gottasmilealot - Posted - 08/12/2011:  07:02:54

Nothing. Gold Tone makes a very extensive line of reasonably priced banjos at various price points. They just choose to not be heavily involved with forums.  After some folks here bashed them when they gave away free tuners a while back. I don't blame them.  If you're considering purchasing a banjo, evaluate theirs like you would anyone else's and base your decision on value for the money and whatever criteria is important to you.

MTBanjo - Posted - 08/12/2011:  07:12:02

Big Joe knows what it's like to come on a forum and defend a company. Even Warren Yates ran into it a bit with a pretty clear cut issue. I don't at all blame any manufacturer who chooses not to stoop down to the level of internet forum. I'm sorry, I love this forum, but it's a darn internet forum, people. I understand that this site has actually made some careers. But to think that out there, in the real world, everyone should care what's going on here is a bit of a stretch. I think sometimes we feel like the whole banjo world is represented here. There are a LOT of players, professional and otherwise, who are too busy playing the banjo to spend all this time just talking about it.

Goldstarman - Posted - 08/12/2011:  07:50:25

I agree there is nothing wrong with Gold tone but in comparing it to RK or Goldstar..it just is not at the same level. I like the sound of old Goldstars as my handle suggests but Ive had people to say they are as good as Gibsons etc....well, they are not. Some sound great, even better than some Gibsons but blindfold me and I think I could tell you the difference in the neck and the way it plays. Now i did play a RK-75 that Greg had at Galax last year that sounded and played about as well as any banjo Ive tried, and it still needed some set up work, thats saying alot.......they are great banjo, or at least the one I played was.

BDCA - Posted - 08/12/2011:  08:24:37

quote:

---

Originally posted by TXhookey

Bob, how do you like that Tensonator?  I'm still very pleased with mine, a good deal at $120.00 in my opinion.  Very well made.

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I am thrilled to death with it. Wayne had it to me in a couple of days an I sent it to Huber for gold plating and it's like having a new and better banjo.

Cya!

Bob

grm405 - Posted - 08/12/2011:  09:08:50

Back in 2004 when I got back into banjo after a 5 year hiatus I needed to buy a better banjo than the upgraded Alvarez I was playing. I was likely going to buy a Gold Tone, as they had little competition at that time, in their price range. However Gold Star reappeared, and when I got the money, was available. I bought one, and despite the numerous flaws in the original batch of banjos. Have not regretted it at all, and did not obsess over minor details and imperfections as it sounded so good. 8 years later, it sounds even better and the flaws are simply character. Sounds pretty much like any really good banjo although it was priced (and stil is) like a Gold Tone.

Since then I have played many Gold Tones and have owed a MC150 and a Dojo. I am NOT impressed by ANY of them. They are what they are, a intermediate (or beginner) banjo with reasonable QC, pretty good company support, and a questionable USA pedigree. I particularly disliked the Korean made models, with their heavy 14" resonators which killed the sound (even with JLS ring) on any I played.

The current Chinese. crop is much better, based on playing perhaps a half dozen well setup higher end models at various banjo stores. However, I have also played about the same number of Gold Star and RK banjos, usually side by side in the same store. The Gold Tone always turn out playing second fiddle in sound, although in the looks department they are often superior. I also find the high weight of the Gold Tone (noticeably higher most any other banjo in the store) a put-off.

So if I would recommend a GF100 or a RK over a Gold Tone (and I do), it is based on both owning Gold Tones and a Gold Star, and playing quite a few more over the years, including quite recently. I simply think the Gold Tone is not as good soundwise. I have played several really superior Gold Stars. I mean, Gold Stars which sound as good as very, very expensive banjos in the same store (Gruhns). I have never played a superior Gold Tone. Maybe they make them now but I have not found one yet. Until they do, and I have a chance to play it, I will recommend something else.

Gerry

pickNgrin - Posted - 08/12/2011:  09:54:48

Gold Star, Recording King, and Gold Tone.... I think they all put out a decent banjo. All three involve overseas manufacturing, but with American oversight and expertise.

The original Gold Star was Japanese... they made a great Mastertone copy in the 70s. That company went out of business in the mid 80s. The new Gold Star is a different company that capitalized on the Gold Star name, giving them instant "street cred". The original Gold Stars have a reputation for being as good as, or better, than Gibson banjos from the same era, and that reputation carries over in a lot of people's minds. Tom Adams had played an original Gold Star for the majority of his career (albeit with a Frank Neat neck). 

Recording King entered the arena with a good product combined with an aggressive marketing campaign that includes endorsing artists. They clearly set out to dominate the "cheap but good" banjo market, and have probably succeeded. 

