Gold Tone Cripple Creek 100 OB
submitted 12/15/2008
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Submitter |
Big Dan |
Where Purchased |
Angies Banjo |
Year Purchased |
2008 |
Price Paid |
$1,300 (NZ)
historic exchange rates / currency converter
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Sound
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Raw from the factory, the picking sound is quite mellow- as you'd expect for an open back. It's a great sound for the price.
The frailing sound is better than the picking sound. Over the head it really rings out. it's even better over the 19th fret, which is where i usually play. The tonal response is pretty good from treble to bass and it clucks quite well.
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Sound Rating |
10 |
Setup
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The set up was okay. The bridge hadn't been installed, though I've heard this is normal for banjos shipped outside the US. The head was very well adjusted and as soon as I got the bridge up, the sound was good. The action is nice and low.
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Setup Rating |
8 |
Appearance
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If you’re buying a banjo purely for looks, you’re buying for the wrong reasons, young man. You’re certainly in the wrong price bracket. Nonetheless, it still looks attractive. The flame on the peg head is a nice touch. The rosewood fingerboard is a lovely piece of wood, nice and dark with a very close grain- much nicer than I've seen on some Asian assembled instruments. |
Appearance Rating |
7 |
Reliability
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Since I've owned it, it's been pretty good. There's a little flake of varnish that's started to peel where the finger board meets the neck at the fifth fret, but I do play a lot. Some of the tension hooks have tiny specks of rust, which is probably due to NZ's humid climate. Other than that, it’s well made and pretty solid. Gold Tone have gone to a lot of trouble to put well playing, great sounding, dependable banjos in the hands of players who don't have lots of cash to spend. |
Reliability Rating |
7 |
Customer Service
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I bought from Angie's Banjos, who were excellent. You can read my review in the Hangout. While tracking down the best price, Ross Nickerson from Banjoteacher.com was also very helpful and I'd recommend him with no hesitation, too. Both of them value their customers. However, with the additional costs of left handed conversion, exchange rate, postage, hard case and tax on arrival, price was the clincher. The final cost in $NZ was $1,300- two years worth of savings. But hand on heart, I still think it’s worth the money.
Service from the Gold Tone company has been fair and they’ve answered most of my questions. Though I wish the warranty covered New Zealand. Not that I foresee any problems, she's pretty solid. |
Customer Service |
7 |
Components
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Sound aside, the neck is probably this banjo's best feature. I've played a lot of instruments and this neck is excellent- a real pleasure to play. Everything's right- curvature, finish, frets, nut, action. The fingerboard is a lovely big piece of dark rosewood and with the maple neck makes for a great sound. Armrest helps, too.
The other components all do their job well.
Plus you get a brass tone ting, which I like and does good things for the sound |
Components Rating |
7 |
Overall Comments
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There's a good reason that so many players choose the CC-100 Open Back and its sister model with the resonator. It has a remarkable sound for the price and is built to a high standard. Clearly, Gold Tone's lower priced models benefit from the expertise they bring to their professional level instruments- something you don't get from companies that only make budget banjos. If you’re looking for a banjo in this price range, try one.
In short, I love it. Choosing a banjo should be all about sound and playability, and I'm glad I chose this one. If it was stolen I would hunt the lowly mongrel down and exact appropriate revenge. Once they let me out, I would buy another. For the price, I wouldn’t buy anything else. |
Overall Rating |
8 |
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Angie's Banjo
submitted 9/18/2008
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Submitter |
Big Dan |
Overall Comments
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Angie's Banjo is what good service is all about. I ordered a banjo from New Zealand and Angie was very helpful, providing clear information about the costs involved and was very patient throughout. The order was placed quickly, and it arrived less than ten days later.
After the instrument arrived, I had a question regarding set-up. But even though her house had been damaged by Hurricane Ike, she'd arranged for someone at the manufacturer to help me, so that I could be taken care of. THAT is good service. You're in good hands with Angie's Banjo |
Overall Rating |
10 |
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