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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!
7232 reviews in the archive.
Where Purchased: Local Classifieds
Year Purchased: 2012
Price Paid: 450 ($US) (bought USED)
This banjo has a very nice tone to it. It has a walnut resonator so it is not too bright nor is it to mellow. It definitely has a warm tone but will cut through a jam. I use mine with a mojohound contact mic with a Gold Tone ABS pre-amp plugged in to a PA system. Works real nice for the most part, no problems with the banjo in that regard. Pickup system can be a little finicky sometimes.
Sound Rating: 9
The owner before me did not take care of this banjo at all. I tightened the head, lowered the action, replaced strings and bridge, tightened tuning pegs and she perked right up.
Setup Rating: 3
Beautiful banjo. Gold hardware and warm tone of the wood look great together. Inlay and headstock work are beautiful as well.
Appearance Rating: 9
Stays in tune pretty well. Finish is wearing off armrest but that is to be expected. Nothing out of the ordinary. Normal wear and tear.
Reliability Rating: 9
NA
Customer Service: not rated
I have only replaced the bridge and strings on this. Everything else seems fine.
Components Rating: 9
Great banjo, sounds great, looks great. People are always surprised that is says Fender on the headstock.
Overall Rating: 9
Where Purchased: Project music Exeter UK
Year Purchased: 2012
Price Paid: 575 (GBP)
historic exchange rates / currency converter
I bought this to play blue grass,after playing on other banjos I found this a lot easier to play, and it sounds loud and bright now after tightening the head.
I also made sure the tuning pegs were nipped up.
Sound Rating: 9
I have had no problems at all.
Apart from tightening the head and tuning pegs
Setup Rating: 9
The finish is excellent,the walnut looks stunning too
I found no flaws what so ever,it knocks spots off the Gold tone I also own.
Appearance Rating: 9
The gold plate finish is certainly better than my Gold tone TB250.
I have been playing it for two months with no sign of any problems.
Reliability Rating: 9
Had no problms at all.
12 month warranty
Customer Service: 9
The wood finish is stunning, no flaws what so ever.
Time will tell if the gold plate lasts.
I bought an engraved arm rest apart from that I left it standard.
Components Rating: 9
I am very happy with my Banjo, I have a Gold tone TB250 a Tanglewood TB 24 select 5 a low end Ozark this runs rings round them all for the price.
Some complain about the tuning pegs but I have had no problems at all.
They share the same type as my gold tone and it stays in tune without any trouble.
FENDER FB59 A YEAR ON,
I have now moved on and bought a Deering Calico but the Fender will stay as my first banjo.
Up until I purchased the Deering I played the FB59 for 3 to 4 hours a day and it has stood up to the test of time quite well.
The gold on the armrest was becoming a little thin,so I took the banjo apart and polished each part using Mer automotive polish and the whole banjo looks more like white gold than the yellow gold it was when new.
It stays bright and shiney all the time and doesnt look quite so blingy.
For a cheap banjo I would certainly recommend it, although the rattley clamshell tailpiece would have to go.
Overall Rating: 8
Where Purchased: Shelbybille Music Shop
Year Purchased: 2011
Price Paid: 750 ($US) (bought USED)
The FB59 I purchased used has a very clear, bright sound.
Sound Rating: 8
The FB59 was in excellent playing condition when I purchased it.
Setup Rating: 8
Very good looking instrument for the money. Walnut neck and resonator, nice inlay work.
Appearance Rating: 8
The FB59 has gold tone hardware and as a used instrument, it is showing wear. However, the slight wear does not distract from the look of the banjo.
Reliability Rating: 8
Purchased used with no warranty. Although the Shelbyville Music Shop is a great place to do business.
Customer Service: 9
The bridge could be upgraded at some point along with the tuning keys. Other than that, the rest of the components suit my needs.
