Gold Tone Banjos & Mandolins
One of the best kept secrets on this side of the Atlantic is the quality and value offered by Gold Tone instruments. Sheehans were so impressed upon discovering their instruments that we decided to import them ourselves direct from the USA.
Hence, you won't see Gold Tone banjos, banjitars or mandolins in many other European shops - even though, in our experience, they offer superior tone and value for money to anything else on the market.
On this page:
Other relevant pages:
5-String Banjos
There are two different types of 5-string banjo, each with its own distinct sound. Bluegrass banjos have an resonator attatched to the back of the instrument, giving a loud, piercing tone ideally suited to bluegrass music.
Openback banjos have, as the name suggests, an open back with no resonator, and give a mellower, 'plunky' tone. They are popular among players who use the clawhammer style.
Long necks are available as an option on most models, and tend to be especially popular among players of Pete Seeger-esque folk style banjo, as they enable the strings to be tuned lower, to provide a better accompaniment to vocals. Folk style players use either resonator or open back instruments.
Bluegrass Banjos
Cripple Creek CC-100R
Entry level bluegrass banjo with maple neck, resonator and body, bound neck and resonator, brass tone ring and Straight Line tailpiece.
Superb value beginner's instrument. Available in right or left handed versions.
Maple Classic MC-150
An economically priced intermediate instrument, built from quality parts. Maple neck, tone rim and resonator, alloy tone ring, shoe-style lugs, Straight Line tailpiece.
Great tone for the price. Removable resonator for easy conversion to an open-backed instrument. Available in long necked and left handed versions.
Bluegrass Special BG-250
Maple bodied intermediate bluegrass banjo, with maple neck and a mahogany resonator. Vintage brown stain finish, features include mother of pearl inlays, Straight Line tailpiece, bell brass tone ring.
Available as standard BG-250 (easily convertible to open back) or BG-250F (with a flange and larger resonator for a louder, more piercing tone).
Orange Blossom OB-250
Endorsed by bluegrass legend Frank Wakefield, a quality instrument with superb specs - including flame maple resonator, body and neck, ebony fingerboard, brass tone ring, one-piece zinc alloy flange.
Beautiful looks, and a classic pre-war sound. