I am attending Clifftop this year. This will be the first time to attend this festival.
I intend purchasing a quality open back banjo during this visit to the US. Purchasing at Clifftop is an option I am considering. The only manufacturer that will be in attendance at this time according to my research (contacting manufacturers) is Pisgah. Rickard are an uncertain possibility. If anyone is aware of other definite attendees, I would love to know. Not looking for a bargain purchase per-se, rather a quality instrument. Some questions.
Based on experience, is buying a banjo at Clifftop a worthwhile and rewarding purchase?
What is 'choice/availability' like at the festival?
Would one be better pre-purchasing (retailer elsewhere in US) pre-festival, to ensure success? I have contacts living in the US and could potentially have an instrument shipped to them.
If anybody is selling a late model Rickard Banjo, and better still attending Clifftop, I would love to hear from you.
Thanks in advance for advice and comments.
I don’t know about dealers that will be there, but lots of people will be there with lots of banjos. I personally have not been to Clifftop in 10+ years, but the last time I was there, there was an awful lot of horse trading with banjos, guitars and fiddles.
I used to bring a war chest of cash to festivals back when. You never knew who would show up with what instrument to trade/sell, and cash is king. People are always looking to sell, trade up ect. At festivals. At least years ago they were. Walked out with some great deals in the distant past. Heck, I drove out of one festival with a vintage convertible that someone had drove there back in the 80’s. Had that car for years as a daily driver and then sold it to a collector in Italy. Loved that car…so that being said, Clifftop, at least from my memory would be one of the best places to hunt down a banjo.
Clifftop is usually a banjo supermarket. I plan to be there on Wednesday in my usual vendor space with all the banjos I have available.
Bob Smakula
Edited by - Bob Smakula on 04/02/2023 15:50:04