Components Rating: 8
Overall, I am very impressed with the value of the FB59. I also have a Mastertone and the sound is different. Not bad compared to Gibson, just different. Actually, the Fender is brighter and little more crisp sounding. The FB59 has a nice ring and it plays well up the neck! I would recommend this instrument to anyone looking for a second banjo on a budget.
Overall Rating: 8
Where Purchased: Online Fender dealer
Year Purchased: 2010
Price Paid: 600 ($US)
I'm a re-entry player and played everything from Deering to Gibson banjos. Obviously, this banjo is not in the same class of instrument, but it sounds amazingly good, no matter what the price. It is bright, has great, ringing sustain and is punchy up the neck. I'd play this anywhere, no matter what instruments were being used.
Sound Rating: 8
Factory setup was not so great. The bridge was incorrectly placed, so I corrected the position. Easy enough. The head was quite loose, and the bridge was sunk down low enough that I had a 5th string buzz. Once the head was tightened correctly, the sound cleaned up and the buzz went away. I haven't done anything with the neck truss rod, as the action is fine.
Setup Rating: 8
I'm amazed, especially for the price. Beautiful walnut resonator and neck with a tasteful maple center strip. Real mother-of-pearl inlays, not "pearloid" and they are tight and well done. No flaws anywhere on the finish, and everything looks well made and is tightly matched and assembled. It looks like a $3.000 banjo. It's made in Korea for Fender, and the Fender inlay actually has the "registered trademark" symbol, which made me laugh. They should lose that ASAP. The plating seems fine, and it looks flashy but tasteful. I love it.
Appearance Rating: 8
It seems fine to me. The finish on the wood looks like a life-time worth of playing. I think the gold plating will probably start to wear, as it looks a little thin. I don't care though, as I like a "played" look anyway. I would absolutely play this banjo anywhere.
Reliability Rating: 8
I dunno...have had no warranty issues. Fender has been around for a long time, so I would assume that if something goes wrong, they will take care of it.
Customer Service: not rated
I've read other reviews where they say the tuners are cheap. I don't know if Fender upgraded them, but mine don't feel that way. They are very tight with no slop, are smooth and hold their tune. I would prefer a little slower gearing, but that's personal preference. The one piece that I would call "cheap" is the tailpiece. In attempting to bring it down a bit closer to the head, it's already bending at the adjustment nut. That will have to be replaced to get the sound where I want it.
Components Rating: 9
I've owned more expensive "brand name" banjos, but as a reentry player I was looking for something more affordable to see if I was going to get back into it. Holy cow...this thing is the best value on the market. It's crafted beautifully and it sounds great. It has fantastic, ringing sustain and sounds loud and clear all the way up the neck. If you're in the sub-$1000 price range, I'd recommend it. You're getting the equivilant of a banjo 2 to 3 times the price, and the Fender name isn't embarassing.
Overall Rating: 8
Where Purchased: Woodwind & Brasswind, South Bend, IN
Year Purchased: 2008
Price Paid: Christmas gift ($US)
Very good overall for a variety of tones, it's bright and loud for bluegrass but can sound mellow enough for solo fiddle tunes or vocal accompaniment.
Sound Rating: 10
Had a bad 5th string buzz when I got it, I had to work on the guide notch to eliminate. I changed to medium gauge strings & adlusted tailpiece tension & tweaked the truss rod to suit myself.
Setup Rating: 6
It's purty ! ! Nice inlays, gold hardware, nice finish. My wife likes it more than I do.
Appearance Rating: 10
I've read complaints about the plating wearing off,esp. on the armrest, but I haven't had that problem. It weighs a ton but is solidly put together,stays in tune well. I can't see why I would need a backup.
Reliability Rating: 10
Never dealt with Fender, I do my own setups & repairs.
Customer Service: 5
I haven't changed any parts out yet, seems to be no need to, though I have been thinking of going to a black head and ebony buttons for the cool factor.
Components Rating: 10
Plays, sounds, and looks good. The only issues might be in factory setup.
