banjohope - Posted - 07/23/2009:  11:03:30

Any opinion on the new(modified) Goodtime banjo?. Thanks.

poorboyslim - Posted - 07/23/2009:  11:17:56

Yeah, man, I think it is beautiful. The old headstock has always kind of bothered me..strictly aesthetics, but hey, you got to like what you play. the new headstock has much more banjomojo. I like the bowties inlaid in the neck too. Now if I could just find where I put that extra 500 dollars I had laying around, I'd order me one.

Poorboy

Gary Blanchard - Posted - 07/23/2009:  11:23:15

I was always a fan of the old headstock. The new one is okay but looks a bit odd to me with guitar tuners. It is all a matter of taste. If they had a long-neck Goodtime I'd probably still be playing a Goodtime.

Gary Blanchard
"an outlier among outliers"
http://www.gbandf.com

Bill Rogers - Posted - 07/23/2009:  11:24:51

Haven't had a chance to play one yet. I think it's a great change. Unfortunately, Gold Tone seems to have trumped it with the CC-OT. That said, beginners now have a real choice, between the U.S.-made Goodtime w/o tone ring and the CC-OT with its rolled brass one. What would I do? I'd buy the GoodTime and have an electric tone ring installed.

Bill

Trashbanjo - Posted - 07/23/2009:  11:45:37

The Goodtime Special does have a "steel bluegrass style tone ring" and is a good instrument. I'm surprised how well it stays in tune sometimes for a couple days ata time.I like the look of the new headstock as well,but the guitar tuners gotta go.

"How can you pick a banjo and not drink coffee?"
A question posed by my teacher.

philbywan - Posted - 07/23/2009:  12:36:58

What? Changed the Goodtime! Gumby fans all over the planet will be grabbing all the old ones...

"this guy probably thinks a laptop is some new kind of banjo..." - Colson Whitehead

Woolpersteve - Posted - 07/23/2009:  12:38:06

Gumby Head forever !
Steve

"The Dude abides"

Banjo75 - Posted - 07/23/2009:  14:20:20

This is funny. I actually like both headstocks. I am officially in love with guitar tuners after suffering from planets. I can't stand the planetary tuners.

erstokke - Posted - 07/23/2009:  15:29:46

Guess you havent tried Gotoh planetary tuners.

But I kinda agree, even inexpensive guitar tuners work well.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Banjo75

This is funny. I actually like both headstocks. I am officially in love with guitar tuners after suffering from planets. I can't stand the planetary tuners.

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frianm - Posted - 07/23/2009:  17:58:28

Bill mentioned an "electric tone ring." I am in the dark about these - can anyone explain?
Thanks - Ian

http://missionmeanderings.wordpress.com/

Banjo75 - Posted - 07/23/2009:  18:11:28

I have tried the 5 star planets and even those are annoying. Guitar tuners work each time, every time. Even the bad open ones. I don't mind the "ears" for functionability. Plus the gear ratio is better.

I am not saying others shouldn't use planets... I just can't stand them.

"When Quinn the Eskimo gets here, everyone''s gonna doze."

Pick1949 - Posted - 07/23/2009:  18:32:05

quote:

---

Originally posted by frianm

Bill mentioned an "electric tone ring." I am in the dark about these - can anyone explain?
Thanks - Ian

http://missionmeanderings.wordpress.com/

---

Edited by - Pick1949 on 07/23/2009 18:43:39

JedNeedsCoffee - Posted - 07/23/2009:  19:03:50

Goodtime/Deering makes a fine product of course, but personally I've always despised the Gumby/tulip/papyrus shape of the headstock. Here's one product that has received an "updated" look" that for once actually IS an improvement (IMHO), I might actually consider buying one now.









"This is the best of all possible worlds" - Leibniz 1710

"If this is the best of all possible worlds, I''d hate to see what
the others look like" - Voltaire (paraphrased) 1759

Weird Snake Joe - Posted - 08/02/2009:  18:02:39

I was so glad to see one when I stopped by a Guitar Center to scope out some guitars that I had to ask one of the employees to bring it down so that I could fuss with it a bit. It's certainly prettier than the Gumby-heads from a distance (the inlays are a subtle improvement), but it also seemed to handle a bit differently, too. Considering I just bought my first banjo (and a Goodtime to boot) in the last year, when I first saw the release about the enhancements on the '09 line, I wanted to kick myself. After trying a new one, I'm not entirely sure now...

Has anyone tried/bought one of the new Goodtime OB's, 2's, or Specials that could relate? The one at GC was a Goodtime 2, sans the tone ring. Granted, you never know what you're going to get at a GC when it comes to banjos or guitars (they take a ton of abuse, and if you sit around the acoustic room, you might hear how a couple of the pieces have left the shop after closing for a gig or two), and I have to wonder if, though new, the Goodtime I tried was a bit too tempting for privileged hands, or if in gaining some beauty and volume, something good about the Gumby-heads got left behind.

When I tried one, the action seemed a bit too high. The volume is greater in the newer one I tried, but the tone didn't seem right. Not as full in the higher strings. It felt slimmer and didn't seem as heavy, either. Still a looker, though, and still sounds better than just about anything at its price point and below...except for the older Goodtimes, maybe?

Treeman - Posted - 08/02/2009:  19:17:07

I have had a Goodtime about 5 years. At first I really did not like the looks, esp the headstock,but after all these years I really have grown to love the old Gumby style headstock.

Either way the Goodtime is a good banjo!

"Any darn fool can make something complex; it takes a genius to make something simple." Pete Seeger

Luke 1: 46 John 19: 27