 | oldscouter says:
5/30/2012 6:09:51 AM
I visit with Jimmy weekly as he lives just around the corner from where I work and I can tell you he makes the finest banjos to be found anywhere. he uses hard rock maple from the Maine woods for the rims which creates a solid sound. He also uses mahogany for the necks from time to time (mine has a mahogany neck). You may not be aware but Jimmy also machines all his own hardware including tailpieces, nuts, tensioners and tone rings. I think that just about the only part that he doesn't make in his shop are the tuners. When you watch him make a banjo you can tell that this gentleman is a real craftsman - absolutely no compromise.
I personally own a Cumberland because I have limited resources. However, if you can afford it, the Carolina and Kentucky 5's are really nice. From what I understand, the major differences between the models are the tone ring, options for head design and the degree of complexity in the inlays and other "finery". At $2,700, the Cumberland has my vote for great sound and quality craftsmanship.. If I could have afforded to spend more, I probably would have bought a Kentucky 5 but quite frankly, I don't think I could have done the instrument justice.
By the way, when you call Jimmy, he answers the phone right there in his dusty shop adorned with pictures of his friends, including Ralph Stanley and Raymond Fairchild; you won't get some customer service representative sitting a cubicle in New York City.
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 | Gutbucket Aria says:
5/30/2012 6:17:29 PM
That's great advice, thanks for the quick post. If you couldn't do the K5 justice, then I'm sure I can't as a beginner! Sounds like the Cumberland might be a great fit for me too. Then again, I don't plan on buying another banjo for a long long time, maybe ever, so I'm intent on getting the "right" one.
I'll update my post once I've talked to Jimmy and chosen a banjo. You've been very helpful.
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 | rbergesch says:
7/12/2012 9:43:47 AM
Jim's banjos are great. They are professional level banjos, sure, but that shouldn't scare an appreciative amature, if you can responsibly afford the instrument. What do we amatures like about the banjo? Most of us would say "the sound.". The sound comes mainly from 2 places,: the right hand of the player, and the instrument itself. Jimmy's banjos sound great, and they will improve the sound of your playing, and your playing will improve because you play more... Will you ever sound as good as Earl or Jim Cox? Probably not, but so what?
Jim is very approachabnle, and a great human being. He is a craftsman with total attention to details. He makes parts for many other banjo makers and banjo part suppliers, as well as his own banjo line. But his own banjo line is not a regular "production" line in the sense that he will make 10 A-type instruments this week, 5 B-type instruments next week, etc. While his banjos are certainly "individually hand made", his parts are "one at a time in batches". He usually has in stock most parts availble to build most of his banjos, but a specific style (with specific inlay styles or pehaps a specific wood type,) may take a while. He doen't have many unallocated banjos lying around the shop. A few, perhaps a result of a canceled order or other unusuall circumstance, but not many.
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 | aaroncantrell says:
12/14/2012 3:26:35 AM
I have a cox carolina custom walnut, and a kentucky-5 with a rim out of mesquite that he built for for me...both are absolutely amazing banjos...regardless of the model, you can't go wrong...he should be selling his instruments for 2-3 times what he is asking...he is a good friend of mine and an amazing person to know...
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