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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!
7228 reviews in the archive.
Where Purchased: ebay (judysmountainbanjo)
The Little Maggie Picks have solved the problem of having the bands overlap around my cuticles which happens with every other fingerpick I have tried. Perfect for guys with slender fingers, ladies and children. The fit of these picks is great. The slightly longer blade gives me more options for customization. The German Nickel Silver gives a classic, bright sound comparable with national brand picks. Miss Judy has been great to work with and has answered all of my questions. I couldn't be happier!
Overall Rating: 10
Where Purchased: Mr. Hatfield
Year Purchased: July 2011
Price Paid: Don't Remember
historic exchange rates / currency converter
The sound of my Buck Creek is what I think a banjo should sound like. It compares well with older Gibsons, new Hubers or Yates. It will only improve with age.
Sound Rating: 9
The banjo was set up well when I received it. It came with a 5/8 bridge and I decided that I wanted to move up to a .656. Mr. Hatfield was more than willing to trade bridges with me. It took me a while to adjust to the lighter gague strings but now realize that they help give the best tone out of the banjo.
Setup Rating: 9
The instrument is beautiful. I think that the snowflake inlays are some of the best looking inlays that I have seen. The mahogany neck and resonator are beautiful. All parts are of high quality on all of Mr. Hatfield's banjos.
Appearance Rating: 10
The Buck Creek is an extremely reliable and consistent instrument. The time and detail that Mr. Hatfield puts into his banjos is second to none. He puts about 20 coats of lacquer on the neck and I'm sure that it will outlast me.
Reliability Rating: 10
Mr. and Mrs. Hatfield were great to deal with. I conducted the purchase through emails and one phone call. Mr. Hatfield shipped the banjo on a day of the week that insured that it would not sit on a delivery truck over the weekend in the 90 degree weather. He traded bridges with me and even sent me a Christmas card. The Hatfields are as honest and friendly as they come and it felt like I was dealing with friends instead of conducting business with strangers.
Customer Service: 10
I am a fan of all of the parts of the banjo. I like the inlays and really like the full sound of his compensated bridges. There are no tuning issues, even when using a capo!
Components Rating: 10
Not only did I get a great banjo. The service was great and I feel like I received a good deal. I feel like Mr. Hatfield's banjos are the best banjo you can buy for the money because he sells them himself instead of using dealers. Since there is no middle man, the consumer gets the absolute best deal possible! Bottom line: BUY A HATFIELD! You will be glad you did!
Overall Rating: 10
Another great review for John. It was amazing to see him take apart a banjo and identify the parts and the time periods they were from. He showed me several tips about setup including tap tuning the head. Also, John went above and beyond by transporting me and my banjos to the local car dealership while my car was being serviced. Who can beat curbside service?
Overall Rating: 10