LKTX - Posted - 01/05/2026:  13:36:37

Picking the banjo back up after several years absent. OT and clawhammer. Currently own two Gold Tones. CC-100RP and a beater AC-1. Got the CC-100 very lightly used for a great price. Blonde, 24 brackets, dual coordinator rods, planetary tuners etc. More of a bluegrass machine IMO which I have no interest in. Sounds good. A little on the heavy side for me though. I don't really care for the color and the varnish finish which just feels sticky. Resonator just sits in the closet. Have an offer from a bluegrass player who's been bugging me to sell it to him for years. I'll need to replace it with something more to my liking. Thinking CC-50 maybe? Checks nearly all the boxes for my needs. Price is doable. Had an older model years ago which I sold to a relative. Wish I hadn't. I really liked it.

Haven't shopped for banjos for years. Thoughts? Any others I might want to take a look at? No dealers within 100 miles. Recommend a good mail order dealer? Thanks.

Texasbanjo - Posted - 01/05/2026:  14:12:05

Have you checked our classified ads? May be something in there that might fit your needs.

pinenut - Posted - 01/05/2026:  14:35:24

quote:

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Originally posted by LKTX

Picking the banjo back up after several years absent. OT and clawhammer. Currently own two Gold Tones. CC-100RP and a beater AC-1. Got the CC-100 very lightly used for a great price. Blonde, 24 brackets, dual coordinator rods, planetary tuners etc.  Sounds good. A little on the heavy side for me though. I don't really care for the color and the varnish finish which just feels sticky. 



Haven't shopped for banjos for years. Thoughts? Any others I might want to take a look at? No dealers within 100 miles. Recommend a good mail order dealer?  Banjohangout Marketplace, Facebook Marketplace, Guitar Center, Reverb, Ebay, etc..

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I would choose a used domestic post-war banjo (made in US/CAN).  This fixes everything, but, until then...

Remove the resonator and brackets from the CC-100RP; it's described as a multi-ply woody, that's as light and plunky as a banjo gets.  And, lightly rub the neck down with grey scotch-brite polishing pad for a 'good' feel and smooth matte finish.  Wax is nice too.

goldtonemusicgroup.com/goldton..._Wqra2NkJ

Edited by - pinenut on 01/05/2026 14:52:34

lapsteel - Posted - 01/05/2026:  17:50:49

banjohangout.org/classified/113517

Brian Murphy - Posted - 01/06/2026:  06:03:24

Why not remove the resonator on your 100? It's an upgrade from the 50.

Old Hickory - Posted - 01/06/2026:  08:12:39

I don't see why a CC-50 open back would be any more appropriate for old time/clawhammer than a CC-100 open back (which is exactly what you get when you take the resonator off and remove the flange plates.

Both have multi-ply rims and rolled brass tone hoops. Different neck wood. That's about it.

If you want different, go different. Perhaps look for a used Recording King RK-OT25. Head stretched on a wood rim, no metal. Frailing scoop in place of the upper frets.

Culloden - Posted - 01/06/2026:  08:18:22

Why not check out the classified ads on here? You can set your parameters for price and see what's available. Going from a CC100 to a CC50 is a downgrade.
BTW, there's a nice Vega Folk Ranger in the classified ads that I wouldn't mind having if I were an Old-Time player.

Dean T - Posted - 01/06/2026:  12:40:50

I owned a gold tone CC100R briefly a long time ago. I passed it on to a friend who wanted it for old time music with his band. He removed the resonator and plates, and there you go. Actually a great entry level banjo, that doesn’t get near enough press here. Refinish it if you want, buff the neck if it will feel better, change to a plunkier renascence head, but don’t replace an entry level banjo, with an even lower end banjo.