I got it BAS, and that ain't good

[Adam]

(B.A.S. - banjo acquisition syndrome)

Like some other folks on this site (ahem - Rob - ahem) I seem always to be on the lookout for yet another banjo. Bernunzio's site is looked at weekly - more often if I'm especially covetous. I also check out a shop that is relatively local to me called Buffalo Bros ... Recently I went up to their shop to check out 4 different banjos (pics on the BB site): a 1920s Van Eps; a Fairbanks & Cole; a Stewart Special Thoroughbred; and a Luscomb (made, I believe by T&O) "Silver Chime."

I was hoping to swap an entry-level Martin guitar that has been sitting in my closet for the last 2 years for the Luscomb ... But unfortunately - even though it's still marked as available on their site - someone else has put a down payment on the Luscomb and so I missed out. :(

The F&C was disappointing because when I went to tune it up I realized all the tuners were either tightened down to the point that they wouldn't turn or else were so loose they wouldn't hold the tension ... Obviously a little Henry James action might've solved this (i.e., a "turn of the screw" - ouch, sorry!) but I didn't bother asking for a screwdriver and instead moved on to the Van Eps ...

This was really fun to play! And loud! Wowza ... I have a pretty light tough when I play (especially light when playing in a shop) and it was still loud. And easy to play ... But at $2500 way out of my current budget. I was going to make a video of me playing old Grimshaw's Ex50 on the Van Eps and post it here (just for fun) but unfortunately it's 5th string peg also had a loose screw and wouldn't stay in tune for more than 2 or 3 bars. Too bad.

Finally I played the Stewart ... I have to confess that I've never been impressed with the Stewarts I've played in the past ... This can probably be attributed to the fact that they've not been in the best shape - a little beat up, strung with steel - and old steel at that! This one, however, is strung with Nylgut and seemed pretty clean to me. And it play beautifully ... I finally fell under the Stewart spell ...

I do have a question for folks on this site - or at least folks who have bothered to read this far! The 5th peg on the Stewart - while it held in tune and adjusted easily - looked to have a sort of down-and-dirty repair/fix ... It looks like it simply has some paper or other fiber wedged into the neck hole to hold the tuner in place. Here's a pic:

What do you all make of this? Is it best to avoid something like this, as it might just mean problems down the road? Any and all thoughts appreciated.

With a $1750 price tag the Stewart also remains out of reach for me ... But if it sticks around a while, who knows what could happen.

Anyway, I left the shop empty-handed, my BAS unsatisfied. But it sure was fun to spend some time noodling around on the Van Eps and the Stewart ...

[Carl Anderton]

Bernunzio's is a great place to buy banjos from--take a look at this one

http://bernunzio.com/products/0811773

[David Wade]

Interesting banjo Carl, why do they set up for classical when it clearly has metal strings?

[marc dalmasso]

i have a Luscomb silver shimes ( i had it on ebay of course for a small price because it was in Canada & pot separated from the neck _i fixed it myself) ;the sound is special and the scale is .........27 13/16 ; i believe you can ' t play everything , may be practicing 5 hours a day ....