© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc. This feed is subject to our terms of use: http://www.epinions.com/help/rss_terms http://www.epinions.com/user-ahand Recent reviews written by member ahand en-us 121 37 http://www.epinions.com/ http://img.epinions.com/images/epi_images/logos/epinions_121.gif http://www.epinions.com/content_490907799172?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author ahand - The Epiphone Masterbilt MB 500 banjo is described as "a luxury to play." Which is true. From a pure playing standpoint, it has one of the nicest neck and fretboard combinations I've ever seen. It isn't the slimmest neck, but as usual with Epiphones, it's... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~490907799172 Sat, 7 Nov 2009 09:59:31 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_490907799172?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_478406479492?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author ahand - The Regal RD 40 Resonator Natural Mohogany Square Neck both an example of what is called a "square neck" resonator, and a "dobro." The square neck is aresonator that has a very thick, square shaped neck (pretty much like a plank) and is... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~478406479492 Tue, 21 Jul 2009 22:48:50 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_478406479492?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_478180642436?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author ahand - The Bart Reiter Standard Open Back banjo is made by one of the most esteemed banjo makers in the country. The brand is often recommended as the next step up from a beginner banjo, and is in the "medium level" price category. Which in this case averages... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~478180642436 Mon, 20 Jul 2009 06:23:36 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_478180642436?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_478061235844?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author ahand - There are three schools of beginner banjo theory. The first, buy the cheapest one you can find that's playable. The second, buy the best one you can afford at a reasonable price. The last, and most stupid, save your money and buy a "mid-level" model... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~478061235844 Sun, 19 Jul 2009 04:17:56 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_478061235844?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_477818949252?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author ahand - The National Resophonic Style O 14 fret guitar is a new development by adding 2 extra frets to the standard 12 type, yet in actuality it's a revival of a 1935 design.The first popular "steel bodied" resonators were tricones, which used three... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~477818949252 Fri, 17 Jul 2009 03:30:10 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_477818949252?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_476881194628?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author ahand - The Deering company has added a new model to it's Goodtime line of entry level banjos, the Parlor. It's essentially the same as the regular Goodtime except for one important exception, it features a shorter 19 fret neck.It's also notworthy for... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~476881194628 Thu, 9 Jul 2009 21:20:14 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_476881194628?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_462128123524?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author ahand - This Epi is essentially a reissue of the 1963 Gibson Firebird VII, with the same specs, but with the usual economies like overseas manufacture and materials. The guitar has a mohogany body and set mohogany neck, with three alnico V mini-humbuckers. It... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~462128123524 Wed, 25 Feb 2009 22:37:34 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_462128123524?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_461404868228?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author ahand - The Deering Goodtime banjo line is been around long enough to be called venerable, and it's still the one that gets the most recommendations as a ideal starter banjo. As I've said in previous reviews of the Goodtime line, that's advice that may or may... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~461404868228 Wed, 18 Feb 2009 23:50:15 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_461404868228?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_451740536452?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author ahand - As you may or may not know, the wildebeast in Africa is famous for being an animal that "God made out of spare parts." When one looks at this latest incarnation of the Firebird, one has to wonder if it was designed by committee. It always did, actually,... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~451740536452 Mon, 17 Nov 2008 23:40:57 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_451740536452?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_446444506756?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author ahand - The Samick MF1 is an "F Style" mandolin, which was first made famous by the Gibson Loar design decades earlier. It's a specialized design, made for bluegrass, and not especially suitable for solo playing (like the simpler "A" style is). It's body shape... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~446444506756 Tue, 30 Sep 2008 21:49:27 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_446444506756?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_445076508292?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author ahand - As I'm sure you all know, there's the Gibson Les Paul line of guitars, and then a series of economy guitars that goes down the price scale till you get to the Epiphone Les Paul 100. Both Gibson and Epiphone offer a "studio" version of their standard... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~445076508292 Wed, 17 Sep 2008 22:00:30 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_445076508292?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_441284071044?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author ahand - One of the more interesting things about the mid-price banjo market is the relatively low profile of the Epiphone line. One knock on the MB-250 is that it's got an Asian heritage, a distain that goes back to the 70s. Which is ironic. Old Japanese... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~441284071044 Fri, 15 Aug 2008 18:37:07 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_441284071044?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_439480389252?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author ahand - If one were to give the ukulele a very basic definition, it would be that it was a small guitar-like instrument with four nylon strings and is played somewhat similarly to a tenor banjo. That is to say, mainly chording. That's the basic explantion... