Looking to purchase a new tenor banjo...budget is USD 1,000.....looking for an instrument to amuse myself with irish melodic lines and occasionally bring to a session. My main instrument is the flute. What do you suggest I buy....thanks
The bottom line is that for $1000 dollars you should get a vintage instrument since they will hold their value and they sound better than a new instrument at the same price. For a thousand dollars you can buy a very nice instrument such as a Vega Model R or MOdel M or a Professional. For $1200 you can buy almost any professional level banjo from the golden age (1925-1940) except Gibson.
Names to look for are B&D.Bacon (any model), Paramount (esp Model A), any banjo designed by William Lange (Paramount, Langstyle, Orpheum), Epiphone Recording A, Weymann Megaphonic, Vega (any model) and perhaps Leedy. Vega and Bacon lower end models are well made and have a good sound. This is not true of some of the older banjos made by others. Explore those URLs I gave you as they are all reputable dealers and will back up their products with warrantees.
You can find some great banjos on eBay as well, but it's a bit more difficult to tell whether it is a good banjo or not. (And there is a sea of bad banjos on eBay).
One of the best banjos I ever bought was a '67 Vega "Wonder Tenor" that I bought on eBay for about $250, and promptly turned around and sold for $550.
If you aren't intimately familiar with banjos, but see something on eBay that you're interested in, feel free to contact me (click on my username and select "send and email"), and I'd be happy to give you my impression of the particular banjo.
But Mike is right, if you can afford to buy from a reputable dealer, that's the way to go, you'll know you won't be getting a lemon. Here's a couple of other people that I have had great success in buying banjos from:
There is a trend on banjo discussions which I have noticed over the past year or so, which is advice NOT to consider Mandolin brothers as a supplier. Why? I think in fairness to everybody, Mike Keys should explain why he dismisses them each time he posts a comment. Maybe he has a valid reason, maybe not. but in the interest of balance, here is their website http//www.mandoweb.com
My reasons are an amalgamation of personal experience, the opinions of others that I trust, and the general experience of buyers on the Mandolincafe over a thirty year period. I have no financial or personal interest either way with Mandolin Brothers.
Prices are generally higher, the descriptions have not always been accurate, and there are questions about the list being updated.
I live not too far from Mandolin Brothers and bought several instrumens there.
While it's true that their web inventory list is not up to date, their prices are not th lowest, and their repair shop is overbooked....
...the in-person shopping experience there is the best I've ever encountered. You can spend literally entire days in the store with nothing but helpful suggestions coming from the staff. I have so I know. You can pick up and play instruments well into 10's of thousands of $$ without getting special permission from anyone. They maintain the display instruments well and keep them fairly well set up. The whole atmosphere is just amazing. I find the staff very knowlegable too. When I bought my Flatiron mandolin there in (a while back) they had 5 in stock. At *their* suggestion, we took out all 5, tuned them up and did a long comparison to find the best sounding one of the lot. They were so into it. You do pay for this kind of service with the generally higher prices. You have to decide if it's worth it for you.
The vast majority of inquiries about banjos on this list are just like the one on this thread: What banjo should I buy?
Of course you cannot be totally accurate for each person, but the general advice is to consider getting a vintage instrument because they are a value pricewise and don't depreciate the way a new one does. In addition there is a greater variety of both quality and price with vintage instruments.
If you want a new one, and you live in North America, call Wayne Rogers at Gold Tone (http://www.goldtone.com (321) 264-1970 or Goldtone1@aol.com) and he will put together what ever you want for a decent price. You will have a good banjo but not the best, even for the price. I have done this.
But if you want a vintage instrument you have to either find it on ebay, come across one in a local store, or work with a vintage dealer. I have done all the above with good results although ebay is a minefield and local stores rarely have tenor banjos.
This leaves vintage instrument dealers. Since most of us can't go to Nashville, or East Lansing, or Staten Island, or Rochester, we are left with dealing over the internet. I have been to all of these (and other) stores and if you are really looking for a fine vintage instrument, that is the way to go.
But in a practical sense, browsing on the Internet is the best way to not only find the instruments and compare prices, but to learn about them. Calling each dealer takes a lot more time and should be a second or third step in the buying process. As a result, if a vendor is going to use the internet as a selling tool, that vendor should have an up to date list, good and understandable condition descriptions, and a clear policy about return and how to buy. MB is down the list in those regards.
