DVD-quality lessons (including tabs/sheet music) available for immediate viewing on any device.
Take your playing to the next level with the help of a local or online banjo teacher.
Weekly newsletter includes free lessons, favorite member content, banjo news and more.
Premier Sponsors
The banjo reviews database is here to help educate people before they purchase an instrument. Of course, this is not meant to be a substitute for playing the instrument yourself!
7235 reviews in the archive.
Where Purchased: Guitar Center Chattanooga
Year Purchased: 2019
Price Paid: 1200 ($US) (bought USED)
This banjo suits my clawhammer style only when STUFFED. Unstuffed it is much much too ringy for me. This was also true of an old Vega Tubaphone I had. Just a part of the Tubaphone tone ring sound. Stuffing calms the beast down. Otherwise, the tone is rich and full with a ringy edge. I had thought of using this banjo for some bluegrass, but I guess my bluegrass days are behind me.
Sound Rating: 8
The setup was okay initially, but I removed the Waverly tailpiece and replaced with a No Knot to make the tone more old time. I also replaced the head because fibre was separating from the skin on the Fibreskin. Otherwise, condition was as new although banjo has some years on it. The banjo used modern coordinator rods instead of traditional dowel stick. I would prefer dowel stick.
Setup Rating: 8
The banjo has a blond maple neck of uncommon flame and beauty. The rim is a heavy block affair of matching maple. This construction makes the pot heavier than it needs to be. The ebony fretboard has tasteful pearl inlays. All metal parts are heavily nickel plated. Finish is polished gloss. Everything looks as new.
Appearance Rating: 10
Top rate wood finish and metal plating. This thing is built like a tank.
Reliability Rating: 10
No contact with maker - he is retired. Guitar Centers Pro Plan is a no so funny ha ha JOKE.
Customer Service: 3
Beautiful curly maple neck. Top notch metal parts. Rim is built too heavily. A 1/2" 2 or 3 ply rim would be lighter and give better tone.
Components Rating: 8
A really well built tank like banjo of solid construction. The banjo is too heavy and unstuffed tone is too ringy. Stuffing tames it down to appropriate level. Tradional dowel stick would be preferable to coordinator rods. Block built rim is indestructible but heavy.
This is a beautiful banjo, but does not equal my Eastman Whyte Laydie, which feels great and is perfect tonally. But the Wildwood is a very good banjo and should last forever.
Overall Rating: 8
Where Purchased: Guitar Center
Year Purchased: 2020
Price Paid: 995 ($US) (bought USED)
I play clawhammer and melodic clawhammer. This banjo suits my style better than any other old time banjo I have owned so far, and I've owned many. The sound is sweet/bright, rich, articulate. No harshness or brashness. The banjo is great for old time or classical. Certainly not a bluegrass sound
Sound Rating: 10
The banjo was basically well set up. I removed the existing bridge and replaced with an 11/16" by Bailes and replaced the strings. That's all I've done.
Setup Rating: 9
The banjo is a faithful recreation of a Fairbanks Whyte Laydie #2 from circa 1908. The rim and 3 piece laminated neck are blond maple. The inlays are Whyte Laydie style #2 with attractive engraving. The hardware, including bracket band, are all meticulously accurate Whyte Laydie reproductions. The wood selection is very appropriate for a Whyte Laydie reproduction. All hardware is clean and like new.
Appearance Rating: 10
Finish and hardware are fine. Looks like it will last for 100 years.
Reliability Rating: 10
No dealing with manufacturer or seller. I'm a retired instrument tech and I do my own repairs.
Customer Service: 5
The best features of this banjo is the accuracy of the original Whyte Laydie #2 reproduction and quality of the execution. It's not some generic "Whyte laydie" style banjo like Gold Tone or Deering do, but a meticulously accurate recreation.
Components Rating: 10
This banjo is the best old time banjo I have owned. It has a great feel, great playability, and a refined and articulate tone. I have owned banjos by Chanterelle (3), Bart Reiter, a Vega Little Wonder, a Vega Tubaphone, Luscombe, Recording King, and I currently own a 1900 Rettberg and Lang and a Wildwood Troubadour. This is the best yet.
Overall Rating: 10
Where Purchased: Private party sale
Year Purchased: 2019
Price Paid: $600 ($US) (bought USED)
I know little about this banjo or its history. It's an 11" fretless banjo which I bought to play very traditional old time clawhammer pieces. It's exactly what one would want for that style, although a 12" might provide more bottom end. I would describe the tone as round and rich. It's hard to get bright out of of a fretless. I have yet to tinker with the setup, but might consider experimenting with nylgut strings or a skin head.
As is, the volume seems about average. The bass is less prominent than my Wildwood.
Sound Rating: 10
The banjo was setup well when I received it. The neck was straight. I thought about deepening the slots, but I'll play it awhile first.
Setup Rating: 9
It's a beautiful banjo in a simplistic way. It has a traditional "fiddle" shaped peghead with stylish pearl inlay, a cherry neck with classy carving starting at the fifth string peghead, satin lacquer finish, ebony fretless board, 1/2" inch rim finished in black satin lacquer, grooved tension hoop, first quality hardware (probably Stew Mac). It has a fibreskin head and noknot tailpiece. The quality throughout is professional first rate
No wear or flaws anywhere. Just some dust on the hardshell case and some film on the hardware from sitting unplayed for 15 years.
