Would anyone like to comment on how these other golden-era banjos compare with B&D? I haven't had the opportunity to compare many, other than my c. 1925 open-back 17-fret Washburn Style C, with my 1927 19-fret Bacon & Day Silver Bell #1 tenor.
For what it's worth, the Washburn plays very well. The neck is exceptionally fast, though this is with a 1/2-inch bridge. The tone is sweet and mellow and the volume somewhat less than the Silver Bell, which plays very well with a high bridge after a beautiful set-up by Vinnie Mondello.
Polle's recent comments about the build quality of Vegas vs. B&D were very interesting. Since I see a lot of Ludwigs and Weymans--and a few Epiphones--for sale, I wonder how they compare with B&D in terms of build quality, playability, tone, volume etc.
Comments?
Thanks,
Andrew Roblin