Overall Rating: 9
Where Purchased: ebay
Year Purchased: 2009
Price Paid: 729.00 ($US) (bought USED)
i lowered the action , installed a custom bridge, adjusted the angle of the tailpeice , put vega light guage strings on it, tightened the head, and installed a bone nut, and now it sounds like a gibson, great tone , very loud, bright and crisp, notes very good up and down the neck, i am impressed with this banjo after just little set up, i have owned multiple gibson banjo's and others as well , this banjo has potential,if you play it stock it sounds like crap
Sound Rating: 8
set up was awful as usual, but even gibson doesn't do well with set up
Setup Rating: 1
Beautiful walnut neck and resonator, i like the maple strip in the back of the neck , i just wish they had done the same with the resonator,like maple rings or something, gold plating looks good , but i can tell that it is not very durable and will probably start to wear off quicker than other more expensive banjo's
Appearance Rating: 8
gold plating looks good , but i can tell that it is not very durable and will probably start to wear off quicker than other more expensive banjo's, the finish on the wood is gorgeous
Reliability Rating: 7
never dealt with the waranty , haven't had any problems yet
Customer Service: not rated
the nut, and the bridge are junk, the tailpeice could be better , the thumb screws and resonator hardware are junk, the tuners are cheap, other than that everything else looks good, the nut, and bridge are usually junk on anything except high end banjol's anyway, but the tailpeice, the resonator hardware, and the tuners are a disapointment, but that can all be upgraded with a little cash, and hey, the price is great for a banjo that has this much potential
Components Rating: 7
over all for the price of these banjo's they are great and the cheap components can be replaced , and you still have a great banjo for a great price , i will wind up spending about $275.00 on all the upgrades , but i do my own set up work so that is just for parts, i paid $729.00 for it in like new condition, and that comes to a total of$1,004.00 , and this banjo sounds better than my Gibson RB-250
Overall Rating: 8
Where Purchased: ebay
Year Purchased: 2008
Price Paid: 700 ($US) (bought USED)
Mine has or had a mellower tone to it. I have put a Snuffy Smith II compensated bridge on it and that helped with intonation and tone. I might change out the head for a clear head but for now it sounds just fine. I also used to pick farther away from the bridge than normal and since picking closer to the bridge...(within 2 inches) it really came alive. Its quite heavy (13+ pounds) and plenty loud.
Sound Rating: 8
The banjo I purchased was used but basically brand new. Only strummed a few times. The bridge needed slight adjustment. The action was perfect. The head needed tightening (which also brightened the tone).
Setup Rating: 9
The appearance is beautiful. The gold plating and walnut are stunning. The inlays are very nice and sit perfectly in the fretboard. Like others have stated, wherever you rest your arm, the gold plating will wear off quickly on the armrest.
Appearance Rating: 9
So far I havent had any issues with the tailpiece vibrating and it seems very solid. It stays in tune perfectly. Everything seems to be high quality.....I am quite pleased. Very dependable.
Reliability Rating: 9
I have never had to deal with Fenders customer service so I cant comment.I cant imagine them being anything less than professional.
Customer Service: not rated
Upon getting your FB-59 I would immediately change strings and possibly a bridge swap. Other than that I wouldnt change a thing. If you need a brighter tone maybe a clear head.
Components Rating: 8
I am very pleased with this banjo and wouldnt have any problem purchasing another if need be. Everytime I open the case.......which is a very nice case......I am blown away by the beauty. I cant wait to get my hands on it.
Overall Rating: 9
Where Purchased: Bills Music House
Year Purchased: 2006
Price Paid: 679.00 ($US)
Liked the sound as soon as I heard it, right out of the box. Had a loud Bright tone to it. I did tighten the head and changed the bridge to a Snuffy Smith also, changed to a lite GHS string. Sound is now exactly what I'm looking for.
Sound Rating: 9
Only setup changes were to tighten head, change strings and bridge.
Really did not know what I wanted in the set up till I played it for about a month. The action seemed pretty good, I did lower the strings, just alittle high for me.
