Rogue Rogue open back banjo submitted 7/23/2008 Submitter boondocks banjo (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Musicians friend Year Purchased 2005 Price Paid Don't Remember historic exchange rates / currency converter Sound I can't find any place to submit a question, so will use this space. I changed the tuning from G to F. I like the sound better. It has a more mellow tone, as one would expect from a lower key. Seems a llittle easier to play, as I would expect it to be with less tension on the strings,. My question is, "WILL THIS DAMAGE MY BANJO IN ANY WAY?" I haven't had any trouble with this banjo. It is lightweight and is well worth the price. Sound Rating 8 Setup Setup when purchased. Have replaced tailpiece with a quality clamshell tailpiece and replaced bridge. Setup Rating 9 Appearance No flaws Appearance Rating 8 Reliability Has been reliable. Reliability Rating 9 Customer Service Haven't needed to deal with the company Customer Service 9 Components Would recommend replacing the tailpiece with Goldtones straight line, or a clamshell. Try other bridges. Components Rating 8 Overall Comments Would recommend this banjo for the price. Overall Rating 9

Stelling Bellflower submitted 7/23/2008 Submitter banjorandy (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased morgan music lebanon mo Year Purchased 1977 Price Paid 1.200.00 ($US) Sound set up for bluegrass,with a snuffy smith bridge,clear head I dont remember the d tuner brand but have been on there as long as I have had the banjo....the sound is amazing bright and crisp but with a mellow side to and a sweet spot in the middle which is instantly recognizable by anyone who plays it ..the action is a little high,but I prefer it that way..in jams with other banjos it will totally dominate all others if I want it too. Sound Rating 10 Setup the banjo came setup almost like it is now ......in or around 1990 while playing on stage I set my banjo on a stand and walked away for a break when i returned my stelling was laying face down on stage to my horror I learned the the peghead just behind the nut was cracked ..we repaired it as best we could and have never had a problem to this day...i think it somehow improved the tone Setup Rating 10 Appearance I had problems with the brackets bending when I went to tighten them..I finally replaced them and have had no problems since...also had two of my 5th string railroad spikes heads break off...some rust appears on the star tuners but is easily polished...but the banjo is over 30 years old Appearance Rating 9 Reliability as I have said I have had this banjo for over 30 years....I have owned gibson,fenders.plus a newer belleflower. I think I have played just about every banjo under the sun I dont think I could trust any banjo as much as this one Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service all of my dealings with mr stelling have been very helpful and you feel that you are more than just a customer Customer Service 10 Components except for the original brackets there was nothing that could be done to improve on this fine handcrafted banjo Components Rating 10 Overall Comments I would highly recommend a stelling to anyone....I love this banjo it has lasted through 3 wives if it were stolen it would be like losing part of myself..............there is no comparison in any other banjo I have ever owned or played Overall Rating 10

Gold Star GF-85 submitted 7/20/2008 Submitter dorse (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Individual Year Purchased (2003 Model) 2008 Price Paid 700 ($US) (bought USED) Sound Sounds as good as any (better than some) modern Gibson banjo. Rich mellow tone, with plenty of crack. Sound Rating 10 Setup It was setup just fine. Setup Rating 10 Appearance Looks very good. Appearance Rating 9 Reliability It's as dependable as any much higher priced instrument. Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service Never tried to contact them. Customer Service not rated Components No problems that I can think of. Components Rating 10 Overall Comments I helped a friend pick out this banjo. You get a great banjo for a fraction of the price. If you like Gibson style instruments and can't afford the Gibson price, then this is your answer. Overall Rating 10

