Gold Tone Banjo Review: Great Buyers Guide on 10 Models!

Gold Tone Banjo Review

Introduction

Based in Titusville, Florida in 1993, the company is dedicated to offering high-quality instruments at an inexpensive value. Meaning high-quality elements, skilled design, tight-fitting assembly, and an expert arrange by actual musicians.

Their coverage is to supply “more bang for the buck” in each design and value factor. Each instrument receives a 12-point setup before shipment and verifies Gold Tone’s dedication to a nice tone and very good playability.

As the company grew, Wayne’s improvements, mixed with confirmed classic designs, had sellers and their prospects clamoring for Gold Tone’s low-priced but high-quality banjo instruments.

Gold Tone’s offerings grew to incorporate fretted string instruments of each description together with four-string and five-string banjo, six-string banjos (banjitars), mandolin-banjos, Weissenborn Hawaiian steel guitars, metal- and wood-bodied resonator guitars, and mandolins.

We just want to let you know that we’ll list the Gold Tone banjo review in no particular order. They’ll be randomized as we don’t wish to sort them from best to worst.

Listed below are our Top 10 Gold Tone Banjo Reviews for 2023:

1. Gold Tone CC-100R Cripple Creek Banjo with Resonator

The CC-100R is a beginner player’s dream come true. The natural-blonde completed CC-100R has a resonator that is simply eliminated for true open-back playing, serving to new players develop into comfortable with totally different playing types with only one banjo.

Gold Tone’s excellent factory setup in Florida additional provides to the CC-100R’s worth. The CC-100R features a maple body and neck in addition to a multi-ply maple rim. The ovangkol fingerboard with snowflake inlays is clean and playable.

The flat bar tension hoop, gold-tone engraved armrest together with 13″ maple resonator actually take this banjo from a newbie instrument to a lot larger quality that may be loved by intermediate banjo players as well.

The neck is a bit chunkier than standard, which could be a pleasant factor for many. It additionally permits for better spacing between strings. So in case you are somebody with bulkier fingers, this model has got you covered. A bit thicker neck doesn’t allow this open-back banjo to be heavy by any means.

One factor to say about this banjo is that the coloring of the wood and detailed development do probably not present in a picture. With a pure gloss finish and exquisite wood, there may be a lot of extra magnificence to this instrument that may be seen on the screen.

Gold Tone CC-100R Cripple Creek Banjo with Resonator

2. Gold Tone, 6-String Banjo (AC-6+)

The AC-6+ Resonator Banjo could stray a bit from the normal wooden body banjo design, however, it packs a punch like no different and can rise up in opposition to any 6-string banjo in its value range. The “+” model contains the SMP-VC Sliding Magnetic Pickup with Volume Control.

The rim and resonator are molded from composite materials that are robust, constant, and sturdy. Whether or not that is your first 6-string banjo, or you search the ultimate journey banjo, this banjo packs more than sufficient warmth to echo via the hills and shine in any campfire jam!

With the pickup, you will be able to connect your instrument to an amp and actually get more volume out of it for any stage performance or practice. You cannot go wrong if you decide to go with this model, because it is great for both beginners and professional players. On top of everything, you will get a padded gig bag for any traveling performances out of town!

Gold Tone, 6-String Banjo (AC-6+)

3. Gold Tone OB-150 Orange Blossom Banjo

The Gold Tone OB-150 Orange Blossom is a brand new model which affords the “Pre-war” model at a worth anybody can afford. It’s a tremendous banjo with a genuine tone and at this worth, we really feel it’s the greatest value in bluegrass banjos.

Features embody a three-ply maple rim and one-piece flange (identical to the 1930’s originals), a maple neck inlayed in a genuine fashion, a brass flathead tone ring, and a clean satin wood grain finish.

“Pre-war” model, at a price anybody can afford, and genuine tone and excellent playability describe the OB-150. The OB-150 is professionally arranged in the Florida store and comes with a transferrable lifetime warranty. Available as a left-handed model as well.

‘The Orange Blossom OB-150 Mastertone-clone Bluegrass banjo has identical quality as the OB-250 at a lower cost. Mastertone-Clone banjos use the identical features seen on the basic Gibson Mastertone banjos of days gone by.

These aren’t ‘replicas’ however are constructed using the identical basic tone-ring-flange-tension hoop development as used on the old Gibsons.

The thin and light-weight one-piece flange with the big cut-outs typical of those banjos is your first indication that this may be a ‘clone-banjo’. This model of a one-piece flange has been utilized by Gibson since the 1930s.

