$870 tuition plus $750 in supplies+ 600-800 dollars for room/board is a hunk of change. Great setting, good meals, and a chance to nerd out non-stop with a bunch of banjo builders for a week. Probably worth it if you have the money.

We wish we could offer the class for less $ however its still a pretty good deal with the knowledge/banjo/experience you walk away with. The school offers discounts to locals and some scholarships. You can also save a few bucks by camping and bringing your own breakfast and lunch. If you have never taken a class at the Folk School, it is a pretty awesome experience!

I would love to get in on this but that is way beyond my means.

I would take this class, but this workshop requires previous instrument building experience. For my wife and I, we go to the Folk School once a year at least. I always take something music related. She mostly enjoys the arts and crafts type class. The food is great. Which makes it easy to get a lot done. I recently took a clawhammer banjo week workshop with Hilarie Burhans and it inspired me to play banjo more! They always have great teachers and you meet like minded people. It is expensive, but it's a great vacation and you get a banjo. I've seen banjos that people have made. They are amazingly good and the owners understandably have pride of ownership.

A few years back, Arthur Hatfield told me that if I could get out to Glasgow, KY for a few days, he would teach me to build a banjo neck the way he does it.
I made the trip, and he taught me how to turn a block of wood in to a functioning banjo neck. He also gave me a bunch of tools and jigs. Even one he got from Frank Neat when he was starting out. He refused any money I offered. He even insisted on buying me lunch a couple times.
Obviously I had to dig in to my pocket for a flight, hotel and rental car, so it wasn’t free. But it is one of my most treasured memories and as of today, I have built one fully functional banjo neck and am on my second now.
I would highly recommend anyone who loves banjo to spend a few bucks on a trip like this. It will change your life for the better. Even if you don’t go in to the banjo building business, there is something special about showing up to a jam with a banjo you built.