Gold Tone entered the market when there was no good intermediate grade instrument available... they came on the scene after the original Gold Star was out of business, but before the new Gold Star or Recording King had formed. They have never been terribly aggressive about marketing. I think that they are happy in their niche... producing a decent banjo at a decent price. They have also expanded out into producing other things, like a cello banjos, banjolas, dobros, etc that the other companies do not make.

That is my take. All three are roughly equivalent, but all three are perceived differently by the banjo playing community. The Gold Tone OB250 that Len Camp is playing in that youtube clip is mine. When he handed it back to me, he said "there aint a thing wrong with that banjo". youtube.com/watch?v=E9yDqoc8Y7A

As always, play them all and then buy the one that suits you.

-matt

Edited by - pickNgrin on 08/12/2011 10:00:19

grm405 - Posted - 08/12/2011:  13:10:02

Gold Star is made for Saga, as was the original Gold Star. Same company, same owner and pretty close to the same banjo. The Chinese made GS is probably not as good overall as the Japanese GS (I think the original GS hardware is better quality) but the tone ring is probably pretty close. I have been impressed with their responsiveness in improving the GS from the one I bought (better lacquer finish, tuners and detailing). The last one I played was really impressive.

One of the things I don't like about Gold Tone, is that they, in the past, have sold the exact same banjo as Morgan Monroe, Alvarez and many of the same badge-engineered banjos. Same banjo, same generic Asian tone ring, same hardware, coming from the same factory. I remember looking at the overly-decorated MM glitz banjos with a GT name on the headstock and a $4000 pricetag (on their website). Glitz does not make a good banjo.

The new Gold Tone banjos (on the website) look promising, as it seems they are taking a page from Gold Star and RK by offering higher end, unique to them, players instruments. I think they are aiming for the GS/RK market and I wish them well. Unfortunately they have sold a lot of schlock stuff in the past (I have played and owned some of it) and have to overcome that reputation.

Gerry

pickNgrin - Posted - 08/12/2011:  14:01:19

quote:

---

Originally posted by grm405

Gold Star is made for Saga, as was the original Gold Star. Same company, same owner and pretty close to the same banjo. 

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I may have some of the details wrong about the company, but my understanding is that it is not the same quality banjo. At least some of the Japanese ones were built by Eiichi Sumi who was/is a great mandolin luthier. 

So maybe the company is the same, but the banjo might not be. Same hold true for Gibson over the years. The people and production processes change. 

-matt

pickNgrin - Posted - 08/12/2011:  14:12:28

I bought my OB250 back when it was the only "good but cheap" banjo available... no Gold Star or Recording King. It has a multi-ply rim and a Korean mystery tonering. Based on that, many people would discount it right away. But... I have gotten a lot of good comments on it over the years. One thing I will say... it is not very tolerant of questionable picking technique. It is easier to make it sound harsh than with some other banjos. But if it is picked right it sounds pretty good.

-matt

Edited by - pickNgrin on 08/12/2011 14:13:16

Goldstarman - Posted - 08/12/2011:  17:48:09

very Few if Im not mistaken were made by Sumi, as for Tom adams I think he played the Goldstar neck until it was wore out

MTBanjo - Posted - 08/15/2011:  07:16:46

Gold Star, just like any company using Chinese labor, is peiced together using whatever factories happen to work for them at the time. So saying it's a different company is like saying Gold Tone is a different company because it's in China now instead of Korea. Gold Stars were made at different factories all throughout it's Japanese years. I'm sure you've seen Paul Hawthorne's site so I won't re-post it here. Saga and Richard Kelsen were and still are the company and people responsible for Gold Star banjos.

But yes, at least in the beginning, the new Chinese Gold Stars were not as good quality as the early ones, though, in Paul's opinion, they were still much better than Gold Tone and all other (at the time) Asian made banjos.

country frank - Posted - 08/15/2011:  07:33:15

I don't have a beef with the cosmetics, finish or country of origin of Goldtone [banjos], i strongly dislike their idea of proportions [clubby neck, oversize resonator and pea-head size peghead], mostly i dislike the stock Goldtone tone ring, yes the JLS rings sound way better but that's a JLS ring in a goldtone product. The standard ring is just dire IMO and i wouldn't touch one with a stick for that simple reason.



Overtones, undertones, nothing-gold-about a goldtone ring.

Oh, and why are they as heavy as a truck ?

