We sell the entire line of Gold Tone instruments at great priceswith free case and free shipping on most models.
The Missing Link - Béla Fleck
“Béla Fleck and I both knew the Missing Link was a winner. Within a month he’d recorded with it on five of the tracks on Abigail and Béla’s duet album (which debuted at #1 on Billboard Magazine’s Bluegrass chart). Béla then showed the ML-1 to Steve Martin, who was so intrigued with its sonic possibilities that he ordered one immediately.”
Wayne Rogers
Gold Tone President
Béla Fleck playing the ML-1 "Missing Link" Baritone Banjo
When Béla Fleck showed Steve Martin the Missing Link baritone banjo, Steve was so intrigued with it's sonic possibilities that he immediately called Wayne Rogers at Gold Tone to order one.
For those of you who don't know yet, the ”The Missing Link” fills the void between the frequencies of a normal 5 string and cello banjo. Listen here .......(Tuning is dropped to CGCEG)
Inspired by John Hartford’s love for low-tuned banjo, Bela Fleck conceived the Missing Link, Baritone Banjo.
Bela’s previous experience with the Gold Tone Cello Banjo brought him to Wayne Rogers. The two collaborated in the design and, after many months of experimentation and various challenges, we are ecstatic to present the ML-1.
Bela Fleck with his beloved Gold Tone CEB-5 Cello Banjo
Affordable Quality
We’re very excited about the Gold Tone's incredibly diverse offering of affordable high quality musical instruments.
That means quality parts, professional design, tight fitting assembly, and an expert set up by real musicians.
Gold Tone continually strives for more bang for the buck in every design and all price points. Every instrument receives a 12 point set-up, before shipment and verifies Gold Tone's commitment to great tone, superb playability, and your musical satisfaction! Compare and you'll find out why thousands of musicians are playing Gold Tone.
Learn more about banjos and exciting banjo players in ourarticles section
Gold Tone is introducing an octave mandolin-banjo. The Octajo is a double-course tenor banjo tuned an octave below the mandolin. Featuring a 12” rim with bronze tone ring and an octave mandolin neck, theOctajo can be strung with either metal or nylon strings for a choice of dramatically contrasting tonal characteristics.
The Octajo fills a niche in a time when octave mandolins are gaining popularity. It opens a new tonal spectrum in the banjo and mandolin families of instruments. The Octajo is an instrument with a huge voice that will find its way into all kinds of music.
I've been working with Gold Tone as a retailer, independent product specialist and designer for many years and it's a thrill to have been asked to bring out this new instrument. I'll be receiving one soon and will update with videos and more information as my Octajo and I get to know each other.
The Soundbird is a new 4-string banjo designed by Wayne Rogers of Gold Tone and Paul Roberts. Optimized for nylon strings the Soundbird features Paul's innovative Neck-Lift design, which liberates a colorful palette of timbre-rich tone. By raising the fingerboard 3/8-inch above the head and aligning the strings on a parallel plain with the head, the Neck-Lift makes the strings fully accessible between bridge and rim, and uncovers a treasure of jewel-like tones along the banjo's full variable tonal spectrum.
Personalized international service for the purchase of all Gold Tone stringed instruments provided by Paul Roberts of BanjoCrazy.com 970-731-3117
We hope you enjoy our global village approach on this site:interviews with musicians from around the world; videos, sound files and tabs. Thanks for stopping by. Call us with your questions -
970-731-3117
Spirited old-time tunes from North Carolina, intricate melodies from Kentucky and other intriguing music.
Adam Hurt’s solo gourd banjo CD, “Earth Tones,” is a groundbreaking achievement. The celebrated banjo virtuoso’s first solo album is a daring foray into the mysterious world of the gourd banjo - the predecessor of the modern banjo brought to the colonies by African slaves hundreds of years ago. “Earth Tones,” offers a glimpse into another time through the ethereal lens of a true maestro. more
Adam Hurt
A page dedicated to Banjo Virtuoso Adam Hurt
Gourd Banjo
View Adam's Gourd Banjo Videos on our new page
Videos
Paul Roberts Plays Gold Tone
Cello Banjos - over 150 videos
The Octajo Playing "Kemp's Jig"
The Octajo Playing "Bouzouki Banjo"
What Kind of Banjo
Should I Buy?
BanjoCrazy.com represents the Gold Tone Banjo Company. Gold Tone is universally regarded as the banjo manufacturer that makes the widest variety of quality banjos at the best prices.
Besides their amazingly diverse selection of 4-string and 5-string banjos, Gold Tone makes banjos that are played like a guitar, a ukulele and a mandolin, and wooden banjos, electric banjos, bass banjos, cello banjos, children’s banjos, travel banjos and others.
These descriptions, with links to appropriate pages on the Gold Tone website, give details on all Gold Tone banjos. BanjoCrazy.com special prices - which usually include free case and shipping - are here.
Banjo Crazy ships Gold Tone instruments to most countries. Paul is a distinguished independent product specialist for Gold Tone. Call 970-731-3117 and Paul will assist you in the purchase and shipment of Gold Tone instruments from the US.
" Oh rats! It's time to get a new banjo - mine is all chewed up."
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Created 12/3/2008
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Paul recently released "Banjos Dreaming" - http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/paulroberts8 - original atmospheric melodies composed for the cello banjo and performed on cello banjos, banjo-lute, doumbek, sitar and guzheng.
Paul Roberts is a multi-instrumentalist whose background is in musical composition, concert performing, musical enrichment programs for children, concert production and music therapy.
Paul has performed over two thousand concerts in elementary schools throughout the western states with multi-instrumentalist Carla Roberts. He has produced two hundred fine arts concerts for other artists. Paul's work as a music therapist is featured in Gracefully Insane, a book about McLean Hospital by Alex Beam.
In the 1960s, Paul performed with Jon Landau (Bruce Springsteen's manager/producer) and Kate Taylor (sister to James Taylor). Also in the 60s, he studied sitar with Dr. Shyam Yodh in Boston and with Ustad Rais Khan in India.
Paul lives next to the forest in Colorado, where he builds his life around composing and recording.
'Banjo newsletter' 2 hrs
We’re very excited about the Gold Tone's incredibly diverse offering of affordable high quality musical instruments.
That means quality parts, professional design, tight fitting assembly, and an expert set up by real musicians. 
