Submitted by shane_lxi (see all reviews from this person) on 7/15/2013

Where Purchased: Craigslist

Year Purchased: 2013
Price Paid: $30 (bought USED) historic exchange rates / currency converter

Sound

I play clawhammer, and I think this thing sounds great! Granted, I'm a bit of a beginner, and I don't have any really high-end instruments. I do have a Gold Tone CC-OT, and a CC-Traveller, and I can say this thing sounds as good if not better in my opinion. I was pleasantly surprised when I reassembled this thing and started playing it. In fact, I've been playing it more than any of my other banjos, and it was supposed to be my beater/camping banjo! I am playing it without the resonator with a Remo Renaissance head, and it does seem a bit quieter compared to my other banjos. I do not have the bracket to bolt the resonator on, so I cannot say how much it helps with volume.

Sound Rating: 9

Setup

I got my banjo in pieces, so I honestly cannot say. From the look of the nut that was on the banjo, it looked like the action was very low. These have a dowel stick style neck with a round dowel instead of a square dowel, as a result, it is a bit easy for the neck to twist unless you have the dowel-stick bracket very very tight.

Setup Rating: not rated

Appearance

It's ugly. But it's fixable!! And easy too! They come with a very very ugly and quite sticky poo-brown paint on the neck, which is likely to be cracked and chipped by the time the old thing reaches your hands. I stripped mine off and underneath was a nice looking neck, poplar I think, but pretty. A little polishing, and it honestly didn't look bad at all! The stock Waverly tuners are very pretty as well! Unfortunately, mine were stripped out so I had to replace them, but I didn't want to, lol. The factory tail-piece is very plain, as is the factory dowel-stick bracket. Also, the dowel-stick is round, which is kind of different, but not necessarily ugly. I have no idea what type of wood the fretboard is... maybe oak or poplar? Mine was extremely dried out, but a little lemon oil and it brightened right up. The frets are brass, which is kind of neat. The rim is dark brown bakelite with an integrated shoe/bracket thing, and actually doesn't look bad, also makes it a bit more comfortable on your legs!

Appearance Rating: 6

Reliability

There are obvious flaws with the cheap, ugly paint used on the neck. Best to strip it off to reveal the wood underneath! The tail-piece is a very crappy thin piece of tin which is likely warped already and should be replaced. The Waverly tuners I'm sure worked great when new, but are likely to be stripped, or at the very least extremely dry by now. Also the nut is plastic, but usable. Also, the 5th string tuner is a friction style tuner, which is fine, but can be annoying. On a plus, the hooks are very stout, as is the tension hoop. The dowel-stick bracket, though plain looking, is actually very ingenious and functional :D. If you don't mind changing some parts out, they can be very reliable, but I am going to give it a 5 because it's a bit questionable out-of-the-box.

Reliability Rating: 5

Customer Service

Customer Service: not rated

Components

There's good and bad. The hooks are very good, the tension hoop also. The dowel stick bracket is plain, but functional and kind of a neat design. However, the tail-piece is garbage, the tuners are likely worn out (but pretty! save them if you can), and the 5th string tuner is a low-end friction style. The nut is plastic, and though usable, you might want to upgrade. Older models have a skin head, which is nice! The resonator is quickly and easily removed and re-installed on the fly with one thumb-screw. Kind of a neat feature!

Components Rating: 7

Overall Comments

If you can get one of these for less than $100, buy it! These are great if you don't mind switching a few parts out for inexpensive upgrades. You can buy new guitar style tuners with a geared 5th tuner for around $20, a no-knot tail-piece is around $12, a bone nut is like $3 and paint stripper is $5 (if you don't already have it). I also put a Remo Renaissance head on mine from Smakula ($22 shipped, takes a medium 10 7/8" head), and an ebony topped maple bridge. If you don't mind putting in a little work, you will have an awesome sounding knock-around banjo! I'm extremely happy with mine!

Overall Rating: 9

Submitted by Rizo (see all reviews from this person) on 11/18/2010

Where Purchased: local shop

Year Purchased: 2010
Price Paid: 100 ($US) (bought USED)

Sound

For what it is, this banjo sounds great. It's louder than one would expect with a decent old timey tone. I'm playing it clawhammer style and it works well for that. I did stuff the head with some foam to kill some sustain. The banjo came with a resonator from a different, but same model, Harmony (it's a different color) which made the banjo a little louder and ringier, though I don't use it.

Sound Rating: 8

Setup

The banjo was made in the late 50's or early 60's so commenting on setup would be a little silly. That said, when I bought it, someone had installed a geared 5th string tuner and a plastic head (though I would have prefered the original skin) which was nice.

Setup Rating: 8

Appearance

The neck is all one piece, meaning no seperate piece of wood for the fingerboard. It's some type of hardwood which may be maple that's been dyed on the fingerboard and painted a muddy brown color for the neck. The pot is plastic, bakelite actually, also a brown color, but warmer and darker than the neck. The non-original reso is black so it looks like a bit of a mutt, but in a way, it's so ugly it's cool.

Most Harmony banjos I've seen have a music note and "steel reinforced neck" below the name on the headstock, but this one just has the name. I don't know if that means it's a lower model, or earlier or what.

Personal I like the no-frills-cheaper-than-dirt look these 'jos have going on.

Appearance Rating: 8

Reliability

The banjo's been kicking around for half a century now, so it'll probably hold up to about anything. About the only real problem I can see developing, is the pot cracking and breaking. I've heard there's no glue that'll hold bakelite, but I really don't know. I'm not sure how well the brass frets will hold up either, but time will tell I guess.

A big plus with these banjos is their ability to cope with the elements. This is a banjo that could get wet, muddy, whatever and take it because of all the synthetic materials.

Reliability Rating: 7

Customer Service

Harmony (at least the Chicago produced Harmony) went belly up long ago - N/A

Customer Service: not rated

Components

Once again, the bakelite pot and brass frets have me a little concerned about reliability, but other than that the components seam sturdy. The neck has a steel rod in it, the tuners are guitar style, except for the upgraded 5th tuner, the hooks and nuts seem decent quality. The nut is a cheap plastic, and the bridge is a cheap, all-maple, two-footed unit, the tailpiece is a functional, but cheap stamped metal piece, all upgradable if one had the desire.

The paint that's on the neck and headstock isn't in the best condition, some chips and such, but seems thick and probably does offer a fair amount of protection.

Components Rating: 8

Overall Comments

I bought this banjo to travel with, take camping, leave at work, etc. so I have no complaints about the quality or price, especially considering that this thing sounds good. I wish it had the original skin head, or at least the flesh hoop, but that's life. Overall, these Reso-tones make good beater banjos or started banjos for someone just learning. I don't know that I'd pay much more than 100 bucks for one, but for what they are, they're fun to have around.

Overall Rating: 10