Gold Tone OB-150 Orange Blossom Banjo

4. Gold Tone CC-50RP Cripple Creek Banjo with Resonator

The 5-string banjo has been making a deserved comeback over the previous few years and high-quality newbie banjos just like the Gold Tone Cripple Creek CC-50RP have been the starter instrument for a lot of players studying bluegrass and old-time kinds. This banjo comes with a darkish satin stain on the maple rim, neck, and resonator.

The in-style CC-50 has been the open-back banjo of selection for hundreds of starting players for a few years. The CC-50RP provides a full-walled resonator and prime quality planetary-gear tuning machines to supply a value-packed first Bluegrass banjo for hundreds more. A nice sound emanates from the hard rock maple rim that is topped with a brass rod ring.

The flangeless CC-50RP converts simply to an open-back banjo for exploring clawhammer or folk-type playing; simply pop off the resonator and mounting brackets and you’re finished.

Deluxe touches embrace a rosewood fretboard, Terminator tailpiece, and a geared fifth-string tuning peg. Gold Tone’s professional factory setup assures nice playability and sounds correct from the beginning. Available as a left-handed model also.

Gold Tone CC-50RP Cripple Creek Banjo with Resonator

5. Gold Tone EBM-5 Electric Banjo (Five String, Tobacco Sunburst)

Combining the playing familiarity and really feel of an electric guitar with the twang of a banjo, the Gold Tone EBM-5 Electric Banjo showcases options like strong mahogany back and sides with a built-in banjo head concealing twin SMP humbuckers together with the visible single-coil pickup. An instrument standing firmly aside from the pack is a must-have for experimental folks’ sounds.

The EBM is provided with two pickups; a humbucker beneath the banjo head within the bridge position, and a stacked humbucker within the neck position. There’s a 3-way selector knob that enables the player to change between the neck pickup only (position up), each the neck and bridge pickup concurrently (center place), and the bridge pickup only (position down).

The three knobs include a volume knob for every pickup and a master tone knob. Mixing between the 2 pickups using each volume knob is possible when the 3-way pickup selector is within the center place and both pickups are activated.

Different features embody a mahogany “F-style” body, ebony fingerboard with snowflake inlays, an 8″ banjo head and tone ring, and a Straightline tailpiece. Whether or not you’re new to the banjo or need to add a brand new sound to your present arsenal, the EBM-5 may be simply what you’re looking for!

Gold Tone EBM-5 Electric Banjo (Five String, Tobacco Sunburst)

6. Gold Tone WL-250 White Ladye Open Back Banjo

The White Ladye 250 produces the plunky but targeted tone that is long been normal for Old Time and folk music. This banjo options an accurate reproduction of the basic three-piece Whyte Ladye tone ring, mated with a half-inch maple rim for optimum air chamber volume.

The maple neck has a classic heel design, a Fairbanks-style headstock form, and GT Master planetary tuners. Stylized cloud inlays adorn the bound ebony fretboard that terminates in a frailing scoop.

The Gold Tone WL-250 Whyte Laydie is an old-style open-back banjo with a built-in frailing scoop on the fingerboard, and naturally, it uses the three-piece White Laydie tone ring. It’s tastefully adorned, with a gloss finish over darkish stained maple, and cloud inlays seem on the ebony fingerboard.

The eleven-inch pot carries a Remo Renaissance head, a No-Knot tailpiece, and twin coordinator rods for a solid neck match and straightforward adjustments. A whole professional setup on the Gold Tone Factory in Florida helps to make the WL-250 Gold Tone’s hottest open-back banjo ever.

Wl-250 Features embrace ebony fingerboard, cloud position markers, Straight Line tailpiece, reversible two means truss rod, body and neck binding, maple neck, and double coordinator rods completed in a wealthy mahogany lacquer. Options embrace zero glide, capo spikes, and hard arched top case.

Gold Tone WL-250 White Ladye Open Back Banjo

7. Gold Tone CC-Banjitar Cripple Creek Banjo (Six String, Vintage Brown)

The Cripple Creek Banjitar is an entry-level 6-string banjo, tuned like a guitar, with a lot of options and a small worth. It permits a guitar player to attain a banjo-like tone without essentially having to study the five-string banjo techniques.

With a whole setup on the Gold Tone Factory in Florida, they’re sturdy, have low-string action, and are a pleasure to play. The CC-Banjitar encompasses a hard maple neck, rim, and convertible resonator, black binding on the neck and resonator, twin coordinator rods, a Straightline tailpiece, brass tone ring, and a 2-way adjustable truss rod.

