This Saturday afternoon I'm playing the instruments in the below photo, and tomorrow something else.

Adamas I 2087GT-8 Custom; Eastman EBJ-WL1 Whyte Laydie; Larrivee C-03-TE Custom Tommy Emmanuel

http://www.kingstontrioplace.com/Ada...veeTommyEA.jpg

This Thanksgiving Day--Talk About Tonal Whiplash!--I'm playing:

Adamas I 2087GT-8 Custom; Rickard Maple Ridge (Dobson Tone Ring); Huss & Dalton TD-R

http://www.kingstontrioplace.com/Ada...Dalton (2).jpg

The Wildwood with the tubaphone tone ring is hands down the finest open back banjo I have ever played, and I have been obsessed with the banjo for nearly 60 years!;)

Thanks, Grizz! I've had my eye on Wildwood for a while and I'm impressed by their vibe!

This Sunday's players:

Eastman EBJ-WL1 Whyte Laydie and Emerald X20 Carbon Guitar Transparent Green Finish:

http://www.kingstontrioplace.com/Eas...EmeraldX20.jpg

This Sunday afternoon's playmates:

2017 12" Vega Old Tyme Wonder and 2010 Guild F-212XL STD

http://www.kingstontrioplace.com/Dee...12XLSTDWEB.JPG

Saturday Afternoon's Syndicate Of Sound.

Martin HD-28 - OME North Star - Republic Duolian

http://www.kingstontrioplace.com/Mar...DuolianWeb.JPG

After submitting my order and $400 deposit with Ozark Banjos for a custom banjo three years ago, I haven't had any communication from Lukas and Eden since about a year-and-a-half ago. I think it's time for another email to them. The deposit is supposedly non-refundable but I'd gladly accept the equivalent value in Lukas's video banjo lessons should I decide to cancel my order.

I've read this same lament from others who are on the "waiting list" for Ozark.

Although they claim the deposit in non-refundable, a deposit is part of a legal agreement to provide services within an agreed length of time. Since you have previous e-mails relating reasons for delays and when the work would be completed you have every right to simply request a refund of your deposit. You may have to relate that there are still legal steps that can be taken to simply get back your deposit, since they did not fulfill their part of the binding agreement.

Lukas and Eden seem to be forthright and honest from listening to various interviews with Lukas, but people that are less experienced with the reality of providing a service get caught up in the difficulties of actually doing it.

In your case it's time for them to simply admit to you that they could not meet the terms of what they agreed on and refund your deposit. It's pretty straightforward what they need to do to back out of what they can't do.

There are a whole bunch of small shop open back builders who do standard designs and provide banjos similar to Ozark that aren't operating by taking "non-refundable" deposits and then doing nothing for 3 years.

You should request what you deserve, and there's no reason to accept merchandise that you would not have otherwise purchased in place of getting your hard-earned dollars returned.

If someone is going to build instruments and have an active touring schedule then they need to balance those activities or focus on one or the other. The last year should have provided a whole lot of catch-up time in the shop, but obviously there were other more pressing things than finishing the instrument you were promised.

Thanks, Rudy! Being that I really don't need another banjo, I'll likely cancel my Ozark order. As dumb as it may sound, my only reason for thinking about suggesting to Lukas about accepting his videos in lieu of a refund would be to perhaps lessen the financial burden his young family may be encountering during these hard times.

Current Banjos:
Vega No. 2 Tubaphone
OME North Star Walnut
Eastman EBJ-WL1 Whyte Laydie
Vega 12" Old Tyme Wonder
Rickard 12" Maple Ridge Dobson
Pisgah 12" Walnut Tubaphone
Bart Reiter Regent Whyte Laydie
Deering Sierra Flathead Resonator

Instead of trying to convert your deposit into instructional material, would you entertain transferring your build slot?

PM sent regarding Ozark banjo build slot.

I recently bought a super-cheapo Washburn openback, so your tastes are clearly well beyond mine.

I used to have an openback longneck. Can't even remember what model (well, it was 50 years ago). It was a fun player. Yeah, you capo it at the 3rd fret. So what? :)

Yeah, Coug, I know, I know, and that wouldn't stop me from trying to acquire a good-condition, 1963 Vega Pete Seeger Long-Neck like all my folk-music heroes played back in the day. Play On! :guitar:

I had an open back long scale banjo made custom for me and it's awesome! If you like singing in E or F, it's perfect!!