Appearance Rating: 10
First quality lacquer satin finish and professional best quality parts. As good as anything out there. I would rate the quality as superb.
Reliability Rating: 10
Never dealt with the maker Kevin Enoch. I anticipate no problems. The banjo I bought used and out of warrantee. I'm a repairman and will repair it myself if ever needs it.
Customer Service: 10
It's a simple quality banjo with first quality parts. What else do you need?
Components Rating: 10
I stumbled across this banjo by accident. A dealer/collector friend was unloading some gear and he offered me this banjo at a bargain. I don't know the model name. It's something other that a Tradesman. It has a typical banjo peghead, pearl inlay, and delicate neck carving starting at the 5th string peghead and curling down the back of the neck.
I have communicated with Kevin Enoch. He indicated my banjo is a 1993 Enoch series 100 fretless.
A great old time banjo I couldn't pass up.
I have since sold this banjo at a profit.
Overall Rating: 10
Where Purchased: McKenzie River Music
Year Purchased: 2016
Price Paid: $1000 ($US) (bought USED)
This banjo was made circa 1900, probably for classical stylings. I use it for old time clawhammer Round Peak. Unstuffed it is bright and a little brash. Stuffed it has a unique, mellow, vintage tone with a nice edge. This is certainly no bluegrass banjo, but great for what I do. I love the tone of this banjo and it's tastefully fancy inlays and carved heel. I have now replaced the steel strings with nylgut. This was a smart move. It's probably sounding like it was meant to sound with gut strings. Gone is the harshness of steel strings. The reduced tension helps the neck and makes it easier to play as well.
Sound Rating: 9
Banjo setup was weak initially. Bad neck angle, warped neck, weak friction tuners.
I had to correct the neck angle, heat straighten the neck, and fit new planetary tuners. I also replaced the fret binding on one side of the neck. Lastly, I decided on new matching Stew Mac hooks and nuts.
I did a thorough set up of banjo.
Setup Rating: 9
The banjo has beautifully tasteful inlays. Ebony fretboard is probably a replacement. Neck has been refinished with gloss. The wood is fairly plain of undetermined species.
This banjo has an unusual double silver spun rim. It probably is a major contributor to it's unique tone.
Present condition of banjo with combination of new and old hardware is very good. It's just an original vintage piece.
Appearance Rating: 9
The banjo is now in good playing condition and has proven itself reliable. With it's skin head and aged woods it can be a tempermental tuner, especially with humidity changes
This banjo is over one hundred years. It cannot be expected to thrive without more care than a new modern one.
Reliability Rating: 9
Irrelevant on this banjo because of it age.
I do my own repair.
Customer Service: 5
Unusual double spun rim. Beautifully crafted and functional neck.
I have upgrade that which needs upgrading.
Components Rating: 9
This is a beautiful old part of musical history which is able to function as a usable musical instrument in today's world I have never seen another like it. It's irreplaceable. The recent addition of nylgut brings back its ancient tone.
Overall Rating: 10
Where Purchased: Guitar Center Chattanooga
Year Purchased: 2019
Price Paid: Don't Remember (bought USED)
historic exchange rates / currency converter
I play primarily old time clawhammer in my own Round Peak style. It's got enough volume and power for bluegrass, but not the right tone. With it's heavy block pot and tubaphone tone ring it produces a tone from an earlier era.
The tone is strong with both bright highs and strong lows. Unstuffed it can be ringy, but lightly stuffed the tone is heaven.
Sound Rating: 10
Setup was uneven at purchase. The nut needed work. I didn't like the Waverly tailpiece and replaced with a noknot. This change opened up the sound and made it more authentically old time. I also replaced the bridge with a high quality Bailes 11/16" which made it more useful for clawhammer
Setup Rating: 8
It's a great looking banjo with a blond finish Western broad leaf curly maple neck. With it's heavy maple block rim, it heavier than most old time banjos. Although the banjo was like new, the case was definitely worn. I swapped it out for a new case which I was resting an old banjo in.
Appearance Rating: 9
This banjo has first class hardware and a bombproof gloss finish. It seems indestructible. I bought it as a roadworthy professional banjo to assist my more fragile and irreplaceable 1900 Rettberg and Lange. This Wildwood should stand up to about anything.
Reliability Rating: 10
Unknown. Mark Playing has now retired and the Wildwood company is a thing of the past.
I'm stuck with it, but that's okay. It appears to be so strong that it will last.
Customer Service: 5
Standout parts are the beautifully strong neck and solidly built rim.
My only dislike is the Waverly tailpiece which I feel is inappropriate for old time sound production.
Components Rating: 9
The banjo is an old time powerhouse. It's not a plunker like many of the new generation of old time reproduction banjos like Enoch or Pisgah. It's more like an open back Stelling.
Overall Rating: 10
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Privacy Consent (EU/GDPR Only)
Copyright 2026 Banjo Hangout. All Rights Reserved.