My favorite vendors are: Vinnie Mondello (http://4stringbanjos.com/ForSaleIndex.html) because he is more than willing to back up any instrument you buy from him, will find an instrument for you (he sold GO'C a banjo), and is spot on when he describes a banjo. He also is a terrific setup person and, if he knows you, he will send an instrument to you at his cost for evaluation.
Next is John Bernunzio's (http://www.bernunzio.com/) whose list is always up to date and whose return policies are terrific. His store always has new instruments coming in and he is not satisfied until you are.
I've known Wil Bremer of Spruce Tree Music (http://www.sprucetreemusic.com/) for years and he is my local vintage instrument store. Another honest and helpful business.
George Gruhn (http://www.gruhn.com) and I go way back (I am from the Nashville area) and while he is not the easiest person to get along with, his staff is knowledgable and his descriptions are accurate. (You have to remember that most owners of vintage instrument stores are instrument geeks first and then business persons.)
I buy from Elderly Instruments (http://www.elderly.com) all the time and they keep up with their inventory plus they have all sorts of other accessories, etc.that you need. Right now they have the best price on the MadForTrad CD-ROMs.
Vintage Instruments (http://www.vintage-instruments.com/) in Philly is a nice shop to visit and they seem to keep up to date with their inventory, too.
There are plenty of others (see above) who fit the criteria I use to buy on the internet. The ones I mention are there because I have had personal experience with them and have met the owners and staff at the stores. (I have been to MB, too.)
I have also been to Tom Cussen's shop in Ireland (http://www.banjo.ie/) and he usually has a good selection and is a wonderful person to deal with.
Andybanjo (http://www.andybanjo.com/) is great to work with and very knowledgeable. There are other's in the UK but I have not dealt with them directly.
So my concern about MB is based on their business practices vis a vis the Internet. In the time it takes to call a store and run through their inventory, you can do a comparison of five or six stores as long as you have the URLs. Obviously the best way to buy an instrument is to play it but in NA that is hard to do when all the good stores are hundreds or thousands of miles apart. Also, if you are a beginner and know nothing about the instruments or how to evaluate them, the services of someone like Vinnie Mondello are indispensable. You can find vintage instruments cheaper than if you went to a dealer, but you have to have a lot of knowledge. The (fairly reasonable) extra cost of buying from a reputable and helpful dealer is well worth it.
I own five banjos that I consider top end. One from a local music shop, one from ebay, and three from vintage dealers. The first two were bargains but I never regretted buying the other three from dealers because they are outstanding instruments. (I made one, too, and it is good, but that is a different story that involves Gold Tone.)
I found a lovely B&D Silver Bell (first series) for a $1000. The instruments are out there if you're considering vintage. Try the folks at RetroFret/ NY String service in Brooklyn, NY. (Butler Street). They work on vintage instruments and have a nice collection in the shop, although that changes frequently.
Mike, thanks for clearing that one up. I actually bought a banjo from them over the telephone before they had a website, and found that i got exactly what I was looking for,and not overpriced. It's my pride and joy. I'll go check out that mandolincafe discussion though.
New Tenor Banjo
New Tenor Banjo
Looking to purchase a new tenor banjo...budget is USD 1,000.....looking for an instrument to amuse myself with irish melodic lines and occasionally bring to a session. My main instrument is the flute. What do you suggest I buy....thanks
# Posted on September 29th 2006 by ecologia
Re: New Tenor Banjo
There are numerous threads on this subject in the archives, just put "new banjo" in the search box.
This is a typical one: http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/10040/comments#comment209531
The bottom line is that for $1000 dollars you should get a vintage instrument since they will hold their value and they sound better than a new instrument at the same price. For a thousand dollars you can buy a very nice instrument such as a Vega Model R or MOdel M or a Professional. For $1200 you can buy almost any professional level banjo from the golden age (1925-1940) except Gibson.
Look at http:www.bernunzio.com or http:www.sprucetreemusic.com or http://www.gruhn.com or http://www.elderly.com or several others (not mandolin brothers.)
Names to look for are B&D.Bacon (any model), Paramount (esp Model A), any banjo designed by William Lange (Paramount, Langstyle, Orpheum), Epiphone Recording A, Weymann Megaphonic, Vega (any model) and perhaps Leedy. Vega and Bacon lower end models are well made and have a good sound. This is not true of some of the older banjos made by others. Explore those URLs I gave you as they are all reputable dealers and will back up their products with warrantees.