[i am talking only about bluegrass banjos here as that is my experience]

Edited by - country frank on 08/15/2011 07:37:35

cockneybanjo - Posted - 08/15/2011:  08:58:38

I won't comment on the BG banjos because I don't have the experience of them. However their open-back ones are, I think, market leaders in their niche - which is to say, a wide range of quite specialised banjos at an affordable price point. I've had a Korean-made WL250 for about 4 years now and it has been a solid piece of kit, it has stood up to a lot of travelling and been favourably commented on a number of times.

I now have a Chinese-made OT800 and I'm less enthralled with that one. The cosmetic finish is definitely inferior - I got it as a discount because it had already been returned from one buyer.

BANJO TONY - Posted - 08/15/2011:  09:24:18

one would think they would do something about there neck shape & peg head,maybe make it more Gibson in shape & size. I think if they just did that they could sell a lot more Bluegrass banjos,what do you guys & girls think.

MTBanjo - Posted - 08/15/2011:  09:41:37

I think they've been around long enough that they can figure it out themselves. 

They aren't dumb.

pickNgrin - Posted - 08/15/2011:  10:23:03

I don't think Goldtone wants to tangle with a Gibson lawsuit. They made it just different enough to to satisfy the lawyers, but close enough that it sounds pretty good. The peghead and neck are fine to me. Maybe they made them different 10 years ago, but the peghead on mine is fiddle cut and pretty much what I expect a banjo peghead to look like. The resonator is a bit on the heavy side though.

-matt

Edited by - pickNgrin on 08/15/2011 10:26:30

country frank - Posted - 08/16/2011:  07:00:27

quote:

---

Originally posted by MTBanjo

I think they've been around long enough that they can figure it out themselves. 

They aren't dumb.

---

I'd have thought so to Zach, however their product range says otherwise.

Truth is as a newbie-starter-green-picker you don't 'know' what a banjo is supposed to feel like/weigh/sound like, so they seem just fine. Its only when you play say a Goldstar, or an RK or now a really-good-deal Madison that you realise you have a BSO rather than a bona-fide bluegrassers machine.

Just my experience, just thinking aloud.

MTBanjo - Posted - 08/16/2011:  07:30:02

No I agree, I just think when people start brainstorming on BHO thinking a company is going to read it and suddenly realize how great the advice is...

There are companies who come here and ask for advice. Gold Tone is not one of them. Whether they're on autopilot with their banjo line, or they have it all figured out and we just don't know...I don't know.

I agree, like I've mentioned, they don't stand up when compared to GS and RK, but they seem to be ok with that...

country frank - Posted - 08/16/2011:  07:39:32

Zach, absolutly right and fair comment. Guess we can only pass on things that we find out for ourselves the hard way. Heck there are gripes i have had with most, if not all of my banjos but i either iron them out or sell up and move on. My Goldtone was such a disapointment i just have to post on the matter.

That said the amount of trouble i had with my maple blossom AFTER the head split and i fitted a new 1 [for 1 read 3], jeez it doesnt warrent going into it here, never the less i got there in the end with that one and it was worth the effort.

MTBanjo - Posted - 08/16/2011:  07:52:45

I think we completely agree, we're just coming at it from a different angle.

On a related note...I have a Gold Tone Banjola on it's way to my house! It will be the first Gold Tone product I've owned. I wasn't impressed with the build of it, and it's extremely quiet (I had been prepared for this by the reviews), but if I put in a pickup, it might just work great for a current group I'm playing with, and it will be great to practice on and not bother anyone. Definitely really light (maybe a backpacker banjo??), and woody sound, so I'm overlooking the build quality. It was used and a decent price.

BANJO TONY - Posted - 08/16/2011:  17:29:31

So I guess every one agrees that Gold tone is good but not as good as it could be & not close to a Gold star or RK.

MTBanjo - Posted - 08/17/2011:  07:40:02

Well, those of us who agree do...

But I don't quite see a consensus.

writerrad - Posted - 02/23/2012:  15:42:02

I have owned my GT OB 250 since 2003 when there wasn't much competition in the price range.  I bought it from Turtle Hill Banjos in Maryland, mail order as I live in Miami.  Nobody in Miami sold banjos others than clunker Fenders and entry level good times at that time, and I didn't have much access to the banjo world that I havenow.  I found this was a very good banjo.  Schenkman set it up with lighter guage strings than Gold Tone recommends, and put a calf skin head on it.  It is a very heavy banjo, loud and punchy, not delictate and precise like my Enoch Tradesman, nor as rich as my 19th century Fairbanks Electric, but for the money who expects that.   However, I have to say that the banjo that I recommend for just past entry level is the Bob Carlin model.  I have played them in stores and at the banjo collectors gathering, and it is a really nice banjo.  If I didnt own five banjos including a more prestigeous one, or if social security was going to have a big increase, or my wife would lose her watch on my actions, I might buy one.

