Reviews For The Mastercraft Player Deluxe Banjo

I purchased the Mastercraft Banjo Kit just a few weeks ago.  I also paid the extra $49 to upgrade to the hard case (I recommend that...VERY helpful in worry-free transport).  I also purchased an additional set of strings as well as the banjo stand.  I would HIGHLY recommend purchasing the stand since I keep it on about 90 percent of the time and it holds it securely.  Setting it on a bed or leaning it up against a chair is a recipe for disaster.  The banjo stand is really a must in my opinion.
My Mastercraft Banjo arrived two days after my order.  I ordered it on a Sunday night very late, and it arrived on Tuesday.  It was already in tune, and I started practicing it right away.
The instructional book and DVD are VERY helpful.  I am taking each "lesson" in the book step-by-step and I can see tremendous improvement.  I had never played banjo before, but I can now pick tunes like "Cripple Creek" and "Cumberland Gap" cleanly and quickly and I am getting more and more comfortable with the different "rolls" and it is so exciting!  I am also very grateful for the geared fifth peg--it keeps that fifth string in tune and the banjo sounds great.
This is the PERFECT beginner or intermediate banjo.  I have played it almost non-stop for over a month since I bought it, and I have only had to re-tune it once.  It holds it's tune quite well.
What attracted me to the banjo was when I purchased a year subscription to Satellite Radio (XM).  They have this Bluegrass channel and it is my favorite channel!  I had little to no exposure to bluegrass in the past, so this was all new to me.  I heard Flatt and Scruggs and it really had me hooked.  I thought "I REALLY want to try and do that!"  I bought my banjo the next week, and now I can play along with some of the tunes.
I'm not sure how big the banjo hut is as a company, but you should seriously consider advertising on channel 14 of XM Satellite Radio.  I bought a banjo after just listening to that XM Radio Bluegrass station.  I just wanted to learn bluegrass music.  It was the best purchase I have EVER made!!  I am having so much fun with it, and I am getting better and better each day.
The Banjo Hut website was helpful and clear.  I love my new banjo!  Let me know if I can answer any more questions!

-Joe