Extension of Mike's discussion.
At the ABF rallies, banjos in use are really all over the place. We see noname jobbers up to original Bacon Silverbell NPU #6. Even "modern" banjos.
Open back? Yes.
Resonator? Yes.
At the last few rallies, Stewart banjos have been represented well. As with things, there is a slant towards the higher end models, #3s to Presentation grade.
Me. I slant to unadorned banjos. Perhaps this is an added appeal for me with Weaver banjos. I think they are visually fantastic. But I also bounce around, which is why I have a "library" of banjos (I swear I am not a "collector").
Currently I am playing a teens CE Wood Hoop Special with a CE resonator fitted and a Birdseye neck Weaver that is engraved 1910.
I also very much enjoy my Van Eps banjos as well as my Gariepy version of the FVE "flush fret". About two weeks ago I was playing a Weaver "Bohee Champion" that was "modernized" by Weaver with a new fretted fingerboard (it was likely all metal) and champion pegs. This is something Weaver was known to do, upgrade banjos. R. Tarrant Bailey even wrote about having it done.
With the fingerstyle players I know, any well crafted banjo is fair game.
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