Mike Keyes
http://www.banjosessions.com
# Posted on September 29th 2006 by mikeyes
Re: New Tenor Banjo
Sorry.
http://www.bernunzio.com
http://www.sprucetreemusic.com
http://www.vintageinstruments.com
http://www.vintage-instruments.com (two different stores, but one is near you in Philly.)
Mike Keyes
http://www.banjosessions.com
# Posted on September 29th 2006 by mikeyes
Re: New Tenor Banjo
Great advice from Mike.
You can find some great banjos on eBay as well, but it's a bit more difficult to tell whether it is a good banjo or not. (And there is a sea of bad banjos on eBay).
One of the best banjos I ever bought was a '67 Vega "Wonder Tenor" that I bought on eBay for about $250, and promptly turned around and sold for $550.
If you aren't intimately familiar with banjos, but see something on eBay that you're interested in, feel free to contact me (click on my username and select "send and email"), and I'd be happy to give you my impression of the particular banjo.
But Mike is right, if you can afford to buy from a reputable dealer, that's the way to go, you'll know you won't be getting a lemon. Here's a couple of other people that I have had great success in buying banjos from:
http://www.vintagebanjos.com/
http://4stringbanjos.com/ForSaleIndex.html
Good luck!
Pete
# Posted on September 29th 2006 by Reverend
Re: New Tenor Banjo
Try Doug Parry at http://www.johnalveyturner.co.uk/ he's been in the biz for years and knows his stuff...
# Posted on September 30th 2006 by docdick
Re: New Tenor Banjo
There is a trend on banjo discussions which I have noticed over the past year or so, which is advice NOT to consider Mandolin brothers as a supplier. Why? I think in fairness to everybody, Mike Keys should explain why he dismisses them each time he posts a comment. Maybe he has a valid reason, maybe not. but in the interest of balance, here is their website http//www.mandoweb.com
# Posted on September 30th 2006 by Backer
Re: New Tenor Banjo
Sorry..... http://mandoweb.com
# Posted on September 30th 2006 by Backer
Re: New Tenor Banjo
Backer,
Mandolin Bros is at http://www.mandoweb.com
My reasons are an amalgamation of personal experience, the opinions of others that I trust, and the general experience of buyers on the Mandolincafe over a thirty year period. I have no financial or personal interest either way with Mandolin Brothers.
Prices are generally higher, the descriptions have not always been accurate, and there are questions about the list being updated.
Look at this discussion: http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?s=8e3e1d816ebafa0aeb1b83c8007050f8;act=ST;f=12;t=12652;hl=mandolin+and+brothers+problems
Mike Keyes
Http://www.banjosessions.com
# Posted on September 30th 2006 by mikeyes
Re: New Tenor Banjo
I live not too far from Mandolin Brothers and bought several instrumens there.
While it's true that their web inventory list is not up to date, their prices are not th lowest, and their repair shop is overbooked....
...the in-person shopping experience there is the best I've ever encountered. You can spend literally entire days in the store with nothing but helpful suggestions coming from the staff. I have so I know. You can pick up and play instruments well into 10's of thousands of $$ without getting special permission from anyone. They maintain the display instruments well and keep them fairly well set up. The whole atmosphere is just amazing. I find the staff very knowlegable too. When I bought my Flatiron mandolin there in (a while back) they had 5 in stock. At *their* suggestion, we took out all 5, tuned them up and did a long comparison to find the best sounding one of the lot. They were so into it. You do pay for this kind of service with the generally higher prices. You have to decide if it's worth it for you.
Just my experience
Avi
# Posted on September 30th 2006 by improziv
Re: New Tenor Banjo
Let me clarify this issue a little.
The vast majority of inquiries about banjos on this list are just like the one on this thread: What banjo should I buy?
Of course you cannot be totally accurate for each person, but the general advice is to consider getting a vintage instrument because they are a value pricewise and don't depreciate the way a new one does. In addition there is a greater variety of both quality and price with vintage instruments.
If you want a new one, and you live in North America, call Wayne Rogers at Gold Tone (http://www.goldtone.com (321) 264-1970 or Goldtone1@aol.com) and he will put together what ever you want for a decent price. You will have a good banjo but not the best, even for the price. I have done this.