Gibson J.D. Crowe RB-75 submitted 7/20/2008 Submitter dorse (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Individual Year Purchased (2002 Model) 2008 Price Paid 2400 ($US) (bought USED) Sound Rich, full sound, with a small amount of brightness, and great crack. Sound Rating 10 Setup This banjo had mostly sat in its case since it was made. I had to do a complete set up on it, i.e adjust neck pitch and adjust truss rod. I changed the original Remo USA head to a Snuffy Smith because the Remo was very lightly frosted. Setup Rating 6 Appearance Absoultely handsome banjo. Perfect in every way--not one scratch. Appearance Rating 10 Reliability I expect this instrument to be around for many generations to come. Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service I'm not the original owner so the warranty does not apply to me. I've never tried to send it in for repair. Customer Service not rated Components This banjo sat around in its case for most of its life. The tuners turned very hard and rough because of this. However, after an application of 3 in 1 Oil, and almost constant use, they've loosened right up and are working as they should be. Components Rating 10 Overall Comments This banjo seems to weigh less than other Gibson models that I've played. The neck is smaller and feels better than other Gibson models. It has the tone that one would associate with J.D. Crowe. I'm very happy with this banjo and hope to get a lifetime of use from it. I got an incredible deal on this banjo. These are hard to find and to get one in mint condition is unheard of. I prefer the standard looks of the RB-75 over the too flashy Blackjack. (If you can't afford a Gibson, a Gold Star is almost as good in quality and if it's setup right will sound just as good.) Overall Rating 10

Romero #08145 submitted 7/18/2008 Submitter James McConnan (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Direct from Jason Romero Year Purchased 2008 Price Paid $2375 (CDN) historic exchange rates / currency converter Sound Finger picks and clawhammer, it works for both. The sound can be deep and rich or bright. It can play soft or loud. What ever I want. Sound Rating 10 Setup I've played many banjos, none come close to the playability of this one. The setup needs no alteration. Setup Rating 10 Appearance Absolutely stunning. Mahogany neck and rim with rosewood tone ring. Starry night inlay modified with a shooting star at the scoop. The craftsmanship is flawless throughout. Appearance Rating 10 Reliability I really can't see why this banjo shouldn't last 100 years. There's nothing wrong with my other banjos, but if I needed a back up it would have to be another Romero, if only because of the fingerboard. Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service Jason was more than helpful at all times. Limited lifetime warranty. Customer Service 10 Components The Gotoh tuners are the best I've ever used, not that the banjo goes out of tune. Everything is first class including the case. Components Rating 10 Overall Comments I'd say that I received very good value for the money, so I'd recommend Romero banjos and have done so. If it was stolen, I'd buy another, which I'm going to do anyway. Other than the extraordinary dynamics of the banjo, the playability of the instrument is the outstanding feature. Overall Rating 10

Recording King RK-80 submitted 7/18/2008 Submitter warningbomb (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Fitch Banjos Year Purchased 2008 Price Paid 1100 ($US) Sound I play bluegrass with a little jazz and this thing played amazing right out of the box! Of course Kudos to Cliff Fitch who did the set up for me. It is fairly loud with a real bright high notes and more mellow lows. Sound Rating 10 Setup Good setup by Cliff. Only complaint is one of the thumbscrews for the resonater was cross threaded.. Setup Rating 9 Appearance Looks pertty... I'm not a big gold fan so the nickle suits me well, and the inlays are good looking along with the white trim around the neck and the rings on the resonator give it a little extra Appearance Rating 10 Reliability Seems like this banjo will last for long time. I would definitly use it on a gig without a backup Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service I had some real issues with paypal, and Cliff was really patient while I got those sorted out. Customer Service 10 Components Components Rating 10 Overall Comments I would absolutely recomend this banjo to others. It is a really good intermediate/ second banjo to have. In my opinion it sounds a little cleaner than a Goldtone. I was looking at getting a ob 250 and opted for the RK80 and I am happy I did! Overall Rating 9

Mike's Mute Mike's Mute submitted 7/18/2008 Submitter cuz (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Mike (via Banjo Hangout) Overall Comments Marriage on the rocks, girlfriend's going to leave you, neighbours hate you, then look no further than Mikes Mute to alleviate the problem. Well made,easy to fit and will not fall off, brilliant for late night practice. Overall Rating 10

