Deering Phoenix A/E 6-string Banjo

Pros:
-Very Comfortable to play
-Nice Dual Pick-up system
-Looks Good (or would without the flaws mentioned below)
-Nice warm tone

Cons: #
-Very heavy to hold, even with the shoulder strap
-Nice sound, but when played unplugged it's very quiet compared to other banjos I've played, You have to pick quite hard to get any kind of volume
-the skin which seems natural and with a slightly rough texture appears to be over oiled , any touch instantly leaves dark finger prints (will look dirty a lot sooner then typical banjo skins).
-Workmanship is seriously poor for something of this price and reputation....visible scuff and machine marks on metal ring (ring joint on the silver colored ring which could easily be concealed by placing it behind the neck or arm rest is exposed) fret wire grooves are overcut and unfilled leaving visible gaps below some frets. Also miss aligned fret points/dots on side of neck (none of this effects the playablity or sound but for this price you shouldn't have visible flaws you wouldn't even expect in instruments that cost less than half the price)

Over all a nice playable instrument, but visually due to the flaws in workmanship my particular one seems like it should have been B-stock at best, and doesn't feel worth the 2500euro. If I hadn't already been waiting 7 weeks+ for this one I'd probably have sent it back for a replacement