Whether you might be new to guitar or are on the lookout for a brand new sound to add to your present guitar arsenal, the CC-Banjitar could also be simply what you might need!

This can be a tremendous cool instrument! To be clear this isn’t a banjo or a guitar, it’s its own thing. It’s arranged like a guitar so all of your chord varieties are right there and it takes nicely to flat-picking.

It has good intonation and performs nicely in open chords full mid-vary chords and for selecting licks and melodies. It stays in tune when correctly performed and tuned.

Gold Tone CC-Banjitar Cripple Creek Banjo (Six String, Vintage Brown)

8. Gold Tone 5-String Banjo (CC-Carlin)

Gold Tone banjos have launched a brand new 12-inch pot open-back banjo known as the CC-Carlin. This can be a great way to add the 12-inch banjo pot tone and really feel to your repertoire at a low very inexpensive price.

This one is nice for beginners too or claw-hammer players searching for a brand new sound to add to their repertoire with the traditional 12-inch pot deeper mellower tone.

Compare Goldtone’s solely competitor for 12-inch pot on this worth range, The Americana. You cant discover extra things to Old Time Claw hammer sound and high quality than Goldtone Banjos.

This banjo is ideal for anybody eager to study to play the clawhammer style. The wide neck and medium motion make for a really playable instrument. We’d suggest it to both a newbie and an experienced player.

Gold Tone 5-String Banjo (CC-Carlin)

9. Gold Tone CC-OT Cripple Creek Open Back Banjo

An entire bundle designed for the novice clawhammer picker, The Gold Tone CC-OT has everything it’s essential to begin thumping that head.

The Remo Fiberskyn head itself is placed on a sweet open-back banjo with a half-inch-thick maple rim covered with a rolled-brass hoop (very Old Timey). The cozy maple neck has a rosewood fretboard full with a scoop, and each neck and the rim wear a wealthy brown satin finish.

Different furnishings embody a No-Knot tailpiece, a replica of the early 1900s armrest (secured by the banjo’s bracket hooks), and a classic Fairbanks-style headstock form. All of this works in full concord courtesy of the Gold Tone pro-luthier setup in good old Florida.

A gig bag, a banjo strap, a seventh-fret fifth-string spike and the favored Bob Carlin tutorial DVD full of these all-inclusive starter resolutions.

Gold Tone CC-OT Cripple Creek Open Back Banjo

10. Gold Tone CC-100R+ Cripple Creek Banjo with Resonator

Gold Tone’s Cripple Creek CC-100R+ is an entry-level banjo that offers you extra bang for the buck. Over 7,000 Cripple Creeks have been offered within the last 12 years, and have been confirmed by far to be among the finest student banjos for tone and playability in its worth range.

With an entire setup on the Gold Tone facility, they’re sturdy, have low string action, and are a pleasure to play. The Plus has all the CC-100R’s options however has a vintage-style high-gloss sunburst finish, and is upgraded with Gold Tone GT Master planetary tuning machines, engraved armrest, and twenty-four tension hooks.

The CC-100R+ model incorporates a laborious maple neck, rim, and convertible resonator, black binding on the neck and resonator, twin coordinator rods, curly maple headstock veneer, Straightline tailpiece, brass tone ring, 2-way adjustable truss rod, and low string action for the start banjoist.

Gold Tone CC-100R+ Cripple Creek Banjo with Resonator

Conclusion on Gold Tone Banjo Review

Probably the best banjo brand out there, meaning that they care about their instruments very much. The sound this instrument provides is great even for someone who is not acknowledged of what kind of sound the banjo produces.

Great responsibility from Gold Tone when it comes to setting us on the little journey to decide on the best banjo or any open-back or closed-back unit. When it comes to the Gold Tone Banjo review choices we made here, we believe that these are models that should get much more attention, because they are great on sound and appearance.

If you are on the road to making a great stage performance and you need the best possible playing solution, then the Gold Tone banjo is what you want in that case. Even when there are many other top-end choices and maybe better ones, with these instruments you will be set for life!

If you are having any questions in regards to our brand reviews, please let us know in the comment section below!

Charles Steinhoff

Charles Steinhoff

Charles is here and I am guitar and ukulele enthusiast. Been playing these instruments for over 10 years now and I decided to share some of my knowledge and expertise with the world in terms of these stringed instruments and it's accessories.

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