Deering: Goodtime

Submitted by Claw Hammered on 11/5/2012

Where Purchased: Gear Tree

Year Purchased: 2012
Price Paid: Don't Remember historic exchange rates / currency converter

Sound

I play clawhammer, for playability it fits that style fine.
I would say it has a mellow sort of woody tone. It relies on a tone rim vs a ring so it is not bright, nor does it ping. Its not really plunky either. More of a woody middle of the road sound that is pleasing.
This banjo is not loud. I would find it hard pressed to cut through others if played in a group or jam. Solo, student or travel is what it is best suited for.

Sound Rating: 7

Setup

It was set up poorly on arrival. Tailpeice not tight, nuts on rods loose and head was far too loose. After getting things straighten out it improved tremendously.

Setup Rating: 3

Appearance

Its is maple and is very vanilla looking. Its not offensive but its nothing beautiful either to my eye. I do like the bow tie fret markers and the headstock is much better looking than the old Gumby style. It is about as plain as it gets though. Because it is so plain all the joiner work on the neck are extremely apparent and there is no rim cap so you can see the laminates in the rim. The neck is the fretting surface there is no seperate fretboard laminate. This has posed no issue in playability as it frets just fine. Overall appearance I would say is bland.

Appearance Rating: 6

Reliability

It appears that it is economically made, but not poorly made. Compared to most imports which I looked at, this is much higher quality. I trust that if well maintained it will last a lifetime. Time will only tell as far as finish is concerned. I feel I could depend on it anytime except for playing in a group where, again, its just not loud enough.

Reliability Rating: 8

Customer Service

I have not dealt with Gear Tree, but I have with Deering via E mail. They have been prompt, responsive, and courteous.

Customer Service: 10

Components

The hardware is quality and you will find most of the same harware on higher end models. Once the banjo was set up properly I have had no issues and dont see where there would be.
My only complaint is I dont like guitar tuners on a banjo. They work fine, but they are just not attractive.

Components Rating: 10

Overall Comments

This makes a fine entry level or travel banjo. It, thus far has been reliable. In my view its far too bland in appearance or volume to be much more than that. It has no real outstanding qualities nor does it have any horrible ones. It is user friendly and it is priced about right for what you get. It made a great starter for me as I would expect it would anyone else

Overall Rating: 8

elderly Instruments

Submitted by Claw Hammered on 11/5/2012

Overall Comments

It is hard to give just one score on this so I will break it down based on my experiences both via internet orders and in person
Customer Service in person .
I would say is inconsistent I can give it a (5). I have been treated with kindness, neglect, and down right rudeness all in one visit. Most of the sales staff is quite good. However, they do have at least one employee who actually cost them quite a sale on my last visit being completely rude to me and everyone else as it approached closing time. I will spare the details.
Follow up.
Excellent I give it a (10). If you have an issue and let them know. The Owner and Managers do get involved to attempt to rectify the issue.
Follow Through.
Inconsistent to good. I give it a (7). Its my experience that most have followed through with what they say and what you request. However on my recent transaction I requested information on two different banjos and got no response back from them so I ended up buying elsewhere.
Instrument set up
(10) Based upon what I have played in the store and have bought they know what they are doing when setting up a banjo.
Website
I give a (10). They actually have one of the better sites I have found. Its easy to use and has been accurate for my needs.
Delivery
(10) The order fill and shipping times have been excellent.

Summary. I do think this is a decent place to do business. They do have some inconsistencies on the sales floor and I hope they get or have gotten those worked out. Customer Service and follow through are extremely important to me as they require human interaction. If you know this going in and scout the salespeople you should have a good experience. They also have a better instrument selection than most.
I have tried to give an accurate score based up my experiences. I hope that an accurate review is a helpful tool for both buyers and sellers.

Overall Rating: 7

Straps: Gold Tone Cloth Strap

Submitted by Claw Hammered on 10/14/2012

Where Purchased: Elderly

Overall Comments

This is, by far,the worst quality banjo accessory I have purchased. I bought on line and the shipping was fast. However, I wished it had gotten lost in the mail. The leather ends are poorly cut and the one I got was partially sliced where it wraps around the hook. It has big clunky nuts that sit right on the finish of the banjo, guaranteed to damage the finish. The edges of the cloth around your neck are uncomfortable and started to cut into my neck after about a half an hour of playing. It was not advertised as a Gold Tone strap on the web site so I was disappoint when I saw the Gold Tone logo stamped into it. If this is any indicator of Gold Tone quality, I wont be buying a banjo or any other product from them in the future. As I expect potential damage will result from this strap it will be finding it's way to the trash after one week of use. It is not worth the hassle to ship it back for replacement. If you are considering this strap either save your money and get a better one or go get some rope and make your own. you will be better off.

Overall Rating: 1