Fairbanks: Whyte Laydie #7

Submitted by whytelaydie7 on 11/30/2011

Where Purchased: Bernunzio Uptown Music

Year Purchased: 2010
Price Paid: 1400 ($US)

Sound

It suits me well for clawhammer playing (very basic) and it's sound is amazing. It can go from a whisper to a growl to a shout, without being harsh or piercing, a sound I sometimes have associated with other banjos. Very sensitive harmonics.
I have had the ooportunity to listen to many excellent players work with this banjo with multiple styles of playing, and it sounds great with all of them.

Sound Rating: 10

Setup

I am still new enough to playing to be unsure of the difference of a good or bad set up.
Considering the number of people who have played this banjo recently without complaint I would have to say it was very well set up.

Setup Rating: 8

Appearance

You have to take age into consideration with this banjo. It was producted in 1903, and saw a lot of use. The costs I listed as Purchase, was actually the cost to perform restoration. As when I inherited the instrument, inlays were falling out, and the spaces in the fretboard had been patched with wood filler. There is some small amount of pitting on the metal hardware, but for an instrument that is 108 years old it's pretty darn good now! The flamed maple neck is gorgeous with the intricate heel carving, and the inlays are spectacular. There have been some fading in the finishes that have discolored some of the older inlays, and as such there is a bit of contrast with the new inlay work that has been done. None the less, a beauty of a banjo.

Appearance Rating: 9

Reliability

It went through about 60 years of hard use, I imagine my granfathers college years were the hardest. The hardware is all top quality. In the interest of maintaining the integrity of it's design, I opted not to install geared tuners. It stays in tune quite well despite that. If I were playing gigs on a regular basis, I would be looking for a banjo with geared tuners, and less milage. Since this is a virtually irreplaceable instrument, I probably would not gig with it.

Reliability Rating: 5

Customer Service

I'll Just plug Bernunzio here, since they did the work of restoration. They were excellent to deal with them, and if I ever need anything done to this banjo again, they will get my business

Customer Service: 10

Components

In theory the tuners should be upgraded.

Components Rating: 9

Overall Comments

As I mentioned this was an instrument originally owned by my grandfather. I estimate he purchased it around 1920. It was restored in 2010 by Bernunzio Uptown Music in Rochester, NY
Post-Restoration, it is featured in an upcoming album of many fine banjo players performing on this instrument. Even before restoration, it's sound was pure.

Overall Rating: 10