Dean T - Posted - 01/18/2026:  09:21:27

I would love to hear from some owners with actual live experience. The professional videos and recordings are very seductive, but I don’t want to spend $1500 on a wall hanger.

I’m not interested in personal home playing or niche recording. I’d like to know how this instrument does in a jam or live band setting. Very little bluegrass, mostly country/gospel/hymns. I currently play 100% banjo with my bandmates/friends. Our instruments are me on banjo, others on acoustic guitar, electric guitar, dobro, mando, and occasional drums. Being a whole octave lower than everyone else sounds intriguing, but I have questions.

How is the volume, does it survive in a jam or single mic gig?

How well does it fit a variety of music? Or would it totally suck at times? As in would it survive an entire gig without being a joke?

How well does it work with finger picks?

If fingerpick work well, how durable are the wound nylon string with picks?

How available are the string sets?

Can spikes be used on it?

Thanks for any other insights! The majority of my playing, is songs that originally don’t have banjo, and I have free rein to do anything I want, if it sounds ok. So far, the banjo is the only thing I’ve used, that fits, without stepping on the others. In the past I’ve tried a Dojo, Banjola, and an electric Tele looking banjo, and they all sucked for live playing with my friends, so I nixed them. I’m about 50/50 on buying a Cello banjo, just need some yay or nay swaying…

trapdoor2 - Posted - 01/18/2026:  10:06:36

They don't cut thru (or make the ground shake) like an upright bass. They do not do well in the mix playing the tune. They do 1s and 5s really well...and your thumb will be sore after a few tunes.

Use a flatpick if you want sharp/loud. Bare thumb for everything else. Thumb and 1st finger for faster runs.

Almost everyone who tried my Stewart (16"), preferred it to their Goldtones. It moves more air.

Alone, they are fun to play and sound great...but they easily get muddy sounding. I've only found a few fingerpicking solo tunes that sound great. Double C and modal tunings work very well...but lost in a jam, unless you have perceptive members that will quiet down.

My Stewart has a n ancient 5th string capo (a bent nail). I've never used it.

Zachary Hoyt - Posted - 01/18/2026:  10:37:10

I don't know how it works in jams, but I have put spikes on at least one of the cello banjos I built, maybe more. The spike is set with a little more of a gap between the top of the fretboard and the bottom of the spike head since the 5th string is fatter, but otherwise the principle seemed to be the same.

Barnacle Joe - Posted - 01/18/2026:  13:13:58

It's in the range of the bass guitar, and you don't have a bass in the band. It would probably work best in a (rehearsing and playing) band situation if you approach it like a bass guitar first (simple roots and fifths as a base, some walking and a few fills). Boring, yes, but really fills out the overall sound. Then actively listen to bass guitarists who go beyond and/or play more melodically to grow yourself.

KCJones - Posted - 01/18/2026:  13:52:52

They're fun for playing around solo but they're really not all that loud. If you try to play them clawhammer style, or even if you play individual notes too fast, they quickly get muddy and you lose note seperation.



I had a 5 string, and then traded it for a 5+1 "LoJo". I would put them both in the 'novelty instrument' category. I do like my 5+1, it sounds amazing and is great fun to play, but it's not the type of thing I'd try to play on stage except for maybe 1 song in a breakdown situation to change up the pace.

I've never played it just as a bass, to keep rhythm. It might actually be good for that. But if you were going to try that I'd probably get the 4 string version. 

Edited by - KCJones on 01/18/2026 13:54:00

Dean T - Posted - 01/18/2026:  16:10:59

Thanks for the reply’s and things to think about. On the con side, Volume is a concern, as we do a lot of acoustic jamming, and occasionally play single mic in small venues. I do get an instrument mic channel at some gigs and church, so that would help.



On the pro side, outside of bluegrass, my playing is very chord based basic rolling and rhythmic back up. Often alternating 1-5 or 1-3 notes patterns, and basic guitar finger style leads, which would (should) work well.



I’ll be talking to my friends about it tomorrow at practice. Lots to think about!

I did dive deeper into actually purchasing one from Gold Tone, and they offer the string sets on their website, and also offer spike installation... so that answered a couple of my questions. 

Edited by - Dean T on 01/18/2026 16:19:26