Testimonial — Rowan Ferguson
Rowan Ferguson
Canberra ACT Australia
When I was researching which banjo to buy, the musicians in my local area recommended I talk to a bloke called Laurie Grundy from Victoria. His reputation preceded him as an honest and down to earth luthier who had been speaking banjos most of his life.
He had his #04 Grundy banjo for sale, but didn't try to sell it to me because he knew I was budgeting for a medium level instrument. He actually suggested I contact a gentleman who was selling his Stelling replica.
Shortly after, I heard the Grundy at the National Folk Festival in Canberra. The idea of owning this banjo shifted immediately from a speck of imagination to taking front seat in my brain.
My fiancé agreed that although this was a considerable departure from my plan of buying a "medium level" instrument, it would be an investment that would save me from ever needing to upgrade. By this stage I had gotten to know Laurie, and knew that he was the sort of bloke you could rely on.
I bought the Grundy and have been happy ever since. The banjo is extremely versatile. It is capable of sounding beautiful when played lightly, but sparks really fly when you pick it hard. This is where it really comes alive. It projects a loud growling response you can feel vibrating through the resonator, leaving you with absolutely no doubt that this banjo stands up with the best.
The only problem now is that when people find out I have a Grundy, they probably expect the guy behind it to be a better player! :)