Can anyone attest to the quality of the hardware on some of Deerings mid-range openbacks. Particularly the flat hooks and thin tension hoop found on all of the Senator, Vintage Star, Little Wonder etc. Are they a step above similar hardware found typically on cheap imports? Cost cutting or weight reducing exercise?
These are not cheap banjos and most other appointments (e.g. woods) look of good quality but these hardware choices stand out for me, though i understand Deering has extra costs related to their location and also donations to their “club”.
Not doubting the sound quality/playability of their banjos.
I'll never again own flat tension hooks! False economy there.
There are flat hooks (US made) and flat hooks (Asian made). Bo5tgh are fairly identifiable. All the Deerings I have seen here that have flat hooks made in the US. I doubt that they would use the Asian ones. I have seen a Stromberg Voisenet tenor here fitted with Asian hooks and tailpiece.
I love Deering banjos, and have owned several top-tier Deering banjos throughout the years. That said, however, I've found the Deering flat hooks on the entry-level Goodtime and mid-tier openbacks are inferior to the American-made cobra-style hooks that were popular and easy to obtain during the '70s thru early-2000s. I have first-hand experience with the Deering flat hooks bending under pressure -- in other words, the actual 'hook' part of the item would start to deflect and lose its curvature when cranked down. The problem is the steel in the actual hook part of the item might have been pounded down too flat during the manufacturing process, weakening the hook where its curved; or the steel used in the hook might be too soft for use in this application; or perhaps it's just a bad, cost-cutting design that should possibly be scrapped altogether. Whatever the case, on the Deering model banjos in question, I now swap out both the flat hooks and accompanying plain tension hoop for the US-made cobra-style hooks and traditional grooved tension hoop.
The Deering flat hooks do not look like anyone else's.
Saga dealers can get you old Harmony style hook/nut sets.
If replacing hooks only, need to know the thread pitch.
Deering gets a buck a piece for their hooks? And makes a profit on them?? Wow, must be of finest quality.
The cheaper bent hooks are used on the Goodtimes, but not the Vegas that OP mentioned. They, along with all the other mid-range Deerings I've seen, use conventional straight hooks. And if you're buying them in bulk like I imagine Deering does, $1 each doesn't sound especially cheap.
My 28 year old Deering Goodtime is currently set to 90 on the drum dial, and the 16 hooks are showing no signs of failure. I’ve owned 4 Goodtimes, 2 of which I still have, and also owned a Vega Bluegrass Wonder, with the Deering hooks, and I’ve tightened my heads to 89-90, and have never had any problems with the hooks.
Edited by - Dean T on 04/09/2025 16:29:56
Interestingly, Deering low end hooks have changed over the years. I didn’t even notice it until this thread made me look. The old hooks look bullet proof. The old tension hoops were thinner and flat. The newer hooks are definitely thinner, but the tension hoop is thicker, and now beveled on the inboard side. Both photos are Goodtimes, with the head @ 90.
quote:
Originally posted by Dean TInterestingly, Deering low end hooks have changed over the years. I didn’t even notice it until this thread made me look. The old hooks look bullet proof. The old tension hoops were thinner and flat. The newer hooks are definitely thinner, but the tension hoop is thicker, and now beveled on the inboard side. Both photos are Goodtimes, with the head @ 90.
Never have seen a Gumby head Goodtime with hexagon shoes. My Gumby Goodtimes had the early open geared tuners. They have the same shoes and hooks as the later fiddle head Goodtimes. Quick search and I didn't see any Gumby head Goodtime banjos with hexagon shaped shoes. Did you purchase yours new or used?
I bought it used, and purposely sought it out for the original hex shoes, because that’s the way my original Gumby was almost 30 years ago. The original Goodtimes had the hex shoes, and they are far and few between these days. I don’t know how long Deering used the hex shoes, or how many banjos they made with them, but I do know, that when they came out with the Goodtime 2, two years later, they had already gone to the style shoes they still use today. Since the Goodtimes were released in 1996, that would make mine either a 96 or 97. The Goodtime 2 came out in 1999. And if anyone here knows anymore about the early Goodtime history, I’d love to hear it! I let my first one go, and always regretted it. So much so, that I finally bought another one, and it took awhile to finally find an early original.
quote:
Originally posted by Dean TI bought it used, and purposely sought it out for the original hex shoes, because that’s the way my original Gumby was almost 30 years ago. The original Goodtimes had the hex shoes, and they are far and few between these days. I don’t know how long Deering used the hex shoes, or how many banjos they made with them, but I do know, that when they came out with the Goodtime 2, two years later, they had already gone to the style shoes they still use today. Since the Goodtimes were released in 1996, that would make mine either a 96 or 97. The Goodtime 2 came out in 1999. And if anyone here knows anymore about the early Goodtime history, I’d love to hear it! I let my first one go, and always regretted it. So much so, that I finally bought another one, and it took awhile to finally find an early original.
Deering actually has a blog about the Goodtime banjos. Yes 1996 was the first ones, 1999 was the Goodtime 2. The Goodtime Special came out in 2001. The current peghead design came out in 2008. My Gumby head Goodtime Special would have been somewhere around the 2001 vintage because of the open gear tuners it came with. My other Gumby head Goodtime has sealed tuners making it a later vintage.
So I learned something new about how to date a Goodtime banjo. I have never seen the hexagon shoes or just didn't notice them before. I will be looking now.
Edited by - itsnotyou on 04/13/2025 17:00:48
