I have been online shopping banjos quite… extensively. Ebay, Amazon, 3 dozen+ online shops, reviews from multitude of sources, investigating manufacturer home sites, etc. I did the same for this banjo, and although there is actually very little out there about this particular banjo, I still felt very comfortable with what little I put together information wise. And frankly, at this price, it gets my warmest recommendation for those on a tight budget (sometimes, you just can’t afford 400+ dollars for a mainstream name beginner brand). Additionally, mine came very well setup from the seller (aside from the inevitable tuning). And its purty too! I would also deeply recommend Snark SN-2 All Instrument Clip-On Chromatic Tuner … absolutely the best tuner I have ever used and makes the various banjo-tuning schemes a breeze.

Be aware, in order to avoid possible confusion, Jameson Guitars is actually a sub-brand of Davison Guitars, so if you order and look at your peg-head and it says Davison (like mine does) and not R.W. Jameson, its the same maker (yes, I examined Davison’s home site as well as the Amazon Seller’s).

This banjo is beautifully crafted. It plays very well right out of the box without additional set-up, except for a little tuning. If you are looking for a beginning banjo, this one is very nice. With a closed back (resonator) it would usually be used by BlueGrass players, but if you want you can easily take the resonator off and play it clawhammer or frailing style.

So…after watching local Craigslist and eBay auctions for weeks & weeks, I was wondering if I would ever find a decent starter banjo without running a huge risk. So I visited Amazon, spotted this listing, read all 34 reviews, and decided that if even a few of the reviews were authentic (and the images were true), I had to give this banjo a try…

I ordered it late Sunday night – and Tuesday afternoon a knock on the door signaled its arrival. Wow.

The box/packing was untouched(undamaged), and this during the Christmas holidays.

The banjo – for the price mind you – was absolutely a pleasant surprise, and this from a veteran (25+ yrs) guitar player with at least 10 guitars of all brands & price ranges. Yes, a bit lighter than the Morgan Monroe starter banjo I’d just bought a week earlier for daughter#1’s boyfriend, but still clearly a well-crafted instrument. Nice selection and assembly of wood. Nice fretboard and inlays. VERY nice ivory-colored binding on BOTH the neck AND the resonator. WOOD resonator. Decent (not amazing, but functional) tuners, though I could already see that IF I like this banjo, this will be among the first/only things I’d think about replacing with planetary gear tuners. Out-of-the-box action – actually perfectly acceptable, and this is something I normally IMMEDIATELY adjust with EVERY new guitar I’ve ever had, as I like very low action. But this one is “low enough” that I’ll leave it for now, and was immediately able to start using finger picks and still finger the frets nicely. Overall sound – not horribly loud (resonator ring is wood – NOT metal), but perfectly loud enough for me.

There’s a single minor finish flaw on the back – a tiny thin 2″ wrinkle in the finish. Big F-ing deal.
The finish on the neck feels like glass. Only 2 other guitars I own have a neck this silky smooth, and they cost 0 each.

Less than 0 for a starter banjo? Money VERY well spent. I already felt pleased enough to spring an extra on a brand new 5-hinge hardshell case – I feel THAT good about this new little baby!

So sometimes Amazon reviews are not a load of crap from a bunch of paid writers.
Consider me Positive Review #35…
-MV