Another excellent banjo for the price is the Gold Tone Cripple Creek, about $250 street price, $300 with hardshell case. Check out www.janetdavismusic.com for quick time files on the sound of the instrument. Although Gold Tones are built in Korea, Gold Tone is an American company that sets up each instrument here; Janet Davis' shop does a further setup before they sell the banjos.

The Goodtime is a great inexpesive banjo, too, if only it didn't have that stupid windswept peg head...

--seed