Straps: Folk of the Wood circle strap

Submitted by neilpaxman on 10/18/2007

Where Purchased: FOTW

Overall Comments

Second one I have bought this year, both times quality item, good service, easy comms and speedy delivery. Hmmm - Why is it I have to buy an accessory 3000 miles from home? Answer: See above (AND about a quarter of the price quoted for similar in the UK) If I have to deal with one more spotty, Def Leppard t shirt wearing youth, who's stock answer to enquiries about banjo is "huh??" I will start looking for a Green Card...

Overall Rating: 9

Gold Tone: IT200ATR

Submitted by neilpaxman on 9/25/2007

Where Purchased: Andy Banjo

Year Purchased: 2007
Price Paid: 375 (UK £) historic exchange rates / currency converter

Sound

Nice and plunky, but with the heavy strings and resonator, has plenty of bite

Sound Rating: 8

Setup

As always with Andy, not only well set up (just the bridge to seat - and he tapes the head to show positioning for GDAE) but well packaged and adaptable

Setup Rating: 9

Appearance

Bog standard to look at, but as it is built by Andy in the UK, has good quality fittings and all the essentials are bullet proof

Appearance Rating: 9

Reliability

Built to outlast me...

Reliability Rating: 9

Customer Service

Ever helpful, quick to give advice when needed, and fast delivery

Customer Service: 10

Components

All weaker standard parts are replaced before shipping, and the result shows

Components Rating: 9

Overall Comments

Would recommend for anyone starting Irish Tenor. This is Andys bespoke special which comes in below the IT250 model, but has everything needed without being flashy.

Overall Rating: 9

Ozark: 2142G

Submitted by neilpaxman on 1/22/2007

Where Purchased: Reidys Music Online

Year Purchased: 2007
Price Paid: 475 (£) historic exchange rates / currency converter

Sound

As a beginner, I took advice from the dealer, and it certainly has a bright, LOUD sound. I like the build quality, but getting used to the balance of the instrument, compared to my Epiphone EJ200 acoustic etc is 'different'

Sound Rating: 6

Setup

Setup was indifferent. I am taking it to Andy Perkins in the UK for a professional setup and will probably ask him to cast an experienced eye over the bridge and tuners. UPDATE - having taken it to Andy, I found that the neck was out of line, and that the setup was non existent, 0 out o 10 for the dealer REIDYS of BLACKBURN

Setup Rating: 1

Appearance

Great looking, apart from the clear Weatherking Remo head, which I don't like. Will change that straight away. UPDATE - this has been done, and looks much better

Appearance Rating: 8

Reliability

Most of the components look bullet proof. Don't know about gigging, lets wait and see...

Reliability Rating: 5

Customer Service

Based on the amount of work which had to be done by Andy Perkins just to get it to stay in tune and upgrading the cheaper components - which cost me over £150 (and I don't believe he was ripping me off, because it looks sounds and feels 100% better - and even to my untrained eyes and ears, it is now a BANJO! Again 0 out of 10 for REIDYS MUSIC - based on the fact that they substituted this for my first choice Epiphone MB250 (OK I now know they are effectively the same banjo) and then sent me an unplayable instrument

Customer Service: 1

Components

Andy changed the head, nut, bridge, tailpiece, strings and adjusted just about every component, in fact a complete strip down before it was playable. So the neck and resonator were fine!

Components Rating: 5

Overall Comments

Now looks feels and sounds great. My next banjo may well be an Ozark, but I will get a professional luthier like Andy to build it!

Overall Rating: 6