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~439480389252 Fri, 1 Aug 2008 15:45:18 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_439480389252?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_438204534404?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author ahand - The Seagull brand had one of the strongest word of mouth buzz and rep I'd ever seen when it first came out. The concept was simple; high quality wood built guitars at a low price with superior sound. Some with the novelty of cedar tops, which normally... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~438204534404 Tue, 22 Jul 2008 22:09:09 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_438204534404?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_437611499140?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author ahand - I've been watching the proliferation of Martin models with some interest. From the small, and very cute to good sounding models in every price range, Martin is making a major move on everyone, with the possible exception of Gibson. Gibson has made... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~437611499140 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 19:36:23 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_437611499140?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_437578141316?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author ahand - The Martin J1215 12 String Acoustic Guitar in solid mahogany or in the case of the sides and back, possibly sapele, is another very good entry in the 1000.00 range (less if you can find one on closeout) solid wood class. It has that dark mahogany look,... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~437578141316 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:02:21 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_437578141316?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_435251285636?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author ahand - The Epiphone Masterbilt line is going to become one of the most underrated acoustic lines ever made, it's legacy is helping to make the 800.00-1000.00 category a competitive one. The idea was to make a high quality solid wood line and have it compete... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~435251285636 Fri, 27 Jun 2008 21:21:29 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_435251285636?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_433621995140?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author ahand - The Washburn B16 banjo has it roots as the earlier B15, which was one of the company's higher end models around 8 years or so ago. It was upgraded into a more expensive model, and the B14 stayed pretty much the same. I played the B15 for around five... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~433621995140 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 19:03:11 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_433621995140?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_432825208452?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author ahand - In discussions about midrange priced acoustics, a name that is showing up more and more in even the upscale shops is Blue Ridge. It's one of the Saga lines, from a company that seems to have a knack for successfully reviving old names. It's line of Regal... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~432825208452 Fri, 6 Jun 2008 15:46:35 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_432825208452?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_432049393284?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author ahand - I've been messing around a lot with inexpensive guitars lately. What prompted me to do this was playing a friend's old Silvertone and my old Hohner 3/4 and wondering if the sound of a guitar that costs around 100.00 had changed. We're a few years now... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~432049393284 Fri, 30 May 2008 21:14:58 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_432049393284?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_429342035588?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author ahand - Any who sees this rather pretty and vintage looking guitar will recognize it as an Epiphone version of the Gibson Blues King. Given how popular the Blues King is (and often lusted for), this could qualify as an outright public service if the guitar can... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~429342035588 Thu, 8 May 2008 22:36:17 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_429342035588?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_426475228804?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author ahand - For most of my life, I preferred Telecasters. In fact, most of it was with my old 1971, and I tended to see strats as overpriced and tempermental. There was a simple reason. The infamous Fender tremelo bar. You tune the guitar, and when it's done, you... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~426475228804 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 23:21:39 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_426475228804?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_422026120836?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author ahand - The Epiphone Elitist 1963 Es-335 Dot Electric Guitar is an interesting replica of the Gibson original. When one looks at the ad copy, it says: "A gorgeous archtop with a new level of attention to detail reminiscent of vintage Epiphones." It's an... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~422026120836 Thu, 13 Mar 2008 23:47:49 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_422026120836?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_421908156036?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author ahand - The Gretsch Electromatic Hollowbody, in retro gold is essentially the long awaited upgraded 5120 Hollowbody that was very popular in the 600.00 range. The upgrades include two new single coil Dearmond 2000 pickups, a better Bigsby type tremelo bar,... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~421908156036 Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:06:40 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_421908156036?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_421141057156?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author ahand - It's an obvious statement that we all have different tastes in guitars. The reasons vary, but the bottom line is that there are preferences. For example, I'm not a Les Paul kind of guy. I've owned some, but always ended up trading those off. Same with... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~421141057156 Thu, 6 Mar 2008 23:14:54 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_421141057156?linkin_id=8003929