Setup Rating: 7
Very pretty banjo, the trim and gold plate go well with the walnut wood. Only issue with the banjo is the gold plating. The arm rest wears very quickly.
Appearance Rating: 10
Very reliable banjo, others have commented to me about how well it holds tune. I do agree, once in tune I don't have to retune very often.
Reliability Rating: 9
Customer Service: not rated
I would like to see a heavier gold plating. Also the tail peice needs to be upgraded I've had problems with vibration.
Components Rating: 7
I would recomend it to anyone looking for a reliable and good sounding banjo over all I give the Fender FB-59 a (90
Overall Rating: 9
Where Purchased: Guitar Center
Year Purchased: 2006
Price Paid: $750
historic exchange rates / currency converter
Bright and LOUD. When I saw it at Guitar Center, I hesitated since I don't like Fender acoustic instruments, but I tried it out, and couldn't put it down. It had the sound I was looking for with the feel that I had hoped for. A manager came by and did the whole sales routine with me, and I somehow haggled him down from $899 to $750 after sales tax for it.
Sound Rating: 10
Setup was perfect, though I changed out the bridge and tailpiece. I hated the cheapo bridge it came with, so I purchased Grover compensated bridge, which fixed the tone problem. Switched that out again with a Bart Veerman bridge, strait, mystery wood, ebony topped, and tone was perfect, and sounded really bright and loud. I also did not like the tailpiece it came with. It was one of those thin clamshell tailpieces that vibrated, so I had to put them self adheisive felt circles on the clamshell hood to stop the vibration. I eventually swapped it out with a Price Straitline tailpiece, which seemed to help with the volume (making it louder) and makes it easier to install the strings. I was also shocked that the banjo came with a BONE nut.
Setup Rating: 9
Beautiful finish. Shade of brown stain that I have never seen on a banjo before. It really compliments the gold plated hardware. Inlays are all beautiful. I always get compliments when I take it out of the case. Banjo was flawless when I bought it.
Appearance Rating: 10
The hardware on the banjo seems of high quality, all except for the armrest. The gold plating started coming off after the first month of playing it. Now, after 5 months of playing it, the arm rest is half gold, half nickel. Looks kind of cool though with the "patina" look. I may swap it out with a polished brass one, but for now, I don't care. While I'm playing, nobody's going to see it anyhow. Everything else on the banjo (after my upgrades) seem like they'll last forever. No other complaints.
Reliability Rating: 9
Guitar Center is like any other chain music store. They sell stuff, without very good customer service, though the manager I dealt with was okay. Can't complain. As for Fender, they are arrogent, and won't respond to e-mails, so I pretty much write them off as being crappy. This rating is for Guitar Center, and not for Fender.
Customer Service: 6
As I mentioned, the tailpiece vibrates, so either stick some self adheisive felt tabs on the under side of the clamshell, or replace it all together. Also, spend the $20 to buy a Bert Veerman bridge, you won't be sorry. I would buy directly from him though because if you don't like it, he won't cash your check. He only cashes is once you tell him that you are happy with your bridge. I don't know of anyone else who offers that. (No, I don't work for him, I was just really impressed with his product). Also, the plating on the arm rest is really really thin, so expect to deal with it, or replace it. The nut is bone, which shocked me that Fender found it in their hearts to use something other than plastic for a change. Inlays are beautiful and flawless. Finish on wood is quite different, but compliments the gold hardware beautifully.
Components Rating: 8
For the asking price of $899, this banjo is a really good deal. Haggle them down to $750 after taxes and such, and it is an awesome deal. It also comes with a nice hardshell case. Unfortunately, the word Fender is across it. Nice thing is, a car bumper sticker covers it perfectly :). I don't like advertising something for someone after I have payed for it. Some folks call it an intermediate level banjo, but spend a few dollars on some upgrades, and it's a nice professional banjo, even said so by my banjo instructor.
