Luna Banjolele - opinions?

Ambient Doughnut

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I just tried one of these in the local guitar shop (GAK) and was quite impressed. It had a snappy retro sound and made my Formby stylings sound much more authentic. Any idea how it weighs up against other modern banjoleles? I have a firefly but personally don't love it. This felt much more 'me'.

Also tried one the Gretsch resonators and that was tempting too!
 
Any of the low end banjos on the market are going to sound horrible at most stores. They need to be setup. Once setup they sound fantastic! My favorite one on the market is the Gretsch Banjolele. The luna is really good once setup, but I like the larger size of the Gretsch. Once I set up the Gretsch's that we get in at our shop, I think they hold their own next to the Beansprout Banjolele I owned.
 
I must say the setup on this one seemed pretty sweet. I would love a beansprout and was watching one closely on ebay but the seller went and pulled it before the auction ended.
 
Hmm - thanks!. Are there any in particular which you have liked?
There was one - unfortunately I can't remember the name.... sorry. It wasn't Ashbury, (tried them...) and I've never tried a Goldtone... I just can't remember what it was... and the new ones don't compare at all with vintage. Completely different sound. If I see the name of the one I thought wasn't too bad, I'll recognise it, and I'll post it. Best I can do....
 
There has been many favorable comments about the EddyFinn soprano and the closed back concerts. One fellow who has both an E/F concert and a Gold Tone says that they are so similar, they are probably made in the same factory. The G/T costs more, but the E/F puts a warranty on their ukuleles that G/T does not match.
I have three small classic banjo ukuleles and four new era banjo ukes. There is a sound difference not so much because of the age, but because of the size of the heads. There was a fellow at a goat show who had made a banjo ukulele from a piece of six inch plastic water pipe and a mandolin neck. It was a great sound.
How about the fellow who uses gourds for the bodies?
 
When I was in the market for a banjolele, I looked at Waverly St. Don't know how they play, but the later builds in particular are quite striking in the looks department. I wound up getting a firefly instead, and it does what I need.

http://www.wsukes.com/forsale.html

I really thought this one was cool looking

http://www.wsukes.com/207/u207.html
 
Of all the banjoleles I played, the vintage ones were the only I liked. I feel like they are an instrument on its own, when modern banjoleles are uke necks on a drum.

I love the looks, the different neck and the sound of a vintage banjolele.

Hear, hear. Plus, vintage banjo ukes aren't dipped in 1/16" of plastic on any exposed wooden surfaces.
 
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