Testimonials

Finest Banjo Ever Made

Tim Stedman: Anyone awaiting the arrival of a new banjo knows the feeling one has as we wait for the brown truck to arrive.

After several failed attempts to find a lifetime instrument I contacted Pat Huff of Doc's Banjos. I inquired about a banjo he had listed on the website and was kindly told the particulars. Pat is a fine man to talk to and has a great concern for his customer. In a warm and friendly way every question I asked was answered. It was obvious he is a banjo player who shared the same concerns as I did about quality and playability.

I find words difficult to explain the feelings I have every time I open the case containing my new Doc's banjo. To say I am pleased is a vast understatement—the banjo is simply stunning! The frailing platform and wide fretboard make this banjo a joy to play. The neck is a handcrafted work of art and my hand glides along it with ease. It is everything I could ever have expected and more.

Pat is a Master wood worker and his attention to detail and workmanship is top shelf. I had read the posted testimonials and the statements from different individuals who used words like "Wow", "Fine", "The Best", "Friend", and "Craftsmanship". You will find all of these words hold true and the testimonials come from the heart of people lucky enough to own one of his creations.

Pat has incorporated some truly wonderful features in his banjos to be found no where else; mine is no exception. The banjo is built rock solid and sounds as good as it looks. There are no cheap parts used whatsoever on these banjos! They are truly built to last a lifetime. To top it all off the guarantee he puts on his instruments is second to none: total satisfaction, period.

I can say with no hesitation that I own the finest banjo ever made. Thank you Doc you made my dream come true.

This may be the best banjo I have ever played or owned.

Jim Corbin: With my daughters vet school tuition I had to sell a couple of your banjos but I always knew I would save up to get another. After a year I did just that and purchased #137 my 6th Doc's banjo.

Words come hard as this may be the best banjo I have ever played or even owned. The instrument is artistically done with a functional locator at the fifth fret, a scoop that has a wood stop, and a smooth delicately curved underside, and a lovely carved heel. The best is yet to come, the sound from the remarkably figured, expertly designed pot. The sound is similar to a tubaphone tone ring with the warmth of wood, each note holds it's value till the next is struck. The thin tone pot is nothing short of remarkable, thicker in the middle, the notes hang to explode sweetly from the base of the pot. The bubinga has the sound of sweet brass.

An artist and wood worker is known by innovation and improvement in their craft, you have taken your ability to a higher level one only reached by true masters. I am saving up already for #7.

Wow!

Bob Wilkerson: I've seen gunfights and stampedes, flash floods and lightnin', but I've never seen nor heard a banjo that sounds as good and is as beautiful as the one you've created for me!

WOW Not only WOW, but jump up and down, try not to swallow your tongue and don't forget to breathe, WOW!What an instrument!

Number 1: its sound is what banjos are all about. It is sonically perfect, absolutely, hands down, slap yo' mama, perfect! It's voice is like hearing what Botticelli's "Venus Emerging From the Sea" would sound like if it were music, so rich and large, classical, and an absolute joy to the ear. And to top it all off, my wife, Elaine, just loves it, and that's a real plus!

Number 2: My wife (Elaine) says it's the most beautiful banjo she's seen! I've never seen more attractive wood on any instrument. You can almost feel it's warmth, depth and character. No telling how long this banjo is going bring joy to those that hear it: many years past my life, I'm sure. It will still be here, thumpin' out the old-time tunes and making people happy!

Number 3: It's the perfect blend of art and science in a musical instrument. Each of the design features help make the banjo a playing masterpiece, while adding to it's visual statement: this banjo has it's roots in the past, but uses every tasteful application of modern construction principles. It is no doubt a masterpiece of design.

I love it, and would hunt down its thief to get it back!

Shawn Landa: It is a work of art, made of massaranduba, ironwood and a little white oak - very dense woods.

I couldn't believe how responsive this instrument is! I was upstairs in the bedroom and my wife was downstairs playing the piano at the end of a 27' room opposite from me - I could feel the sound of the piano all the way to the top of the peg head! Pretty darn amazing if you ask me. We are talking at least 40 feet across the rooms up a flight of stairs and in another room.

The setup was perfect. The banjo was in tune when I unpacked it. The banjo was setup like I asked. The hardware is heavy duty custom brass with an antiqued finish. Should last forever! he brass hardware is a standout,and it has nice five star tuners with ivoroid buttons. The ironwood hand carved bridge is neat.

Doc and his wife Florisell are great people. I got a banjo and made a new friend! The neck needed a slight adjustment and Doc talked me through it on the phone. It was done in five minutes. He really builds a quality thought out product, he says it's guaranteed for everything for life and i believe it.

It reminds me of a fine wood sculpture and yet is designed to maximize sound and playability.

John Adams: As a clawhammer player, I find that that the longer I have played, the more I have developed and appreciation of a full, plunky sound in an open-backed banjo. This one has it. It has a combination of excellent volume, a 'woody' tone and plenty of warmth with clarity. There is a great lower-end depth to it while retaining a clearness in noting often not found in fretless instruments.

