Zachary Hoyt: 11” cherry thin rim w/rolled brass and Dobson tone ring

Submitted by chelleshub on 2/15/2025

Where Purchased: Zach Hoyt

Year Purchased: 2025
Price Paid: $1048 ($US)

Sound

I have always loved thin rimmed banjos and when I saw this for sale, it peaked my interest. It has a rolled brass ring sitting on the pot with a Dobson ring on top, so it encapsulates the best of both worlds. It chimes perfectly with nice, bright highs and has the Dobson focus and growl on the low end.

Sound Rating: 10

Setup

The banjo came with the perfect set up for me with a 3/4” bridge. The height was just right for my playing style.

Setup Rating: 10

Appearance

What can I say? The banjo is simply beautiful and rivals any maker out there today. The fingerboard is a nice Brazilian cherry with brass dots. The banjo is made from a beautiful cherry wood with figured walnut headstock and armrest and neck heel cap, so it’s a very nice contrast. The wood has a nice oil finish and the neck is nice and smooth and makes sliding down the neck a breeze. About the neck..it is the best neck on a banjo I have ever played. Nice and full in the hand but not too big and the nut width is perfect. A little wider than most open backs out there so I have plenty of room for chords.

Appearance Rating: 10

Reliability

Everything about this instrument screams quality made by an artisan craftsman and will last for decades. No shortcuts taken on anything. The tailpiece, tuners, tone rings, tension hoop, fret work, shoes and lugs are very high quality.

Reliability Rating: 10

Customer Service

Now for the best part and that is Zach Hoyt, the builder. I’m the type person that really takes my time when deciding to make a purchase. I’ll ask questions, think a few days, ask more questions, think a few more days. You get the point. I must’ve sent Zach 10 different emails over a couple weeks time, asking a variety of questions. Within a couple hours, I would get a response. He was more than patient with me and always professional and very courteous. A selling point for me was his 7 day trial period. Buy the banjo, play it for 7 days and if you don’t like it, send it back for a full refund minus shipping costs. It hard to beat a deal like that in my book.

Customer Service: 10

Components

All parts are high quality and very dependable.

Components Rating: 10

Overall Comments

I have to say this banjo exceeded my expectations. It's well crafted and looks incredible. It has nice embellishments like the brass fingerboard dots and walnut accents on the cherry neck and rim. I own 3 other banjos, two of which are custom instruments from boutique builders, all 3 of which have either a wooden tone ring or no tone ring at all. I wanted to try a Dobson to see if I would like it and it was a wonderful purchase decision. This banjo rivals any of my boutique banjos and is an upgrade in quality to my Enoch Tradesman. I love all my banjos for different reasons and this one has carved its own little niche in my stable.  I wouldn't hesitate in the least to purchase another banjo from Zach Hoyt. His banjos coupled with his willingness to go above and beyond to please his customers really won me over. I can't say enough good things about the entire experience. I am one HAPPY customer! Thank you, Zach!

Overall Rating: 10