All user reviews for the Gretsch G9480 “Laydie Belle” Irish Tenor Banjo

I tried one of these a couple of times during my search for the ideal, practical tenor banjo. This was a much more refined instrument than its competition, the Deering Goodtime tenor (which lacks either a trussrod or a fingerboard, frets are set directly into the neck.) The Gretsch impressed me throughly. The short scale and small pot are comfortable, and the instrument is lightweight, very nicely balanced, and significantly loud for a compact open-back. Nice crisp tone. Fit and finish is very good, it feels and looks like the quality the name implies.

The pricetag, new at L&M was about a grand Cdn$ which I felt a little rich for my blood at the time. I ended up with neither the Gretsch nor the Deering, instead I eventually settled on a larger, heavier, longer scale and LOUDER old Ludwig. Nice instrument but I still regret not getting the Gretsch, which promptly went out of production. So I’m looking for a used one; there are a few around.