Somebody mention Sullivans from FQMS? Also didn't see Deerings show up but I scanned down pretty fast on some. I think the Gibsons of old were the standard but lately there's a whole lot of great banjo makers out there and it's really a matter of taste and subjectivity once you lay down a couple of grand for a banjo. Heard some great Stellings, Huss & Dalton and a Prushka (sp?-Eastern Euro I believe) at a fest last year, in addition to the requisite Gibson Mastertones, etc.