Huber Lancaster Custom submitted 7/18/2008 Submitter lestermatt (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Private collector Year Purchased 2008 Price Paid under3000 ($US) (bought USED) Sound I like hard driving Early Bluegrass and this Banjo brings the tone home for me, I can feel it as much as hear it.Deep dry growly lows and great bells up top and the middle is loud with perfect action that wont slow you down Sound Rating 10 Setup I made a minor truss rod adjustement to cure a bow buzz ,otherwise nothing Setup Rating 10 Appearance This Lancaster is special in that it's got a solid curly maple resonator (you can see the curly on the inside too!) with a sunburst stain ,Mahogony neck and flawless inlays Appearance Rating 10 Reliability I'd say it is highly reliable Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service A new Huber is warrantied for life to the original owner ,as the second owner I dont know what if any warranty is offered.However Ive worked with Steve in the past and can say he is very generous with his time ,Jim too! Customer Service 10 Components I think Huber has thought of everything, nothing cheap,nothing compromised Components Rating 10 Overall Comments Im very vocal about the instruments i have played and have played some great ones including 2 original flathed pre-wars and several fantastic conversions(one used to be Steves)and this ones my favorite post war Banjo.I just wish other folks would discover the wonderfull world of Huber banjos .At last my search is over! Overall Rating 10

Mike's Mute Mike's Mute submitted 7/17/2008 Submitter wildboar (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased July 2008 Overall Comments When I ordered this I quickly got a response from Mike confirming my order had been received and that it would ship the next day. This thing is great, not just for practicing when others are around, but because the normal volume of my banjo is very loud and it bothers my ears to practice for long periods of time. The mute is well made, easy to use, and it comes with a little drawstring pouch to keep it in so you don't have metal bouncing around in your banjo case. The mute can reduce the sound of my banjo to something similar to an electric guitar that isn't plugged in. This is the best money I've spent since my first 'How to Play Banjo' book. Now, does anyone want to buy this clothespin and a rubber band I'm not using any more? ;-) Overall Rating 9

Gold Tone Banjola Banjola submitted 7/15/2008 Submitter brundecarli (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased BANJOSTORE.NET Year Purchased 2008 Price Paid 533 (EURO) historic exchange rates / currency converter Sound The sound is very sweet and rich. The banjo sound is very different. The sound is ok for Celtic.I play Scruggs and the banjola is nice. Sound Rating 9 Setup No changes setup. Ok for play immediately. Gold Tone OK for setup Setup Rating 8 Appearance The originally appearance and the sound is that you pay. The chineese wood is ok and looks great. Finish wonderful and the inlays are nice. Appearance Rating 8 Reliability It's light and the shape is dubble a mandolin. Reliability Rating 7 Customer Service Banjostore is ok and Gold Tone setup is Ok for all. Customer Service 8 Components I think that banjola is a little bit expensive. Typical banjo tuners.Takes regular banjo strings. Components Rating 7 Overall Comments Banjola is ok for a second instrument, for originally sound. It's not like a banjo. I suggest the model with pickup, because the sound is not loud. Overall Rating 8

Buckeye Custom 12" WL submitted 7/15/2008 Submitter tridentum (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Directly from Greg Year Purchased 2008 Price Paid 1550 ($US) Sound Every banjo lives and dies by the set up. I swapped Greg's proprietary bridge for a light Moon. Tightened the head gently over the course of a few days and the banjo found its voice. It's a boomer with a great WL sound. Skin head combined with the Moon bridge provides a really nice balance of treble and bass. Very good clarity and punch. Fourth string booms. Excellent sound that will improve over time. Sound Rating 9 Setup Action was set up perfectly and this banjo is a joy to play. I made some significant changes to set up to suit my personal taste and the skin head is still settling in. Greg sets them up nicely but with a skin head you're going to spend some time in the first few days tweaking. I did swap out his bridge as it appeared to choke off some of the sound. and response - at least to my ear. Went with a light Moon bridge but might experiment with a medium version. Anyway, I didn't need to change much to move it along - new bridge, some head adjustment and I ditched the light gauge strings for Ome heavies. Any banjo needs set up adjustments after a trip in the mail and especially one with a skin head. Greg had it set up well but my adjustments brought it in line with the sound I was looking for. Rating set up is almost pointless. Most banjo players prefer to do their own set up. Setup Rating 5 Appearance An absolute beauty. We went with dark-stained walnut no inlay (by the way, Greg does some beautiful inlay work). Square headstock with routed corners, walnut verneer on the rim and a beautifull ogee at the 5th string; black knobbed tuners. All of the work is flawless. Can't say enough about the neck. Greg's stuff really reminds one of the classic open backs of the late 19th and early 20th century. Appearance Rating 10 Reliability Solid banjo, built well, with good components. Should be a horse. Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service Greg is a fine banjo maker and a swell guy. Communicates well and understands what you want. Plus he tosses in a free t-shirt with your banjo. Customer Service 10 Components All comnponents are of the highest quality. Love the Gotoh tuners. Components Rating 10 Overall Comments Another small-shop banjo maker who is really making a name for himself. This must be the golden age of old time banjo making because there are a host of these guys out there. What separates Greg is his customer service and price range. A custom 12" WL for under $2K is unheard of among the established makers, and Greg's work is outstanding. Do yourself a favor - check out his website and see what he is doing. You cannot go wrong with a Buckeye banjo. Excellent workmanship, great sound at an outstanding price. Well done, Greg! Overall Rating 10

