Fender: FB-59

Submitted by 12VBuyer on 11/20/2010

Where Purchased: Online Fender dealer

Year Purchased: 2010
Price Paid: 600 ($US)

Sound

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

Setup

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

Appearance

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

Reliability

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

Customer Service

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

Components

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

Overall Comments

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