Overall Rating: 9
Where Purchased: Allans Music Brisbane
Year Purchased: 2005
Price Paid: 1440 (AUD)
historic exchange rates / currency converter
A nice warm yet bright tone. Came with a frosted Remo head. 1st string has minor intonation problems though, even though I'm now using a compensated bridge. Good volume, so everyone else says. I can't really judge it from behind.
Sound Rating: 8
Setup was fine and action was good. I replaced the factory bridge with a Sampson submerged wood (walnut/ebony) which gave it a warmer tone. It has a 20 hole brass tone ring (I suspect Korean made).
Setup Rating: 8
It is a beautiful banjo. It has a walnut neck and resonator, gold plated hardware, mastertone style one piece flange, 24 bracket hooks. Looks like a more expensive model however, being Korean made the gold plating is cheap and already showing signs of wear. Neck and head have good, rather simple inlays which I like better than the fancy stuff anyway.
Appearance Rating: 10
It is a very solid instrument. It will last as long as I do. Only drama is with the gold plating that is starting to rub off (nothing too major though).
Reliability Rating: 8
Haven't had to deal with anyone yet.
Customer Service: not rated
Parts wise nothing too special. Geared tuners are standard, and I recommed the bridge be changed to something better than the factory issue. Other than that, standard Korean quality parts. May benefit from a tailpiece change but as yet I have not tried this.
Components Rating: 7
One of the better intermediate instruments available with realative ease in Australia. It is only the second banjo I've ever played, the first was a cheap Samick which I used for eight years before buying this one. It is good value for the price (in Australia, that is), and it looks and sounds nice. I recomed this banjo for intermediate players who are interested in a walnut, gold plated model as I was. Other banjos in a similar price range, although not walnut, were the Washburn B-16 and B-17 and some of the Martinez banjos with one of these being walnut, nickel plated.
* I've now had the banjo for over a year and it's still going as well as can be expexcted. The gold is tarnished but still mostly gold at least, although there are little spots starting to go green. One worthy mention, is that I normally use Gibson medium strings as I mainly play old time frailing banjo, but I'm now learning some of Tony Ellis' beautiful tunes and I'm going to learn some other bluegrass type music. As a consequence, I decided to use GHS light strings, angle up the talpiece (still factory issue at the moment) and tighten the head further. It now sounds the most beautiful I've ever heard it sound. Nice and kind of metallicly sweet (obviously the metal picks help there too!!) and with good volume. It really is a nice sounding banjo.
Overall Rating: 9
Where Purchased: www.Fendershop.com
Year Purchased: 2005
Price Paid: $660- R.R.P.$1250 ($US)
This top of the range Fender will not blow the back wall off. However, its lovely mellow walnut tone is ideal for performers who accompany themselves while singing.
Sound Rating: 9
Nicely set up initially, I took it to Tony Sullivan (ex-All Ireland Banjo Champion), who made it a beauty to pay. (Check out his banjo website at www.halshawmusic.com). We only added HO RR pins and a pair of Bill Keith tuners, lovely...
Setup Rating: 9
This golden, walnut instrument is lovely to look at. I changed the head to a black 'Remo' one, just because I like the black/gold contrast. This instrument looks like a very much more expensive instrument - but then it is a top-of-the-range Fender, and they dont produce rubbish.
Appearance Rating: 10
The hardware looks fine, and the instrument has been very dependable. Its mellow tone lacks a bit of volume - not a problem for the music I produce but it might not have enough 'belt' for you would-be Earl Scruggs players. You might prefer his brilliant Gibson E S Standard banjo, (but that instrument is in a different class.)
Reliability Rating: 9
I have not dealt with directly with Fender, but www. fendershop.com were friendly and helpful.
Customer Service: 9
Leave it alone, for the price it is excellent.
Components Rating: 9
Ok, its not a Gibson Earl Scruggs model. However, for a very modest price you will buy a very capable instrument that looks good, sounds good and will take you well beyond the beginners stage of banjo playing.
I would certainly recommend it...
Overall Rating: 9
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