Gold Tone Cripple Creek- CC50TR
submitted 12/6/2007
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Submitter |
stanger |
Where Purchased |
Angie's Banjos |
Year Purchased |
2007 |
Price Paid |
250 ($US) |
Sound
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The CC50TR has an 11" head with a spun brass bead tone ring. It's an openbacked banjo. It is a A scale banjo with a twist; the scale is the same as other Gold Tones, but the TR is missing the 1st and 2nd frets of a regular length neck and only has 20 frets. The scale is actually as if there was a permanent capo on the 2nd fret. With the supplied medium guage strings, the sound is remarkably good and deep when tuned to G, and brithens up when tuned to A. The volume is quite good, and it sounds good played in either clawhammer or 3-finger style.
The tone is not complex, but is very pleasing. It is designed to be a lightweight traveller, and fills it's purpose very well. Much more tone and volume than expected. |
Sound Rating |
9 |
Setup
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One of the most pleasing aspects was the setup details. On Oriental banjos of this price, I expected to have to do some work on the nut, as they almost all have problems there. The nut on this banjo was very well fit, the correct height and shape, and very nicely notched with proper string spacing. The new head is a little loose, but came with enough tension to sound good. All I had to do was raise the tailpiece, which was cranked all the way down to the head surface and tune it up. The stock medium gauge strings keep the banjo's feel from being too sloppy when tuned to G, and still feel good when tuned to A. This was a good factory setup all around. |
Setup Rating |
10 |
Appearance
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I didn't expect a fancy banjo, and I got what I expected. The finish is a nice matte. The color is good, with some sunbursting on peghead and heel. The rim is the same finish, darkened to the same shade as the dark part of the burst. All is very clean. Just a decal on the peghead and pearl dots in the board. This banjo was highly CNC cut, and is clean throughout, with good parts fit. No flaws in the plating. The board is bound with black, probably because the fingerboard may be thin and laminated. Even if the fingerboard is thin, the wood is quite hard- it's not rosewood, but probably is a Chinese hardwood that's the same hardness. Looks simple but nice. |
Appearance Rating |
9 |
Reliability
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The hardware looks pretty good overall. A nice surprise was the tension hoop- on similar banjos, the hoop is usually short in height and made from thin unplated sheet steel. This one may be steel, but it's as heavy as most brass hoops, rounded on top and nicely plated. It is as short as the others, but much sturdier. The sidewinder tuners are the same as are used on the Goodtime, but with box covers over the gears and larger imitation pearl knobs. They're cheap, but I've seen lots of them and they are quite durable. The 5th string geared tuner looks Chinese, and these have been variable. This one works smoothly right now, but it may lock up in the future as some I've seen have done. I hope not, but it's too soon to know yet.
The finish is good, and probably a catalyzed polyester. Should last as long as the banjo. The tailpiece is one of Gold Tone's Price style- lighter than the ones Price makes, but looks like it's durable. It's well assembled and the tension screw worked smoothly.
The fret work is excellent. Very well set, well levelled, and nicely shaped on the edges.
I'm not crazy about the brackets- they are the ones typically found in the price range, but these look pretty good. It may need a better set in the future, or not... They seem sturdy enough, and I've seen lots of older banjos with 'em. The rest of the hardware looks good to above average for the price range. |
Reliability Rating |
8 |
Customer Service
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First time I ever bought a Gold Tone, although I've played a couple of their higher priced banjos. I liked them, and though this one would be as good. Angie was very responsive- she promptly answered all my questions, and the banjo came with a standard padded gig bag and free shipping as part of the deal. It was drop shipped to me straight from the factory and arrived with no damage promptly. Both Angie and Gold Tone provided tracking numbers and an accurate arrival date. So far, customer service is as good as it gets, and I'm very satisfied. |
Customer Service |
10 |
Components
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The banjo is good all around, but the tone ring quality, fit and rim finish are excellent. The bridge was also a nice surprise- well shaped and substantially wide and heavy, unlike most stock Oriental bridges. It's very good- the best I've seen at this price. While none of the parts are the best available, none are the worst available, either. The hoop is an excellent upgrade compared to most of the competition, and everything is nicely fitted.
The neck shape is excellent- very comfortable and fairly deep. This is a very good banjo for the money, and other than the brackets, is as good as can be found for the price.
The shoes are fine, but hardware looks a little light. If not for the brackets and shoe hardware, I would have given this one a 9. It really is a solid 8 3/4 in component quality. |
Components Rating |
8 |
Overall Comments
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This is a super little lightweight traveller. It's a lot of fun and very easy to play. It would be an excellent child's banjo with light gauge strings, as the short neck is perfect for small fingers. The 11" head gives the banjo a nice full tone, unlike the smaller heads found on other similar banjos. It is a very good banjo for a second banjo, tuned to A for old-time players, and sounds as good in G as in A.
