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#1
12-08-2012, 06:38 PM
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Banjo advise
I've always been intrigued with the banjo and would like to get one but don't know which kind or models to research. I have acoustic and electric guitars that I play and would like to try the banjo. I have around $300-$500 to spend. Thanks for any info!
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#3
12-08-2012, 08:45 PM
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Quote:
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AKA 'Screamin' Tooth Parker' You can listen to Walt's award winning songs with his acoustic band The Porch Pickers @ the Dixie Moon album or rock out electrically with Rock 'n' Roll Reliquary Bourgeois AT Mahogany D Gibson Hummingbird Martin J-15 Voyage Air VAD-04 Martin 000X1AE Squier Classic Vibe 50s Stratocaster Squier Classic Vibe Custom Telecaster PRS SE Standard 24
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#4
12-09-2012, 06:38 AM
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Kentucky is also well respected name with models in that price range.
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#6
12-09-2012, 09:44 AM
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Love my Deering. Action better than most all my guitars.
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Steve 2020 McKnight Grand Recording - Cedar Top 2005 McKnight SS Dred 2001 Michael Keller Koa Baby 2014 Godin Inuk 2012 Deering B6 Openback Banjo 2012 Emerald Acoustic Doubleneck 2012 Rainsong JM1000 Black Ice 2009 Wechter Pathmaker 9600 LTD 1982 Yairi D-87 Doubleneck 1987 Ovation Collectors 1993 Ovation Collectors 1967 J-45 Gibson 1974 20th Annivers. Les Paul Custom Last edited by Doubleneck; 12-09-2012 at 09:54 AM.
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#7
12-13-2012, 12:49 AM
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I'm biased, because my parents bought me what my dad described as "some no-name thing made here in California by a guy down around San Diego that was traded in for a guitar, but the guy at the shop where I bought it said it was the best thing he had to learn on" after I unwrapped it on Christmas morning in 1978.
That "no-name thing" was a Deering. It is the only banjo I've ever owned. There are fancier looking banjos than mine, but the only ones I've heard that sound better (not different, but better) are prohibitively expensive. The Deering Goodtime instruments aren't fancy and they aren't exactly cheap, but I haven't played one yet that was a dud. I've thought about buying one many times myself, because I like the tone and its different from mine. I'll get one one of these days... If they made a long neck version, and they might, that would push me over the edge..... There are a lot of Asian sourced banjos out there in the price range you're looking at, but all that I have seen have aluminum pots and they sound really harsh and brittle. The Goodtime has a wooden pot -maple, I think- an old school mellow tone. It sounds like a banjo, for sure, but it doesn't hurt your ears to listen to because it doesn't have the harsh tone that is kind of common to aluminum potted banjos. Check out Deering's website. Lots of info there on what makes banjos tick, or at least there used to be. Happy Pickin' WW
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Proud participant in the Roundback Revolution, making noise with strung Tupperware since 1980!
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#8
12-13-2012, 06:28 AM
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I totally agree with the above. I just acquired a Deering B6 with a maple rim. What a pleasant sound compared to the metal rims. I can't stop playing this thing!
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Steve 2020 McKnight Grand Recording - Cedar Top 2005 McKnight SS Dred 2001 Michael Keller Koa Baby 2014 Godin Inuk 2012 Deering B6 Openback Banjo 2012 Emerald Acoustic Doubleneck 2012 Rainsong JM1000 Black Ice 2009 Wechter Pathmaker 9600 LTD 1982 Yairi D-87 Doubleneck 1987 Ovation Collectors 1993 Ovation Collectors 1967 J-45 Gibson 1974 20th Annivers. Les Paul Custom Last edited by Doubleneck; 12-13-2012 at 12:55 PM.
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#9
12-13-2012, 06:53 PM
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In your price range, I agree that the Deering Goodtimes are a good choice. Another good choice would be one of the comparably priced Recording King banjos. They are probably the best of the Asian made banjos and definitely don't have aluminum pots. I'm not sure whether you're more interested in playing Bluegrass or Old-Time style banjo. Old-Time players mostly prefer open-back banjos. Check out the banjohangout.org for lots more input and reviews.
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#10
12-14-2012, 01:29 PM
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Another satisfied Deering Goodtime owner ... my first real banjo was one of the import's with the aluminum tone ring ... it was very nice looking for the price but the Deering is way better IMO ... the neck feel, playability and the tone are much more pleasing than my previous banjo ... I thoroughly enjoy playing it ... it is plain to look at but for me, it is pretty where it counts ...
 If I lost my Deering today, I would be replacing it with another Deering as soon as I could ... (another thing to note ... a friend of mine bought a cheap import recently because he wanted something that looked fancier than my Deering ... I played his banjo a few weeks ago and compared to the Deering, it was a disaster)
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-- Scriptor For some very simple demos of original music: https://soundcloud.com/rick-langdon -- Play on!! 
Last edited by Scriptor; 12-14-2012 at 01:40 PM.
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#11
12-14-2012, 04:44 PM
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Quote:
Regards, SpruceTop
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