vph - Posted - 03/10/2011:  06:18:20

Topic of travel banjos has been discussed many times before and I've read all I've found.

But I'm still uncertain which one to choose of these two GoldTone travel banjos: The Plucky or CC Mini?

My choices are this narrow because I'm in EU and there are not many options here to choose from when it comes to travel banjos and it is mailorder: no trying before buying.I also have several GoldTone instruments,including one banjo,a 250F and I'm happy with it.

What I'm looking for from travel banjo includes:
-very portable instrument (lightweight and short) I can take with me inside my luggage,backpacker or leave in the car
-reasonably good sound and playability (I'm a working musician but NOT on banjo,this is a hobby for me)
-reasonably priced (low budget)

What I like about the Plucky is that it seems very portable (lightweight and short) but I a bit worried about the tuning problems it seems to have (reviews) and playability.Any comments/thoughts on this are very welcome!

CC Mini seems to be better instrument but it is bit heavier and longer yet with no/less tuning problems.Altough I know I'll probably get a better instrument with CC Mini but I'm a bit worried with the portability; I'm very much looking for backpacker.Any thoughts on this are most welcome!

Thanks for helping me out!

vph

steve j. - Posted - 03/10/2011:  07:04:30

I know only what ive heard but.... the pluckey has sorry tuners, I guess that would be easy to fix, and I looked and can find it ,, but there is a guy on youtube , who had put nylon strings on his and he made it sound great.. He was playing some nice clawhammer.
Ive considered getting one of these just for messing around, but havent.
Im sure someone will come along after me here , who know much more .
Good Luck
Steve

Brooklynbanjoboy - Posted - 03/10/2011:  07:15:04

see this ad:

banjohangout.org/classified/20721

Walker - Posted - 03/10/2011:  07:21:56

I have a CC mini, and it is a nice little banjo. I find it awkward to play because the pot is so small, as is the neck. I keep it for my grandson otherwise I would sell it. You might check out the Tranjo. They are more expensive but play just like a full size. They have been out for several years so you might find a used one.

asandwho - Posted - 03/10/2011:  08:27:27

I fixed the plucky tuning problems by simply reaming the 5th peg hole bigger and replacing the stock tuner with a standard 5th string tuner. Frets are real tight up the neck, to be expected with such a short scale. IMO, the plucky has a nice melodic sound to it. It's definitely portable.

vph - Posted - 03/11/2011:  07:09:54

Thanks for your input! I haven't made up my mind yet but I'll let You know which one I ended up with

the.hogman - Posted - 03/11/2011:  10:10:16

I've tried and played them all when I was shopping for a travel banjo a few years ago. There is nothing like a Tranjo and That is what I ended up with.

On a side note, I found the Plucky completely unplayable trying to fret because of the scaled neck, the Tranjo is normal scale and tuned as such...

My opinion, yours may easily vary...

choolie - Posted - 03/11/2011:  22:08:52

that plucky looks like a toy. I wouldn't mind one for a bit of fun but, they are not even cheep. One from the classifieds might be the best plan.

choolie - Posted - 03/11/2011:  22:15:05

i don't know why they have to put so many frets on those tiny banjos. It seems to me just having 12 frets would be fine, sure you couldn't play up the neck but seems like they are unplayable up there anyways. There are plenty of songs you could play with just a 12fret banjo.

BRIAN MUNDAY - Posted - 03/12/2011:  05:17:52

I went that toy banjo route the first time around, what a waste of money! If you want a great playing travel banjo get the Deering Goodtime openback. If they're set up right, you can't beat them, great intonation all the way up the neck nice slim line neck. Plays just like the high end banjos! If you want one more compact get the Goodtime parlor banjo with the shorter neck.

Good Luck,
Brian

michael6 - Posted - 03/12/2011:  08:27:54

My friend has a CC Mini he likes it! Nice banjo.

deuceswilde - Posted - 03/12/2011:  10:00:57

quote:

---

Originally posted by choolie

i don't know why they have to put so many frets on those tiny banjos. It seems to me just having 12 frets would be fine, sure you couldn't play up the neck but seems like they are unplayable up there anyways. There are plenty of songs you could play with just a 12fret banjo.

---

choolie - Posted - 03/13/2011:  00:27:15

that's true but i still like the idea of a 12 fret banjo.

canuck1954 - Posted - 03/20/2011:  19:26:15

In my opinion, the Plucky is not a great banjo. I have examined two or three at music stores, so I can speak with some credibility.

- It's made to be cheap to produce, with cheaper materials than the Mini, and looks it.
- The headstock is straight, not angled. Instead a goofy bar is used to bend the strings to get the required angle.
- The aforementioned bar is fastened crudely, almost as an afterthought, with very undersized wood screws.
- On one example, neck shrinkage allowed the frets to protrude sharply from the unbound sides of the fingerboard.
- The pot just looks cheaply made.
- To me, the shorter string length seems to make clawhammer playing more difficult, with unsatisfactory volume.
- It uses a friction 5th string tuner, while the CC-mini has a geared one.

On the good side:
- It is less expensive, lighter, and more compact than the CC-mini. It would be a good backpacker size.
- It does have a REMO head, and the head tensioners look okay, though are fewer than the mini.


I would buy the CC-Mini. It's on my wish list, although I admit that I have no yet handled one.

mikey5string - Posted - 03/21/2011:  06:08:53

backyardmusic.com