This is an excellent banjo. The neck is true and has nice, low action and is easy to play. It has excellent tone. I would describe it as pleasant and mellow, not overly harsh. It has a tone ring which gives it good volume and a well balanced sound. It mics very well. I like it so much I have two of them! In fact I have 4 banjos and I need to sell one. The frets are in great shape and there are no dings or dents, just normal wear on the head and arm rest. It is about 5 years old. Hard case is included. Another reason I like this banjo is even with the tone ring it is only about 8 pounds, making it easy to play while standing for long periods.