Mike's Mute Mike's Mute submitted 7/13/2008 Submitter AAMDPicker (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Directly Overall Comments Mike's Mute is great for those of us who live in apartments or condos. It is easy to use, doesn't get in the way, and my banjo still has a nice sound when it is on. Great product, great service. Overall Rating 10

Mastercraft Bluegrass Mahogany submitted 7/13/2008 Submitter stringdusterfan (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Banjo Hut.com Year Purchased 2008 Price Paid 279 ($US) Sound Amazing, sounds like a bluegrass banjo should. Its loud and impresses pretty much everyone, even though im not very good. Sound Rating 10 Setup Setup very well. Slightly out of tune but easy to fix with the electric tuner that came with. Setup Rating 10 Appearance Beautiful mahogany resonator. This impresses everyone as well. Appearance Rating 10 Reliability Seems well put together, I suppose. I guess we'll see. Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service Awsome service, ordered it online Sunday came on Wednesday. Under a liftime Warranty which is a good plus. Customer Service 10 Components The brass tone ring sounds awsome and I love the planetary tuners. Components Rating 10 Overall Comments Love it, a good banjo for a beginner like me. Overall Rating 10

Tune Tech TT-1000 Tuner Tune Tech TT-1000 Tuner submitted 7/12/2008 Submitter Woolpersteve (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased First Quality Music , Louisville, Ky Overall Comments The TT-1000 Tuner may be the newest of the electronic tuners. However , I prefer it for several reasons. It responds pretty quickly with not only the LCD tuning meter, which is lit, but also with a Flat /Sharp Tune Indicator light. The indicator light is orange if the string is flat, red if sharp and turns green when you are on the note precisely. The back lit LCD screen is fairly wide and easy to see . The tuner clips on to the peg head and folds neatly under the head , but is much smaller than the Intellitouch. I think for 29$ its worth having .Definitely built to be sturdy . It is made by Tune Tech. I was not at FQMS looking for a tuner but left with this one. Pretty happy I did. Overall Rating 10

First Quality Music Supply submitted 7/12/2008 Submitter Woolpersteve (see all reviews from this person) Overall Comments First Quality Music in Louisville , Ky continues to be the best for quality and customer satisfaction.They just re-fretted my Ome Gold Juggernaut and did a beautiful job. The great tradition Bill Sullivan started continues on without fail. I always look forward to a visit , which normally lasts a good half day once enter the front door. I feel like I live there as they allow me to roam anywhere and invite me to pick anything ( they have a Prototype 2 banjo which you need to play if you drop by) Everyone there is helpful .If you cant drop by and need anything ,phone orders are processed before your phone receiver is cold. I am lucky to live 80 miles up the road. Overall Rating 10