I like the set-up on Doc's banjos. He seeks a setup that will maximize the wood tone of that particular banjo. This banjo came with a natural skin head and a couple of Doc's bridges (different heights and woods) to experiment with. It came with a fairly high action and I have done some experimenting with lower bridges to bring the action down (I like a fairly low action for a clawhammer player). The frailing scoop is fairly deep, but I have adjusted to that. On my tubaphones and other banjos, I have pretty much gone to using Renaissance or frosted heads to get the sound I want. For some reason the Vega/Fairbanks banjos with heavy tone rings don't always do so well with skin heads - sort of hollow and 'ringy' sounding. Doc's banjos seem to get maximum plunk, tone and volume using skin without that brightness and hollowness. Great sound!

I think this is a work of 'wood art,' as well as a fine instrument. This particular banjo was made from Oregon Crabapple wood (yep...that's what I said) that was harvested from an ancient tree on Doc's farm. The tone ring, fretboard and other details are made from a beautiful brown tone wood called Massaranduba. A proprietary polymerized oil finish brings out the best in the natural woods. The metal parts have an 'aged' look brought about through a specialized process. These banjos have a definite look to them that is unique and artistic while being extremely playable and functional.

Doc has custom hardware designed and produced for his banjos. Nuts, hooks, and bracket holders are made to order by an excellent machinist. Pat (Doc) has very exacting standards and is constantly monitoring the parts to ensure that they work smoothly, are sturdy, and fit into the overall structure of the banjo to maximize fit and finish. I have owned a number of older 'name' banjos and find it extremely frustrating when the hooks and nuts are rough and do not work smoothly. I think it detracts from the ability to keep the head at a constant tension - thus affecting the sound. The hardware on Doc's banjos works perfectly. Fit and finish excellent.

While he has some banjos made up already, Doc likes to work with an individual to design and build a banjo to order. His customer service skills (in addition to his craft skills) are excellent and attention to detail superb. I am at somewhat of an advantage here. I live close to Doc and am able to visit his shop on a fairly regular basis. I get to play his many banjos made of a variety of exotic and local woods.

The banjo has a thick substantial neck and a feature called a 'frailing platform' that I haven't seen on other banjos (see the "Innovation" tab on the "Our Banjos" page). This was an innovative creation of Doc's. Initially, I was a bit skeptical of the platform but after playing it for awhile, I found it works and seems to draw my hand back to the point over the lower neck that seems to maximize OT sound. The wonderful woods are displayed on his website. Check them out. They are numerous, colorful, many figured, and create some really unique sounds.

While there are a number of excellent instruments in this price range, this banjo is a work of art and a high-quality playing instrument. Truly 'old-timey' looking, playing and sounding. It is not resplendent with engraving and carving. Rather, it takes full advantage of the grain of the wood and the natural beauty of bringing the 'tone' woods together. it reminds me of a fine wood sculpture and yet is designed to maximize sound and playability. I recently had the opportunity to play some of his banjos made from Oregon Myrtlewood, (a unique hardwood found here on the Oregon coast). This wood has a unique natural beauty and a really full old-timey sound. You can get a lot of information and great pictures of the various woods, design features and components of his banjos by going to his website. Lots of options. I truly believe that these banjos will age well and will become collectible in the future as are many hand-made items created by an artisan.

When I played Banjo No. 81, I wanted to marry it! ; )

Bill Retskin: Doc's banjos are the quintessential instrument for clawhammer players, as he's thought of everything to incorporate into each instrument he lovingly makes. I read most of the hype and frankly, I wasn't impressed - until I played No. 81 and wanted to marry it. Ease of playing, sweet sound, good looks, strong construction. My next banjo will be from Patrick "Doc" Huff, no doubt.

Doc spends time setting up each banjo he ships and No. 81 [a 12" fretted banjo] was no exception. It is as if I were in his studio/shop and he measured me for a fitting.
The secret to Doc's success is partially the woods he uses for tone and strength, but the sound wants to flow out in even measured sequences as if it were lining up with the well-chosen grain. All Doc's metal is coordinated and visually becomes part of the overall look of the instrument within a few viewings. I still get a thrill every time I open the plush-lined case. There is little frill or fluff in Doc's creations - mostly good, solid looks and excellent tone.

The hardware can't be topped. All Doc's expense is in construction, the spartan quality of the woods and the harmony among the various pieces (pot, neck, bridge, nut, etc.). I would be proud to use No. 81 on any gig I got.

Doc insists on meeting his customers - either on the phone or in person - before he sells them a banjo. It is as if he needs to get a feeling for the customer's likes and preferences, further tailoring them into the essence of the banjo.
There is nothing weak or cheap about Doc's banjos. As a big company once said - the quality goes in before the name goes on. You've just got to play one to know what I mean.

There is little comparison between one of Doc's banjos and what some other non-commercial makers are putting out on the market today. Larger companies spend your money in frill, fluff and advertising - someone's got to pay for it! Not with Doc's banjos. They are ALL banjo, so how can you compare price. I insured No. 81 immediately and know that if it were ever stolen, the thief could go to heaven knowing he's stolen the best there is.

My Doc's banjo is like a friend I don't want to ever leave!

