Looking to upgrade from beginner banjo. Up to $1000. Tossing up between Gold Tone OB250 and Goldstar GF85. Any advice greatly appreciated. Also can anyone tell me what the tone ring on the Goldstar is made from as it does not say on their website.
Cheers

Cheers from down under
Fireman Sam

Posted - 10/27/2009 :  21:15:07          

gold star, hands down

Posted - 10/27/2009 :  21:44:50        

yea i vote for the goldstar. You could find a used GF-100 for 1,000-900

"Surround Yourself With Good Muscians". -J.D Crowe
“Nobody is a legend, we all put our pants on one leg at a time.” - Sonny Osborne

Posted - 10/27/2009 :  21:47:11        

I have a Gold Star GF-85 with Waverley tuners for sale. Will post in classifieds tomorrow. $750+shipping. I don't use it anymore. Make me an offer.

"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler."

- Albert Einstein

Posted - 10/27/2009 :  21:51:15        

Betwen the two, Goldstar in every area.

Don

Posted - 10/27/2009 :  21:58:00        

Gold Star GF-85 HOSS! Sitting here with mine right now

David Russell

www.hotbanjolicks.com

Posted - 10/28/2009 :  03:52:48            

Yes, I vote Gold Star as well. No other banjo in that price range can compete.

http://www.flatpickerhangout.com/my/revellfa

Posted - 10/28/2009 :  03:59:36          

I'll probably be the only one to recommend the GoldTone, but I will anyway. I prefer the GoldTone OB250+ over the GoldStar. The GoldTone OB250+ has a JLS tonering, and every one I've played has sounded good to me. Every GoldStar I have played has sounded harsh, even shrill.

(Or even better, get a Recording King and then have a luthier properly fit the tonering to the rim.)

Posted - 10/28/2009 :  05:08:20        

Goldstar!

Posted - 10/28/2009 :  05:20:29              

I'm going to go the other way here and say that I liked the OB250 more than the GF85 when I tried the two side-by-side, both with factory setups.

Either way, if you have that kind of a budget you may be interested to know that I paid $500 for my OB250. I found it used on Craigslist. For a mid-level upgrade, used is the way to go in my opinion. Do some research on what to look out for when buying used, and go from there. It can really save you a lot of money, and when you go to upgrade again you can likely make all of your money back.

Ricky
Gibson TB-00 conversion

Posted - 10/28/2009 :  05:32:30        

Depends on whether you want an apple or an orange.
The OB-250 is a maple banjo
The GS is a mahogany banjo.
The only problem is they're both flat heads............

Vince Hamilton
Fletcher, NC
http://www.hamiltonbanjo.com

Posted - 10/28/2009 :  13:11:49        

quote:

---

Originally posted by vfhamilton

Depends on whether you want an apple or an orange.
The OB-250 is a maple banjo
The GS is a mahogany banjo.
The only problem is they're both flat heads............

Vince Hamilton
Fletcher, NC
http://www.hamiltonbanjo.com

---

Posted - 10/28/2009 :  15:15:04              

If the archtop sound is for you, Gold Tone does make an archtop version of the OB250.

Ricky
Gibson TB-00 conversion

Posted - 10/28/2009 :  19:09:43    

Hello Fireman Sam,
Why don't you listen to a Gold Tone OB-250? Listen to Mr. Len Camp playing "Big Sandy River" here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9yD...ch-main-area

I'd be willing to bet that a lot of people who simply dismiss certain brands of banjos could not make theirs or any other brand sound as good.

Posted - 10/29/2009 :  05:06:59    

Goldstar.

Proud Union Man

Regards from London.

Posted - 10/29/2009 :  05:25:07        

Goldstar gets my vote also....

--
Gordon

Posted - 10/31/2009 :  14:44:53      

i cant say anything bad about either i havent played a goidtone banjo but i have played a lot of goldstar banjos i love them i think in every respect they are a good banjo until i see tom adams pickin on stage with a goldtone weell you know good luck either way myou will have a good banjo................GOLDSTAR

Posted - 10/31/2009 :  18:34:09    

Goldstar, but then I own one.

"What kind of man would live in a world where there is no daring? I don't believe in taking foolish chances, but nothing can be accomplished without taking any chance at all." -- Charles Lindberg

Posted - 11/01/2009 :  05:45:39      

before you buy new check the hangout classifieds a bargain is possible i have recently seen gpldstars as low as 625

Posted - 11/01/2009 :  06:11:54      

Gold Star 85 new, or Gold Star 100 used, either way - - "Gold Star"

Let us know what you decide.


Big John,
1987 Gibson Earl Scruggs Standard
1986 Stelling Sunflower

Posted - 11/02/2009 :  18:34:56      

I THINK GOLDSTAR IS THE BEST BANJO YOU CAN BUY FOR THE MONEY