Huber Lexington submitted 7/11/2008 Submitter Huber Flatheads Rule (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Steve Huber's Shop Year Purchased 2008 Price Paid Don't Remember historic exchange rates / currency converter Sound The banjo is so clear and crisp and yet has great warmth as well. I have yet to find a “dead spot” anywhere up the neck. Sound Rating 10 Setup The banjo was setup great when I bought it. The action is like butter in your hands. You can almost look at the neck and it frets itself. The neck set was a perfect fit. The head was tuned to "G" I prefer "A" or "Ab". So no big deal. Setup Rating 10 Appearance Excellent quality of materials and workmanship. The flame on the neck is some of the best I have ever seen. The engraving is very detailed looks great. I found no flaws whatsoever! Appearance Rating 10 Reliability The hardware looks great right now but like any gold plated model I am sure that over time it will show some wear. The upgraded clamshell tail piece is a perfect fit with the engraving. Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service About a year later I had the opportunity of meeting Steve Huber at SPGMA. He must have had 20 or so new banjos there and I sat in his room and played them all several times. I was blown away. Everybody knows that you can pick through 5 or 6 Gibson’s and maybe only 1 or 2 of them will really sound like what you are looking for and have the feel that you are looking for. But honestly there wasn’t a banjo there that I wouldn’t have gotten right on stage with and performed without changing a thing. Far above the craftsmanship the chord that struck home with me most was the way that he treated the customer. It made no difference if you owned a Huber or not he treated everyone that came through there with respect (and not all of them were perspective customers). I also noticed several people coming through (in the few days I was there) that had bought a banjo from Steve. He remembered everyone’s name and which model they had purchased and played everyone that came through just to check them out. Any little detail dealing with setup was taken care of on the spot. That’s when I knew that I had to have one. Customer Service 10 Components I really like the inlay and the color of the fret board. I hate a light colored wood for a fret board and this is a darker color and the inlay goes great with it. The only fault that I have is the case. There is nothing really "wrong" with the case but it isn't anything special. I like a case to sort of grab the attention of people before they even see what is inside. Components Rating 9 Overall Comments If anyone out there is looking to add another to the collection, I would recommend a Huber. With the quality, sound and service that I have witnessed first hand I know there is not another company out there today that can come close to what Steve is putting out there. Overall Rating 10

Tyler Mountain TM5-80 submitted 7/10/2008 Submitter BruceH (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Year Purchased 2006 Price Paid 180 ($US) (bought USED) Sound No expert, but for playing bluegrass it's been a great first instrument. The sound is full, not to bright. It's loud enough for any playing I do. Sounds best to me with light strings. Sound Rating 7 Setup I bought it used, but I think it was hardly played. I had it profesionaly setup and the nut and bridge replaced (bone nut, compensated grover bridge). The action has always been great. Keeps in tune for weeks. Setup Rating not rated Appearance It's your basic korean "masterclone". Flamed maple resonator, mahogony neck. Inlays are ok, not fine craftsmanship though. Finish is shiny, looks like a well made banjo. Appearance Rating 7 Reliability Hardware is what you would expect, all works but nothing fancy. Held up daily playing for two years now. Finish has held up great. Reliability Rating 8 Customer Service Customer Service not rated Components Everything is of a "basic" quality that should last. Can't think of anything that I think would need to be replaced. Components Rating 7 Overall Comments I think they are around $500 new, which seems like a fair price. If it was stolen, I'd probably figure it's time to upgrade to something else. It's been a great first banjo, I could keep playing it for years. Similar to a fender FB58 (looks like it was made in the same factory). Overall Rating 7

