Bridges: Tim Purcell Banjo Bridge

Submitted by big_al on 2/20/2012

Where Purchased: Bridge giveaway prize

Overall Comments

I won a bridge from Tim here on the hangout. Even though I live in New Zealand, he was quite happy to post it to me free of charge. His customer service is fantastic. Even though the bridge was a prize, he custom made it to my required specs and made sure it arrived. And lo and behold, it sounds great. Thanks Tim.

Overall Rating: 10

Mastercraft: Bluegrass Special

Submitted by big_al on 12/4/2011

Where Purchased: The Banjo Hut

Year Purchased: 2011
Price Paid: 339 ($US)

Sound

To me, the tone sounds good. I’ve only heard a few other banjos in the flesh. It obviously doesn’t sound like my instructors professional grade banjo. As I’m still learning, I haven’t played much up the neck, so can’t really comment on how consistent the tone is there.

Sound Rating: 7

Setup

There were a few issues with the setup when I got the banjo. The head tension was a bit loose. This could have been from transit or heat, so not a big deal. The action is a little higher than I would have liked. The 5th string was wound the wrong way around the tuning peg, putting unnecessary stress on the 5th string nut, which broke after 4 weeks. The 5th string buzzed when the open 3rd was plucked.

Setup Rating: 3

Appearance

The banjo looks good. The matte finish to the wood doesn’t leave it with the most dazzling of appearances, but it’s simple and nice.

Appearance Rating: 7

Reliability

The bluegrass special holds its tune fairly well. I don’t often have to retune it.

Reliability Rating: 8

Customer Service

The Banjo Hut was nice and prompt at getting back to me with any queries I had. When the 5th string nut broke, they said they would send me a replacement bone nut, free of charge. Two weeks later, a plastic replacement arrived in the mail. I live in New Zealand, so unless something is sent priority, it can take a few weeks to arrive. Also, their suggestion to stop the 5th string buzz didn't change anything. It took some tinkering from my instructer to sort it out.

Customer Service: 6

Components

My instructor and I tried adjusting the height of the tailpiece. It came set really low. It isn’t capable to going too much higher, if at all. Like I’ve mentioned above, the 5th string nut is made of plastic and can break. It’s probably not one of those banjos that are built to last a lifetime.

Components Rating: 5

Overall Comments

This banjo is great to learn on. It should last great for the next couple of years at least. I do worry that its basic appearance may let it down when it comes time to sell it. Perhaps the extra money I would have had to have spent for the Classic, would have been worth it in terms of resale value. All in all, I am happy with my purchase.

Overall Rating: 7