Ask Dr. Banjo:
Is the "Masters" book worth $60?
added February 2007

<<General>>

This question came up on the Banjo-L discussion list, and here's how people responded:

I was looking at the book "Masters of the 5 string banjo" on line. It >looks interesting. Is it worth the almost $60 they are asking for it?

Thanks, Dave

I have read my copy a minimum of thirteen times since I got it. I continually refer to it. In my estimation, the banjo players of the world should kiss the feet of Pete and Tony!!
It's that good.
~Julio

I love my copy of the book! Definitely worth the money IMHO. Thanks to John Lawless for getting it reprinted as I lost my original copy
-Brink B

I like books and I like reading about banjos so it was worth it to me. It also has tab of a bunch of songs, and a lot of neat pickers talking about how they learned and what influenced them. It reads a lot like this list would if it were only populated by professional pickers who had all their posts edited by professional writers.
- Mike M

Well, I for one, certainly prize mine. There is an amazing amount of data and the interviews are priceless. Go for it!
- Carl

I have a daughter in college - with the prices they want for textbooks these days, $60 for this book is a bargain, and anything less is a great deal. Thanks, Pete, (and Tony) for making the material in this book available to us all. It's a great resource.
- Chuck

Every banjo player should own this book.
- Mike I

This book is one of the most important books to have been written on banjo. It obviously took Tony and Pete a long time and a lot of work to complete it.

I got mine for Christmas back when it was first published. It's old and dog-eared now, but it's been a resource I've turned to again and again.

If I can remind some of you, before this book was reprinted, original presses of Masters were selling on ebay for $200 and above. Considering what you would have had to pay for a copy prior to the reprint, $60 is a good deal.
- Jim