Banjo making is a hard business to do at low prices.  Banjo music that traditional players wasnt made by people playing 5000 buck banjos.   The Gold Tone is good enough for me.  The major thing is setup.   If you can't do your own setup, buying a banjo through a good dealer who will stand by her or his setup is the name of the game.  So many people live in areas like this where there are no stores that sell banjos.  Three places that I can think of where I KNOW they do decent setup on mail order banjos is Elderly Instruments, Turtle Hill, and good old Zepp.  I don't know anyone who bought a banjo from Janet Davis, but I have heard she does a decent job on the Internet.  

I am trying to figure out what kind of strings folks use on a GT Whyte Lady?  I used to use the Earl SCruggs Mediums that Schenkman put mine on.  I tried the Gold Tone recommended set, but the strings are a bit heavy for what I like to do.  I play a lot of clawhammer in a style where there is a lot hard banjing on the treble strings and little brushing.  My Enoch Tradesman is find for string band work with mucho brushing, but I also love the Gold Tone for finger picking old time.  That skin head gives me a nice Dock Boggish type of style for that..  Any suggestions.

Dave Coin - Posted - 02/23/2012:  17:00:05

I've bought two Gold Tones, a Banjola and a Dojo, both completely untuneable junk. Then I met Wayne this year at Clifftop, and the banjos he had with him were really great. He had an open back with a Graphite neck that I should have bought. So yes, Gold Tone can build just fine.

bohemian - Posted - 02/23/2012:  18:26:07

I prefer the Gold Star over the Gold Tones. However the nut width is so narrow it is all but unplayable. No sale.

The Gold Tones do not impress me. Too slick, too shiny, fashion disasters and I don't care for the tone. Purely subjective.

 Recently a local shop became the distributor for Gold Tone products and a long time Gold Tone dealer down the road about 18 minutes must  now order through them.  While I like the dealer now distributor very much and shop there and buy there... I also am a 30 year customer of the other store.

The "other" store sells at MAP and sets up every instrument to perfection and hangs them on the wall and to play them.. just ask and they will get one down , look it over, wipe it off, check the tuning then hand it to you. Most of the folks in the store play banjo, one in particular is a banjo instructor and a top notch player.

The  new distributor/dealer has their instruments in stands on the floor. Not set up, not in tune, and the pricing... at retail minus 10%.  Compare the value... and value is not just pricing.  Oddly one of the lower quality instruments is priced higher than a higher quality instrument. Neither of the higher end banjos is what I would call flawless, and the lower level one sounds infinitely better than the higher graded model. No one in the store is a banjo player or knows anything about banjos.

As I said, I shop and like both  stores but to put a distributor/dealer in place 18 minutes from a long time Gold Tone dealer of extremely high reputation and customer service ,who must now buy from his competition seems a bit odd... so much for Manufacturer to dealer loyalty.

The Gold Tone banjos look like caricatures of banjos. The Gold Stars look  and play the deal.

No recording Kings around yet but I'll bet the long term Gold Tone dealer who must now buy from his competitor is rethinking Recording King. They are a MusicLink  dealer.

I suggested a friend buy the Gold Tone Beard solid Mahogany square neck TIFKAD  ( The instrument formerly known as Dobro)  excellent instrument.

Edited by - bohemian on 02/23/2012 18:33:23

kellypage - Posted - 02/23/2012:  18:45:26

I have a Gold Tone CC-BG and I love it! It's my first banjo... so maybe I'm biased BUT I can see nothing wrong with this one. Plays great and sounds great to! :)

BANJO TONY - Posted - 02/23/2012:  19:01:07

when it comes to loyalty it looks like a one way street.after reading the above Gold Tone seems no better than Gibson when it comes to taking care of there long time dealers.if I'am wrong please say so.

elclaudito - Posted - 02/23/2012:  19:28:08

My Gold Tone BC-350 is a few years old now, and it just kills it. It's bulletproof, loud and sounds great. I know that you get some sort of banjo hangout clout when you start buying the $2000 dollar banjos, but I will praise the BC-350 all day.
If you like an instrument, play it. It's what you do with it that matters. Anyone can spend money and deride "inferior" instruments, it's up to us to put our minds and fingers to work. At least banjos are getting easier to possess, in any case.

