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Mike's banjos are known for that "Deep South" sound. Want proof? Check this photo of Tom Carlson playing his Chanterelle. Can't get much souther than this!
I stock what banjos I can get from Mike, but his instruments sell very quickly, and he is a small producer (No, no, I'm not referring to the fact that he's only about 5'9, I mean he doesn't make many instruments).
"Student" Model.
The affordable 12-inch open back banjo. Rolled brass tone ring.
(Click on link or on photo for more info and pictures.)
Click for a brief history of the Student Model.
"Standard" Model.
12-inch open back banjo. Rolled brass tone ring.
(Click on link or on photo for more info and pictures.)
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Not in stock, but available in ca. 3 years on order
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A beautiful, naturally finished maple neck (this one has great "flaming," too) with Mike's trademark, Saturn-inlay headstock and mounted on a 12-inch maple-laminated pot with rosewood binding, a scooped neck, and an ebony fingerboard with engraved inlays all combine to make this a strikingly handsome banjo. Great sound from a easy-playing banjo.
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Hear this banjo.
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jump to the "Student"), but having a bubinga-wood tone ring (Sorry, this is a rather large photo, but I wanted you to see this ring clearly), a wood similar to rosewood in appearance and density). The sound was great, (you can hear that very prototype here) and Mike upgraded the model to be a variant of the "Special" model ( jump to the "Special"). In 2001, Mike realized what a hit he had on his hands, and upgraded the instrument again, using fancier inlays, and that is the "Woody" you see today.
MP3 sound file of a Ramsey Woody being played.
The Woody most recently in stock is a Maple Woody, having a highly flamed maple neck. Its ebony fingerboard is scooped, of course. The peghead's tree inlay is especially nice. This particular banjo has 5-Star brand planetary tuners.
Twelve-inch pot Walnut Woody Model.
12-inch open back banjo. Now in Stock.
(Click on link or on photo for more info and pictures.)
Eleven-inch pot Maple Woody Model.
11-inch open back banjo. Out of Stock
(Click on link or on photo for more info and pictures.)
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. This instrument was sold new in 2000, and was sold used, 4 years later in mint condition. This time, I got a recording of it!
"Dobson" Model.
12-inch open back banjo. Dobson-style tone ring and aesthetics. Out of Stock
(Click on link or photo for more info and pictures.)
"Amish" Model.
12-inch open back banjo. Rolled brass tone ring and starkly simple aesthetics. Now in Stock.
(Click on link or photo for more info and pictures.)
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see and hear it played (8MB .wmv file: The tune is Waiting for Nancy, by Curtis Carlisle Bouterse).
MP3 sound file of my Ramsey Electric being played .
Not in stock, but available in ca. 2 years on order
MP3 sound file of a Ramsey Tubaphone being played.
In 2004, Mike had made three nearly identical, experimental banjos for his pot comparison: the 3-piece, maple necks were all cut from the same piece of wood, and finished the same. Each has simple dot inlays in its somewhat wider ebony fingerboard (1-3/8"), and each has a handsome inlay in its headstock overlay. What is different is that one of the banjos, as noted, had Tony's block pot, one had a laminated, submerged (old wood) pot, and the third had a "standard," modern Ramsey rim.
Mike sent me two of these banjos, and after Bob's article was published, I came into possession of the third. So, I thought it would be fun to allow folks to hear them without benefit or the prejudice of knowing which was which. To this end, we took the following steps:
I was most interested to hear what people think of these three pots, as there is a price difference among them. Of course, I still haven't told folks which was which.
. The neck is somewhat figured, and its ebony fingerboard has simple dot inlays. It is scooped, of course. Though the peghead is classic Ramsey, it has a rather non-Ramsey-like "torch" inlay in its ebony overlay. The tuners are 5-Star brand, with black buttons.
Hear this banjo.
Custom Student/Standard/Special (kinda hard to say) 
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