Chris Cioffi

Submitted by fireballeight on 1/27/2020

Overall Comments

A couple years ago, I discovered Chris and his craftsmanship when a good friend of mine had his 1927 TB-1 converted and set up by Chris. I had been keeping an eye on any luthier's work that impressed me (due to the fact that my old RB-100 was going to need some intensive repairs), and I was absolutely blown away by Chris's craftsmanship when I checked out my friend's TB-1. The frets were smooth, the neck shape was super-comfortable, the level of detail was eye-catching, and the sound coming from the banjo was incredible (from a brass hoop!!). I decided that Chris would be my luthier of choice, and to make a long story short, a week ago I just picked up the first banjo of mine that Chris laid his hands on. Chris turned my battered and scarred '29 Pyramid right around into a fantastic and beautiful banjo. The level of detail that brought me to Chris is as present as ever: he took the time to age the string nuts, chamfer holes, stabilize the resonator, seal worn spots on the rim, smooth sharp edges on the metal parts, fit everything to precise standards, and polish everything to a brand new shine. Plus, the banjo sounds better than I ever thought it would (despite the fact that everything is still "green"). I can't wait for everything to settle in, because I know it'll sound unbelievable! I'm so happy with the Pyramid that I'm entrusting Chris to work on a second banjo of mine, and I'll be saving up so that hopefully he can put his special touch on all of my banjos. I encourage any others looking for a meticulous, careful, and knowledgeable luthier to strongly consider Chris. He doesn't rush through the work, respects the history and character of each banjo, and makes sure every aspect of the banjo is near-perfect. It may take a little longer to get finished, but it's completely worth it! Thanks Chris!!

Overall Rating: 10