But if you want a vintage instrument you have to either find it on ebay, come across one in a local store, or work with a vintage dealer. I have done all the above with good results although ebay is a minefield and local stores rarely have tenor banjos.
This leaves vintage instrument dealers. Since most of us can't go to Nashville, or East Lansing, or Staten Island, or Rochester, we are left with dealing over the internet. I have been to all of these (and other) stores and if you are really looking for a fine vintage instrument, that is the way to go.
But in a practical sense, browsing on the Internet is the best way to not only find the instruments and compare prices, but to learn about them. Calling each dealer takes a lot more time and should be a second or third step in the buying process. As a result, if a vendor is going to use the internet as a selling tool, that vendor should have an up to date list, good and understandable condition descriptions, and a clear policy about return and how to buy. MB is down the list in those regards.
My favorite vendors are: Vinnie Mondello (http://4stringbanjos.com/ForSaleIndex.html) because he is more than willing to back up any instrument you buy from him, will find an instrument for you (he sold GO'C a banjo), and is spot on when he describes a banjo. He also is a terrific setup person and, if he knows you, he will send an instrument to you at his cost for evaluation.
Next is John Bernunzio's (http://www.bernunzio.com/) whose list is always up to date and whose return policies are terrific. His store always has new instruments coming in and he is not satisfied until you are.
I've known Wil Bremer of Spruce Tree Music (http://www.sprucetreemusic.com/) for years and he is my local vintage instrument store. Another honest and helpful business.
George Gruhn (http://www.gruhn.com) and I go way back (I am from the Nashville area) and while he is not the easiest person to get along with, his staff is knowledgable and his descriptions are accurate. (You have to remember that most owners of vintage instrument stores are instrument geeks first and then business persons.)
I buy from Elderly Instruments (http://www.elderly.com) all the time and they keep up with their inventory plus they have all sorts of other accessories, etc.that you need. Right now they have the best price on the MadForTrad CD-ROMs.
Vintage Instruments (http://www.vintage-instruments.com/) in Philly is a nice shop to visit and they seem to keep up to date with their inventory, too.
There are plenty of others (see above) who fit the criteria I use to buy on the internet. The ones I mention are there because I have had personal experience with them and have met the owners and staff at the stores. (I have been to MB, too.)
I have also been to Tom Cussen's shop in Ireland (http://www.banjo.ie/) and he usually has a good selection and is a wonderful person to deal with.
Andybanjo (http://www.andybanjo.com/) is great to work with and very knowledgeable. There are other's in the UK but I have not dealt with them directly.
So my concern about MB is based on their business practices vis a vis the Internet. In the time it takes to call a store and run through their inventory, you can do a comparison of five or six stores as long as you have the URLs. Obviously the best way to buy an instrument is to play it but in NA that is hard to do when all the good stores are hundreds or thousands of miles apart. Also, if you are a beginner and know nothing about the instruments or how to evaluate them, the services of someone like Vinnie Mondello are indispensable. You can find vintage instruments cheaper than if you went to a dealer, but you have to have a lot of knowledge. The (fairly reasonable) extra cost of buying from a reputable and helpful dealer is well worth it.
I own five banjos that I consider top end. One from a local music shop, one from ebay, and three from vintage dealers. The first two were bargains but I never regretted buying the other three from dealers because they are outstanding instruments. (I made one, too, and it is good, but that is a different story that involves Gold Tone.)
MIke Keyes
http://www.bansjosessions.com
# Posted on September 30th 2006 by mikeyes
Re: New Tenor Banjo
Mike - just how fast can you type?
You have a point about phone/internet dealings with MB. My positive experience is based on shopping there in person
Avi
# Posted on September 30th 2006 by improziv
Re: New Tenor Banjo
I found a lovely B&D Silver Bell (first series) for a $1000. The instruments are out there if you're considering vintage. Try the folks at RetroFret/ NY String service in Brooklyn, NY. (Butler Street). They work on vintage instruments and have a nice collection in the shop, although that changes frequently.
Arbo
# Posted on September 30th 2006 by Imnotirish
Re: New Tenor Banjo
Mike, thanks for clearing that one up. I actually bought a banjo from them over the telephone before they had a website, and found that i got exactly what I was looking for,and not overpriced. It's my pride and joy. I'll go check out that mandolincafe discussion though.
# Posted on September 30th 2006 by Backer