Ramsey! Ramsey! Ramsey! (Or, more formally, Chanterelle, but almost nobody calls them that.)

Mike Ramsey built mine for me in late '98-early '99. It's what's referred to as the Ramsey Special model. It's maple, 11 inch, ebony fingerboard, bubinga trim, and a thicker than normal pot wall, by request. It cost $850 at that time, and I suppose a new one today would be something like $1,000--if you were willing to wait through the LONG, LONG waiting list. Mike and his wife are the only "employees" of Chanterelle, and build everything themselves. Not the heads, strings, or tuners, of course, and maybe not the brackets. He told me that in 1998 they had built 175 banjos.   Actually, I understand that he does everything himself except the MOP inlay, which his wife, Patty, does. He then does the MOP engraving.

I've had many, many unsolicited compliments on both the tone and the physical beauty of mine, and I can't recommend Mike's banjos enough. And there are a lot of people who would agree with me.

Because he does make a lot of them, there are a number of used Ramsey's that show up from time to time. Look around.

Dave Oesterreich