i'm dogging the Gibson parts, they are top quality material, but they were just not what I was looking for in the tone department. I love this banjo!
Overall Rating: 10
Newest Posts
'Morning Reflection (2F)' 41 min
'Vega Whyte Laydie' 2 hrs
'Good Sunday Morning' 5 hrs
'1954 Gibson RB-100 w/Video' 11 hrs
'Leaking galvanized pipe ?' 12 hrs
