Back in December I won a bid on ebay for a beautiful R.K. Smith mountain banjo with ebony friction pegs. I had read plenty of threads about how slip or how it's a pain to tune if you have them. I just wanted to report that my banjo stays in tune for long periods of time and isn't a hassle at all. Everyone morning I play for at least 15 minutes but up to 30. Once or twice a week I play for over an hour (and I'm still not that good ;-) ). I last tuned my mountain banjo over 10 days ago and it's still in tune. It is strung with fishing line to boot. I honestly think the nylon strings are perfect for this kind of banjo.
Anyways, you folks are always so helpful, I thought I would pass along a success story. Don't be afraid of friction pegs!
Thanks,
j