It's small enough to carry on an airplane, and loud enough to use in most small jams. I bought this for my daughter, but I'm thinking of buying another for me. All my others are very expensive vintage and top-end hot rods, but this little outfit has a lot of charm and appeal, and is a good alternative banjo for just packing around on trips or other travelling. It's very easy and comfortable to play, and is a good alternative to capoing on the 2nd fret for playing fiddle tunes. It would be easy to stash in a camper or trailer, and has a lot of modest charm. The peghead is possibly a little large, but it's acceptable to me. Overall, I expected less, and got a lot more. I'm very pleased. |
Overall Rating |
9 |
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Prucha Diamond Point
submitted 3/31/2006
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Submitter |
stanger |
Where Purchased |
Greg Boyd's House of Fine Instruments |
Year Purchased |
2006 |
Price Paid |
3450 ($US) |
Sound
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The sound of a Prucha is very detailed and balanced. Lows are very deep, highs very clear, with a wonderful distinctness of note seperation. There are no harsh harmonic overtones in the sound; every note is rich, sweet and clear. Slurs and bends are amazing on this banjo- they remain distinct and clean, and decay at just the right rate. Think of a Gibson with more richness, a sweeter Huber, and a Stelling's power and you have the tone. It's just the best there is, and I've never played a Prucha that didn't have it. The attack has an extraordinarily wide range as you move positions on the head from very deep and smooth to very crisp next to the bridge. The volume is deceptive; the banjo is so powerful that you don't have to force it at all to be heard in a group, but if you want loud, it's there in spades instantly. The most interesting thing about this banjo is that it's as good played clawhammer style as 3-finger style. I would like to have an open backed model just like it made, someday. |
Sound Rating |
10 |
Setup
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The banjo was 1 1/2 days old when I got it. It came with a Renaissance head, which are stretchy when new, so I expected to have to tweak it after about a week. I did, twice, about 1/2 turn on the brackets in total. I lowered the action just a touch after the second tightening- maybe 1/32" or less, and tightened the tailpiece just a little. Haven't touched it since and don't need to. It was perfect when I first picked it up, and all my changes were done only to restore the setup after the head stretched. It has a radiused fingerboard, my first, and I love it. The neck width and depth is perfect. The distance between the strings is perfect. I've never played a better feeling neck. |
Setup Rating |
10 |
Appearance
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I've played lots of Pruchas, so I knew it was going to sound good. This is the first banjo I have ever bought on looks alone. The Diamond Point inlays are my favorite Prucha pattern, and are typical of his work- rather small, very precise, graceful and elegantly refined. This banjo is made of mahogany, like Alison Brown's, and the first mahogany banjo I've owned. The wood is very straight grained and clear of appearance defects, and is stained a rich, very dark red-brown, highlighted with a very subtle sunburst on the neck and resonator. The burst is so subtle I didn't even notice it at first.It has an ebony fingerboard, and all the metal is copper flashed and darkened with a patina except for the hooks, the tailpiece base piece and resonator lugs, which are nickel plated. The tuners have amber buttons. The look of the banjo is very dark, with an elegant deep warm gleam. The binding is tortoise shell with fine white and black underneath- the white below the tortoise brings out the tortoise's full color, and is a perfect compliment. The resonator has 2 concentric binding circles of black/white/black, slightly larger than on most Pruchas. It's the first Prucha's first Patina model, but I'm sure others will come. Stunning finish quality, with perfectly flawless fit. The Renaissance head looks like suede on this banjo. It came with Prucha's 2-hump Presto DeLuxe tailpiece, and the cover has the same patina as the rest of the parts. The tone ring was left unplated except for the skirt, and is a dark bronze color when seen inside the rim. it's handsome. and would be right at home with a Loar, a D-45 and a Stradivarius. This banjo is a tuxedo, not a clown suit. Very sophisticated, and completely unique. |
Appearance Rating |
10 |
Reliability
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it's going to be interesting to see what will happen as this banjo ages. I expect the armrest, which is very dark now with the patina, will actually brighten up as it wears over the years. The metal with the patina has been lacquered to prevent oxidation. All of Prucha's parts are the best- that's why every good maker uses them, so I expect no failures. The 1-piece flange is heavier than some others, and the tuners are Prucha's new ones, which are like the old Grover pancakes; very solid and smooth. This banjo has one of the first sets. The frets are installed over the binding, which will facilitate a clean re-fret if ever necessary and are perfectly installed and polished. I doubt I'll live long enough to need a re-fret. While I love the look of the tailpiece, I'm not a fan of tailpieces with covers. But the spring on the cover is quite strong, and the cover has a small piece of suede leather attached to the underside to prevent any buzzing, so I'm not going to change it. Excellent detailing. |
Reliability Rating |
10 |
Customer Service
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The banjo has a lifetime warranty. I've known Greg Boyd a very long time, and know he'll stand by this banjo 100% if something goes wrong, but he won't have to- this banjo is built to last. I've never seen a Prucha that developed serious problems. |
Customer Service |
10 |
Components
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The banjo came with a full set of adjustment tools; I tweaked the truss rod to see how well it worked, and it's like the rest of the banjo- very smooth and precise. The co-ordinator rods were set to neutral, and when I lowered the action a tiny bit, they worked perfectly. Everything is as good as it gets, and no flaws anywhere. |
Components Rating |
10 |
Overall Comments
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At it's price, the Diamond Point is a better buy than anything in the price range, and the best value for the money in the market. There are lots of good banjos for this kind of money, but there isn't a banjo made that is better than this one, period. If it was lost or stolen, I would get another just like it instantly. There is no individual feature on it that is better or worse than the others- it's all the best. I really like its individuality in a world of Gibson look-alikes... it is like a Mercedes in a parking lot full of Cadillacs. What can I say? I have some very good banjos, but this one makes all my others seem garish and coarse in comparison. I traded a the best I had (a pre-war) for it and never looked back. Prucha is to banjos what Lloyd Loar was to mandolins. After 40 years of playing, I've found my perfect banjo. |
Overall Rating |
10 |
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