Steve Johnson: This is the kind of 'living room' bluegrass/folk sound I've long been searching for! Doc built me a custom made internal resonator open back 12" fretted banjo, made specifically for my style of playing--Scruggs three-finger. The combination of woods---black walnut and bubinga pot---coupled with the internal resonator and a walnut and wenge hefty neck with Indian rosewood fretboard produces the warm, woodier sound I wanted. I describe the sound as dark or smoky even, compared with other open backs I've played Scruggs-style. It's rich and full, loud but not trebly the way resonator-tone ring banjos sometimes sound to me.

This is the third banjo I've purchased from Doc, so I knew what I was going to eventually get based on my previous experiences. He's an absolute wood artisan, and I knew that, so I simply asked if he could do this and do that, and with my ideas and his knowlege of what would sound best, we can up with this unique banjo. Doc makes his own bridges, too, so they 'fit' with the woods he uses to build the banjos. Set-up was for bluegrass, so lower action than you'd expect on a typical old-time instrument, and the set-up was made-to-order. No surprises like I've sometimes experienced on factory models.

Doc's banjos are simply beautiful in their simplicity (no inlay) and quality of woods, which are matched to work together, so to say. He uses quality antiqued brass hardware and I requested Waverly tuners on all three of the banjos I purchased from him.

Everything is exactly like you asked for when you receive Doc's banjos, because they are hand made to your specifications, right down to the smallest details.
Doc was willing to send an internal resonator banjo from his collection for me to play while I was deciding just exactly what I wanted mine to look and sound like. Does that sound like a guy you can trust?! I have absolutely no doubt that so long as he's able he'd WANT me to send one of my instruments back to him for tweeks or whatever. I mean, the guy's incredible!

Top quality wood and craftsmanship, the best tuners, hand-made bridge for that particular banjo, set-up exactly to my desires, great tweed case. It's an instrument for posterity, and he built it for me to take into my old age, like a friend I don't want to leave.

If you love banjos you must treat yourself to one of these fine instruments!

Jim Corbin: After 30 plus years of playing bluegrass and claw hammer banjo and owning instruments from most of the banjo builders today my choice of banjos has come down to the simplicity of design and sound. I have not found a bad builder in the market today so I looked for one who met my needs. A maker whose instruments took me back to a time when open backs were played on the porch in the cool Appalachian evenings, I found that in Docs’s banjos.

Flawless workmanship and tone woods, that are chosen even for the pickiest ear is what Doc will provide. Aged brass sets the warm colors of his banjos off, but the tone is the true gift to the picker, warm and powerful enough for a band setting or for just enjoying an evening on the porch.

Doc just built me a custom and after one conversation he knew and built the exact instrument I wanted.

If you love banjos you must treat yourself to one of these fine instruments, you come away with a great banjo and a friend in Doc.

Bob Fuchs, Olympia, Washington: Doc custom built my banjo several years ago and I absolutely love it! I already had several banjos, but this is by far my favorite. It has exceptionally rich, warm tones. The exotic woods and Doc's excellent workmanship truly makes it a work of art! Working with Doc in selecting the types of wood and and desired features was a pleasure. I highly recommend Doc's Banjos if you are looking for a quality banjo.

I couldn't be more pleased with a banjo, and it excels in my two most important criteria for a stringed instrument: playability and sound.

Steve Osborne: This is a work of art in wood and an heirloom instrument all rolled into one. Highest quality materials throughout. When I consider how an instrument sounds, it’s got to be better than most instruments I’ve heard and it needs to inspire me every time I hear it being played. Doc’s has it!

Volume and clairity to spare on all strings, up and down the neck. Great separation between notes and the 'pop' I like so much about the banjo. It has a larger than life sound and amazes me each time I play it.

Regarding setup, it's easy to play: efforless slides, hammer-ons, pull-offs, etc. It makes you want to play it.

Visually, the banjo exudes beautifully understated elegance. That sums it up for me. No bling. Nothing it does not really need, and everything it does. The pot is 48 segments of Oregon Black Walnut, grain matched. Joints and seams are all perfect. I can find no flaws however minor. Great attention to detail. The neck appears to be the walnut as well, but obviously from a different part of the tree, and retains some of the character of the tree itself. The tone ring, fingerboard, plate on the headstock, heel cap, laminated strip down the center of the neck, and ring on the bottom of the pot are African Bilinga. The grain appearance reminds me of oak, but its a deep yellow or light orange in color. 14 hooks, antiqued brass, a scoop on the neck, and no inlay anywhere, and Waverlies round it out. One look at this and you think, 'old time.'

The hardware is first rate and will outlast me. The finish is a polymerized oil that is matte in appearance, really lets the natural beauty of the wood and grain show. This is a 2005 banjo and I can find no signs of wear on the finish. It's definitely build to last a lifetime.
Doc is a one-man shop. I've spent enough time with him at his shop to know that there isn't anything he won't do to get it right and please his customer. Doc is a stand-out nice guy and pleasure to work with.

I couldn't be more pleased with a banjo, and it excels in my two most important criteria for a stringed instrument: playability and sound.