Stelling Red Fox submitted 7/9/2008 Submitter thombanjo (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased on a Scruggs Mastertone trade Year Purchased 2008 Price Paid Don't Remember historic exchange rates / currency converter Sound Following Alan Munde's advice I've got the tailpiece up as far as it will go. It has a Sunffy Smith head and bridge ( 11/16 )I use D'Addrio Light Plus stings. This is the best sounding banjo I've ever heard. It has plenty of vollume and clarity of tone BUT it is also sweet with that "tick" in the stings. It suits my melodic style nicely as I often play very lightly. This Red Fox ws made in Aug of 2003 and was one of the last Stellings without the Pass rim. I can't imagine the Pass rim being an improvement on the sound of this banjo. It has plenty of bottom already. Each string plays to its full potential and clarity; no string stands out as being loder than the others-not even the 5th. It cracks of course close to the bridge and has a great sweet spot right between X and Y position. Up the neck chords sound great with just the right amount of decay. This banjo just vibrates in my hands. I put an abalone truss rod cover on it and it just suits the peghead wonderfully, matching the abalone fretboard inlay. The head is tuned to a hair under G#. I use Psarianos Violin Clearner/Polish on the wood which does an excellent job. Like I say, I traded a Scruggs Masterone to get this and I definitely traded up; not only in quality of workmanship but in sound quality as well. Sound Rating 10 Setup This Red Fox was set up by Snuffy Smith with his head and bridge and later adjusted by Steve Barr in Galax,Va. The action has never been adjusted as it was perfect already. The intonation is great. I would recommend that Stelling players try raising the tailpiece up. Alan Munde does this and to me, this one change just brings out all the colors of the Stelling tone. I know that Stellings come with the Ludwig heads, but the Snuffy Smith head has been an improvement on my banjo. Setup Rating 10 Appearance Great appearance. The red stained maple is subtle-not "tacky" The ivory colored binding is beautiful against the dark-red-stained maple. I put an abalone truss rod cover on and this really dressed up the peghead, bringing out the red fox head figure and wonderfully matching/enhancing the abalone inlays on the frettboard. Geoff Stelling picked through his abalone trc collection to find one that would match the typical colors of a Red Fox and came up with a perfect match for mine! The case is arched with the green crused lining and keeps the banjo snug and secure. I put pearlescent buttons on the tuners, replacing the ivoroid ones and to me, this brightend up the overall appearance of the tuners. Appearance Rating 10 Reliability My Red Fox is totally relaiable. I wipe my hardware after playing and lightly polish or at least wipe the wood. I've noticed that I get longer life out of my strings on this banjo. This banjo sounds great with the capo as well. I know that there have been some who say that Stelling hardware is hard to maintain but so far, if properly wiped, I'm having no problems. Weather changes have not affected the sound of this banjo. Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service I've had great, generous help directly from Geoff Stelling via emails and direct phone conversations. I received parts from Stelling in a very timely matter. Geoff had to drill out the pearlescent tuner buttons that I wanted, converting them from square to oblong holes. I sent them to him and got them back in three days! I'm sure Stelling owners out there already know what I just discovered; Stelling takes their instruments and their owners very seriously and sincerely care about how each banjo is made and serviced. Customer Service 10 Components I think the Stelling peg head shape is a standout. Of course the Red Fox face on the peghead is eye-catching and the tastefull maple leaves inlay is classy and understated. I know the Pass rim is an upgrade but it will take some convincing for me to want to chage the sound of this banjo. Components Rating 10 Overall Comments I would recommend this banjo to anyone. Yes it's great for the loud driving band player BUT it's as sweet and colorful played with a light touch as well. I'd have to go into therapy if this bajo was stolen. I just couldn't replace it. I've played Bishlines, Gibsons, Deerings, and Hubers- nothing compares to the Red Fox with the set up I have. It is well worth the price. Although I traded for it, a 2003 Red Fox in the condition of mine would go for around 2500. The Scruggs I traded had a Pass rim installed. It was a 2006 and would bring around 3200-3400 used. The Gibson was a fine instrument but I still believe that I got a BETTER banjo in the trade. Overall Rating 10

