Can anyone confirm if this hard shell case will fit an old gumby Goodtime open back, especially enough room for the guitar tuners.
I'm tired of stuffing my larger case with towels, and I'm not interested in gig bags or oversized foam cases. Just an old fashioned conventional hard case that fits. I've researched this, and read archives, only to find that the industry standard 11" open back TKL case in no longer available, and I've read several bad reviews of the cases labeled "for 11"- 12" open back banjos" are way too big and added foam or towels is needed. I'm getting older, and I'm bringing my open back banjos to practices and small gigs more and more. It would be nice to have a proper case. Thanks... and any other recommendations for something currently available is also appreciated!
Banjo Ben Clark has some 11 hard shell cases for open back
Elderly should to
As smakula music should
Any store that carries banjos should have an option for you
The “11” was a typo sorry
quote:
Originally posted by the-fishBanjo Ben Clark has some 11 hard shell cases for open back
Elderly should to
As smakula music should
Any store that carries banjos should have an option for you
Thanks Rick!
Banjo Ben has the same Golden Gate case as my link above, everything else is listed as out-of-stock. It's kind of concerning actually, how much of his listings are out.
Elderly has several options for 12"-12.5" banjos, and long neck, and Irish Tenor, but the only 11"option was the Superior bump case, which they specifically mentioned in their description, were too narrow for a wider headstock, and guitar style tuners.
Smakula also has the Superror bump cases, and Bob himself had mentioned in an archived post here, that they are too narrow for a Goodtime. So far Smakula has the only option I've found, in a still available, in stock, TKL 11" open back banjo case. But that one has some real sticker shock at $330. I'll have to think long and hard about that one! Another option that Bob mentioned, was that the bump case would work, if one were to replace the guitar tuners, with planitaries... so I have that to consider as well. Hmmmm... an old Gumby with planitaries....that might be kind of cool...
Edited by - Dean T on 04/12/2025 23:51:22
Ah jeesh sorry man I didn’t think they would be that hard to find
Good luck !
I can’t comment on the linked case, but I do have a TKL case sitting around that was used for a Deering Goodtime 11”. It’s located in Pittsburgh
quote:
Originally posted by quietpiperI can’t comment on the linked case, but I do have a TKL case sitting around that was used for a Deering Goodtime 11”. It’s located in Pittsburgh
That's probably a TKL 8942 for 11". It could be worth some money! Interestingly, the TKL 7842 (for a 12") is still available for around $200, and still listed on the TKL website. The 8942 for 11" seems to be discontinued, and is either out of stock or non existent on banjo/music websites. It's also no longer on the TKL website. Smakula is the only one who has a new one, and it's $330. Honestly, that's more than I'm willing to go. For that kind of money, I can get the Golden Gate case, and a set of planitaries from Smakula, and still have over $100 in my pocket.
Edited by - Dean T on 04/13/2025 07:33:37
I’ve had golden gates and they are ok, I have a reunion blues and it’s most impressive
I ordered the Golden Gate, and it should be here by Friday. I figure the $137 with free shipping was a fair deal. I’ll try and remember an update here, and hopefully the Gumby will fit. It’s kind of hard to believe that with the hundreds of thousands of Goodtimes out there, that there isn’t a slam dunk industry standard case for them, that everyone knows about. Even the Deering website has suspended selling their open back cases.
Here’s an update. It’s a really nice case. It has a super large storage pocket. Plenty heavy duty for anything I do.
Good news: It fits my Cherry deco openback like a glove and will get plenty of use with it.
Bad news: It DOES NOT fit my Gumby Goodtime. Even if I put planitaries on it, the peghead shape still won’t fit.
Thanks for letting us know. I stock the C-1535 but also have a nice used case that may work (banjo in the case fits a C-1535).
What's the exact length from tailpiece to end of the headstock and width including tuners? I'll check measurements against the case.
quote:
Originally posted by mikehalloranThanks for letting us know. I stock the C-1535 but also have a nice used case that may work (banjo in the case fits a C-1535).
What's the exact length from tailpiece to end of the headstock and width including tuners? I'll check measurements against the case.
Thanks Mike!
Length is 38 1/4"
width at guitar tuners is 4 1/2"
Edited by - Dean T on 04/18/2025 16:53:19
quote:
Originally posted by Dean Tquote:
Originally posted by mikehalloranThanks for letting us know. I stock the C-1535 but also have a nice used case that may work (banjo in the case fits a C-1535).
What's the exact length from tailpiece to end of the headstock and width including tuners? I'll check measurements against the case.
Thanks Mike!
Length is 38 1/4"width at guitar tuners is 4 1/2"
Although a nice vintage case, it's a bump style and there's not enough width for those tuners.
Unfortunately, I can no longer get open-back hard cases without the bump.
The cupboard looks pretty bare except maybe this case on Amazon. Open back banjo hard case The description is so poor that I have no idea of the quality but it's not a bump style case so there is hope.
Thanks for checking Mike!
That’s an interesting link… in one of the photos, the banjo in the case has a resonator.
Edited by - Dean T on 04/22/2025 22:55:21
quote:
Originally posted by Dean TThanks for checking Mike!
That’s an interesting link… in one of the photos, the banjo in the case has a resonator.
Those types of resonators aren't as large as those with full flanges. If it works, the fit will be loose. If you have a Prime account, you should be able to return if it just won't work.
I think I’m going to pass on that one, but thanks for the link! 8 years ago, I bought a generic resonator banjo case on Amazon for $79, that looks identical to that one. I still use it to this day, for my resonator banjos at local gigs. It’s not super padded, but has held up remarkable, and does the job. It’s the same case I stuff with a towel and foam, when I do bring my Goodtime out. I compared its measurements (15” x 41”) to the dimensions on the pic in the link (15” x 43”) , and I’m pretty sure it’s a one size fits all case, that would be way too big!
My next line of thinking, is to get some decent foam, and do a nice job of cutting and fitting it to my current old case, maybe even glue it in, and dedicate that to my Goodtime, and then buy a proper quality case for my Sierra.
Have you checked out Gold Tones full line of cases? Of course your Good Time might dissolve in a GT case.
