I'm not knowledgeable about ^^ such matters, but well after I got my GT-BG250W I heard that J.D.Crowe played a GoldStar.

At one of our circle/performance jams when the MC  was introducing me she apologized for not remembering my name.   I initially replied, "If that's the case, you can just call me J. D. Crowe."  [She wasn't convinced ... even before I started ... so I had to come clean.  ]

My memories of those days included a few color ads in magazines like BU, etc, mostly showing ARCH TOP Masterclones with 2 pc flanges.

So I had a little awareness of Gold Star. But I didn't really "get" that they were part of Saga? (Were they?)

I had not heard anything about the flat head banjos; the 100 series, with one piece flanges and very Gibson like inlays. I accidentally discovered them at the Indian Springs MD festival when two people camped beside me were playing a pair of new ones. My eyes and ears bugged out at these wonderful, affordable instruments. After that I made it a point to know more and slowly they got written up in the magazines and advertised. I don't remember a "roll out" campaign at all. The next major thing I remember hearing about them was the JD Crowe (Granada) model. Then before you know it, the Japanese Gold Stars disappeared.

Gold Stars were very well received. Marketing was only possible through a few publications (e.g. Banjo Newsletter, BU). Gold Star did a good job in getting some pros to endorse and use. A lot of regional semi-pro players had them. IIRC, however, they were not hyped as much as in later years. Folks have acted like the original run of these are some kind of holy grail. They aren't. I had a '78 or '79 100W as my first good banjo, which I got in about '81. It was good, but not great. And that was after it was played by Jim Runnels and set up by Chris Warner, including a Ryan tone ring upgrade. They were considered (and were) better than Ibanez, Iida, and Aria level banjos, as well as RB-250s from that period. I sold mine when I got a Stelling. But Tom Adams, who some might argue was better than me :-), used his as a primary banjo for a very long time (and may still be using it).

I remember seeing an ad on the back on Pickin’ magazine, I think it was, of Ralph Stanley playing a Gold Star (Saga Instruments). Russ Carson has played one for years.

The summer of '76 I took a Ventura guitar and banjo and traded them in at BuckDancer's Choice in Portland (down on Commercial Street back then) and came home with a G11W archtop.
When I started seeing their ads for a flathead and 3 piece rim I sent away to StewMac and got a 3 piece tube and plate rim and a no-hole flathead tonering.

I liked it a lot better after the "upgrade".Though Gold Star's archtop ring was quite good,I wanted the deeper flathead tone.

I had to drill/reem out the peg holes to fit Shellor tuners, but otherwise wouldn't change a thing. I've played many more expensive benjers, but bang for buck this GS was the one.