Dexter - Posted - 02/23/2012:  19:55:09

I have a BC-350 and love it....plays well, built well and service from Goldtone has been excellent. First question I had for Goldtone...Wayne Rogers got back to me personally. Others at Goldtone that I have dealt with have been great also. As for the distributor/dealer issue it can get complicated. I worked for a company for twenty five years that had 900 distributors nationally.....sometimes disputes arise...you really need to know both sides of the story. If the new dealer isn't providing good service...Goldtone needs to get on top of it to protect their brand. Rick

BANJO TONY - Posted - 02/23/2012:  20:04:58

only a small person would judge someone on how much they spent on there bano. I have yet to spend over $2000 dollars on a banjo,$600 for a ODE model C, $1200 for a Deering M/B & $1600 for a brand new Gibson RB-250.

Dexter - Posted - 02/23/2012:  20:18:52

quote: Tony....well said and I agree. In any sport or hobby (Fly Fishing, Golf, etc., etc.) you always have some snobs who judge you based on your equipment. They are small in number and easily ignored. 

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Originally posted by BANJO TONY

only a small person would judge someone on how much they spent on there bano. I have yet to spend over $2000 dollars on a banjo,$600 for a ODE model C, $1200 for a Deering M/B & $1600 for a brand new Gibson RB-250.

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beegee - Posted - 02/23/2012:  22:04:57

I don't like the peghead and I don't like the way they use the white strip of plastic on the resonator side-wall seam. The radius where the neck sweeps into the heel is too beefy to me It just looks like someone just didn't want to tend to the details. I have a friend who has one and it sounds and plays really good. If you like the looks of the GT, there's no reason not to buy one. But, most of us tend to judge banjos by our Gibson or by the Gibson pattern and they just don't have the aesthetic appeal. But like everything else, it's personal preference.

Roll Player - Posted - 02/23/2012:  22:34:38

quote:

---

Originally posted by bohemian



....

I suggested a friend buy the Gold Tone Beard solid Mahogany square neck TIFKAD  ( The instrument formerly known as Dobro)  excellent instrument.

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TiFKAD !

Now that's funny!

McUtsi - Posted - 02/24/2012:  01:08:37

How´s about the headstock angle on the GT´s..?..don´t have one around as of now.McUtsi  

Polle Flaunoe - Posted - 02/24/2012:  03:14:39

quote:

---

Originally posted by beegee

 

But, most of us tend to judge banjos by our Gibson or by the Gibson pattern and they just don't have the aesthetic appeal.

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Bob - I seem to recall, that you´ve in the past admitted, that the aesthetics of and the craftsmanship put in pre-war Gibson´s were absolutely not as the same high level as that of some other brands at that time.

So how come - that you´re using Gibson as a reference?  LOL! 

Polle

yumagah - Posted - 02/24/2012:  10:15:01

How did an old thread like this get resurrected anyway?

My Gold Tone OB-250 is a fine instrument for the money. Now that I have a Gibson that usually sells for 3 times the price of the OB, I can play them side by side and compare.
I'd say the Gold Tone looks better, weighs more, has a "beefier" but less ringing tone, and gives better value per dollar. But the Gibson is still a Gibson, and sounds more like Earl, so there's no real comparison.
Gold Tone banjos are competitive with anything in the same price class.

beegee - Posted - 02/24/2012:  11:19:51

Polle, like it or not, Gibson is what people judge the others by.  If Earl played a Paramount or Silver Bell, life would be different. I am not a fan of the Gibson company, but I like the old banjos, good bad or ugly. The reason i don't like Gold Tone is that they look like they wanted to copy a Gibson but didn't know how, so they just guessed.

gpkalisz - Posted - 02/24/2012:  11:58:00

I recently bough a WL-250 as my first open back and I love it.  I think it looks great too.  The tiger striped head stock and cloud inlays are awesome in my opinion.  More importantly, it sounds great.  I went in the store with the idea of trying a few open backs and buying one later, but after hearing the Gold Tone I went straight home to research the price and ended up returning to the store to buy it the same day.  It sounds great.  I don't think I'll upgrade my open back for a long time. 

-Glen

yumagah - Posted - 02/24/2012:  18:01:48

   Funny but my experience with Gold Star and RK was similar to what you describe.  To me they both sound like an imitation of the Mastertone sound, not really bad but wouldn't be mistaken for the real thing.  I've never heard a Gold Tone OB-250+, which I hear sounds more like a Mastertone, but to my ears the OB-250 just sounds different.  Not just like a Mastertone, but like a nice, crisp banjo should.  Less "ping" but more "chink-chink" sound.

quote:

---

Originally posted by beegee

Polle, like it or not, Gibson is what people judge the others by.  If Earl played a Paramount or Silver Bell, life would be different. I am not a fan of the Gibson company, but I like the old banjos, good bad or ugly. The reason i don't like Gold Tone is that they look like they wanted to copy a Gibson but didn't know how, so they just guessed.

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