Jay Buckey Bluegrass Banjo Volumes 1-8 submitted 7/9/2008 Submitter stevejay (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Online Overall Comments Although a bit pricey (bought the book), there are 96 songs played at various tempos (100bpm) being the slowest up to 200bpm. Often there are a few versions of a song to hear a melodic arrangement as well as a Scruggs style arrangement. There is also simple backup ideas included and lyrics, and the book is chock full of pointers and tips for players of all levels, but it is really aimed towards novices who want to start sounding more polished and professional. The backups are basic, but at least you'll learn to nail down the chord progressions, and you can pick up some ideas on the few backups that are a bit more ornate. Because I am playing alone now, I am happy with my purchase, and feel I am geeting a Bluegrass education from a few angles- styles, repertoir, backup, lyrics, jam etiquette, history... Caveats? You will want to burn your own CDs, Jay Buckey gives you instructions and the codes to do so. It is quite simple, but if you just burn the volumes as they are, the songs are not quite the same order as banjo 1, banjo 2 etc, but really no big deal at all. I opted to just burn each volume onto its own CD rather than make custom CDs by key, by speed etc... you do have that option if you like that kind of thing and have a little computer knowledge. edit: I did burn a CD of all the 100 BPM songs together for bad days, when I need to rebuild my confidence and play at a crawl. I'll answer any questions if you have them, or I guess it's better to ask Jay Buckey himself. I can give you the students perspective. This was not a source which was thrown together for a quick buck, I sensed a real labor of love and respect for the musical tradition. I like this source, and have no regrets at all. A good mix of traditional breakdowns, fiddle tunes, gospel, a version of dueling banjos, el cumbanchero... :) 1 odd thing, the books don't necessarily get harder as you go through. Some of the easy or challenging pieces are not chronological if you get my drift. Overall Rating 9

Stelling Red Fox submitted 7/8/2008 Submitter Z Daniels (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Geoff Stelling Year Purchased 2007 Price Paid worked out a deal ($US) Sound This banjo was "frankensteined" together by Geoff for me out of a broken neck and some flawed pieces he had. There was an emegency and I needed a banjo fast. Geoff was so nice to help me out and I can't thank him enough. Thanks again Geoff. When the neck was repaired (the neck was cracked at the nut) Geoff used an epoxy and it hardened harder than the exsisting wood, ultimately giving the banjo an incredible sustain which I have found to be a good thing. Some wonder about note seperation but it hasn't been a problem. The Tony Pass filled out the sound giving the banjo a warmth that is comparable to Gibson but it didn't take away any volume so in my opinion, I think it beats the Gibson. Has great all aroud pop. I play it through a rare earth pick up and an LR Baggs di. good little setup. easy to do. Helps with feedback problems. Really fun banjo Sound Rating 10 Setup Set up was great. 5/8ths Stelling bridge. Perfect. I converted the tuning pegs with screws. I screwed them in the string holes and have GHS make custom double loop end strings. Great for quick string changes. I've got it down to under a minute. Setup Rating 10 Appearance I described above the appearance Appearance Rating 8 Reliability Standard Stelling hardware- nothing's failed me yet Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service Geoff Stelling's service is hard to beat. He's a real good man and I respect him in the highest regard. Customer Service 10 Components Standard Stelling Hardware, Stelling bridge, Fishman Rare Earth Pickup. Its all good. Components Rating 10 Overall Comments This banjo is like a ferrari with a couple of dent and still has all the vavuum under the hood. Lovely banjo really Overall Rating 10

Hatfield Custom submitted 7/7/2008 Submitter TnFrosty (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Hatfield Banjos Year Purchased 2008 Price Paid 2900 ($US) Sound For those that have heard or played one of Arthur's banjos, you know what kind of tone comes from a Hatfield. For those that haven't, you need to :) For me, it's hard to describe a banjo's sound in words. This Hatfield has punch, depth, clarity up the neck, and a killer 4th string. I actually picked this banjo over a pre war conversion with a Burlile ring. I haven't been playing too long, but I've heard enough banjos to know that I like the sound of mine. Sound Rating 10 Setup I purchased this one on site, so Arthur was more than willing to set it up to my liking. I've only had to tighten the head. Setup Rating 10 Appearance This model is all mahogany and has the gull inlay. The fit and finish is suburb- Arthur wouldn't have it any other way. Appearance Rating 10 Reliability Hatfield banjos are as reliable as they come IMO. This is my second Hatfield and the first one was built just as well as this one. Reliability Rating 10 Customer Service Arthur is not happy until you are. He has always seemed more than happy to answer any questions I've had and has always welcomed me to bring the banjo to him if there was something I couldn't figure out. Customer Service 10 Components This model was built with an Ebbe (Paul Ebbe) ring. I really like the tone this ring produces and in some ways, is very similar to the Hatfield ring- not saying one is better than the other, just different. Other components are: Cox rim, Gill resonator, Gotoh tuners, Presto tailpiece, and Prucha hardware. Components Rating 10 Overall Comments I would recommend a Hatfield for anyone in the market for a professional quality instrument, especially one that is built by a man who really puts the customer first and wants the customer to be happy. Overall Rating 10

