Help with buying a banjo - budget is 1800 Euros

Hey all

I just sold my Weymann style 70 and looking for a better banjo.
soundwise - I prefer the sound to be not so much of sharp and cut, with a bit of resonance and a bit mellow(a bit like Brian McGarth)

Budget - 1800 Euros

Please write your recommendations, vintage is also an option

Thanks!

If you could wait out to get a second hand Dave Boyle.Absolutely brilliant banjos .The tone is better in this banjo than any vintage banjo iv played.Theyre also very easy to play.the weight is the only disadvantage.Hers a few videos .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ky7DhIWZ7UM

play video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hf2YHrupu8E

play video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WB_SnAe3pS4

play video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAjuOxyLID0

play video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1QyktXPrrM

play video

I had a bad experience with a paramount leader 1926.Tone and volume was awful so had to sell it.Id avoid them.

Get a Dave boyle and you will not go back.You could buy a new one (2800 i think they are now).You would probably never give it up.

Thanks mate!

Everybody are talking about Dave Boyle, but I don’t think I’ll find one, maybe if I get really really lucky
I’m not from Ireland, and not going to be there soon
so I can only buy on the internet, small chance to find Dave Boyle

I’ll call Tom Cussen from Clareen and ask him about his instruments, did you ever played his instruments?
He have some models that are in this budget, I can also go up to 2000 euros, but not more than that, My wife will kill me…

If not Clareen, any other suggestions?

I couldnt recommend anything outside the dave boyle really.A friend(a reliable resource) says them new deering banjos are good.Would be in your price range id say. I havent a notion about clareens but i know players who have sold clareens and bought dave boyles

Its quite an affordable banjo really as i would consider it the best one you could buy. You could buy a paragon for crazy money and it wouldnt be as good to be honest.

I played a friends Clareen for a few years but honestly preferred my Ludwig but that may be down to set up. I also played a Deering Boston which I instantly loved but it was set up nice and tuned in standard rather than Irish tuning. Set up is very important.
Never played a Boyle but have played many vintage instruments.

Have a look at Emerald Banjos

Thanks Edgar, first time I’m hearing about Emerald. Did you ever play one of these?

I have just (August 2012) bought one - they are a small family business with workshops in both Ireland and England. I am really happy with mine. It’s worth getting in touch with them and discussing what you are looking for - they also have a pay in installments option which is useful

I bought a 1924 Vega style X number 9 on eBay large pot (13/16) about a year ago for about $1,600us. There are a lot of old Vegas out there, and the Tubaphone tone rings especially really sound good for session playing. You can find these in the price range you’re looking for.

I would tend to buy a vintage banjo at this price range. While both Dave Boyle and Tom Cussens make fine instruments I think in general they merely assemble the banjos from parts supplied by others. Good vintage manufacturers such as Paramount and Vega designed the instruments from the ground up and and in most cases made all their own parts to fit this design and particular sound. A really good Paramount should be available at this price range but may take some time to source. Owning a vintage instrument brings it own joys and it should not depreciate immediately like a new Clareen or Boyle would. I have yet to see a top player with a Clareen banjo.

I decided to go for Clareen Celt anyway, upgraded with bronze tone ring and ebony fretboard
and the results? I just got it few days ago and it is absolutely brilliant instrument!
sounds very loud and responsive

It is also very comfortable to play and looks much better in reality than on the pictures
one more important thing is that Tom Cussen is a great guy and gave me the best customer service I ever got, including few skype chats with demos, weekley picture that shows exactly how he built the instrument from scratch

It sounds a bit biased to be so positive, but it is true
I would recommend Clareen Banjos to anyone

Oded Navon

I’ve got a Dave Boyle and an Emerald Labasheeda. The action on both is identical. The sound off my Labasheeda is superior to the DB. The weights are near enough identical. The sustain on my Emerald is longer than the DB. The quality of the Labasheeda is superb. There are laquer runs on my DB resonator. AND my Emerald looks really funky. Use the www.emeraldbanjos.com site not the .co.uk site which seems to have stagnated