Fiddle Widget for Banjo Fiddle Widget for Banjo submitted 7/7/2008 Submitter don wiseman (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Janet Davis Overall Comments This is a moveable cardboard and clear plastic sleeve device that locates all of the notes on the neck, and all of the major, minor, 7ths, augmented and diminished chords. It's a simple slide rule (those of us eligible for AARP know what a slide rule is) type device that has punched holes to fit in your 3-ring songbook binder. No more pages of chord forms and charts. Very easy to use, and you learn the neck and a little bit of music theory along the way. It's a little hard to find on the JDMC site, but once you get there, there's a link to a video demonstration. Overall Rating 10

MarchMedia "Stanley Style Banjo" by Steve Sparkman submitted 7/6/2008 Submitter Dr Ralph (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Internet Overall Comments I, like most fans of the amazing Dr Ralph Stanley have yearned to know the secrets of that "Stanley Sound"..... well, now my dreams have been answered I have just received my copy of the long awaited DVD "Stanley Style Banjo" by the amazing Steve Sparkman & boy was it worth the wait. It covers everything you need to know from placing your capo through to those intricate little differences that set Dr Ralph Stanley apart from all the other great Banjo pickers of the day. It is now widely accepted that Steve Sparkman is the best "Stanley Style" picker in the world today... in fact if you look up Ralph Stanley in the English Dictionary it says "Steve Sparkman"! Seriously though, if you want to pick that Stanley Style Banjo you just gotta get Steves new DVD For more details see: http://www.stevesparkman.com/ Overall Rating 10

Deering Goodtime submitted 7/5/2008 Submitter Bernie P. (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased Mtn Music Old Forge NY Year Purchased 2007 Price Paid $300 ($US) Sound This banjo has excellent sound considering the price.Easily the best in it's price range and better than many costing considerably more.With a good setup it holds up well when playing up the neck but cant stand with pro level banjos in this area.All in all real nice sound for either Scruggs style or clawhammer.I base the sound rating on the price range/others in its class. Sound Rating 10 Setup Al Worthen is the owner of the shop where I bought it and one of only four "Master Deering dealers" in the USA.He's a very skilled luthier and does a great job setting up all the instruments in his shop.He likes his customers to bring their banjos back after a couple months of playing to check and make any adjustments if needed. Setup Rating 10 Appearance It's a very basic looking banjo.No fancy inlays or woods are used.Pretty much all maple.I'm not real crazy about the peghead shape but otherwise it looks pretty good. Appearance Rating 7 Reliability Theres not a whole lot that could go wrong with such a simple design-so far so good.The tuners are simple geared units and hold tune very well.All the other hardware is holding up fine to. Reliability Rating not rated Customer Service I've never had a problem so I cant comment on dealing with Deering/warranty issues.From what I hear they are great to deal with and stand behind their products.Same goes for Al at Mtn. Music. Customer Service not rated Components Nothing fancy here.All the components are well made and should last a long time.All parts are made in the USA. Components Rating 8 Overall Comments This is an excellent banjo to start out on and a keeper to knock around with should you decide to upgrade to a pro level banjo later.It's a quality banjo regardless of its basic,simple design with great sound.I do wish the neck was a bit meatier to fit my hand better but othwise I'm very happy with it. Overall Rating 9

Mike's Mute Mike's Mute submitted 7/5/2008 Submitter scruss (see all reviews from this person) Where Purchased rom Mike Stidd via Banjohangout.org Overall Comments Slightly easier to fit than the Fielding-Cutler, and sounds a little better when installed. There are some rough edges on the aluminium bracket, though, and the nylon bolts may not survive heavy use. Overall Rating 7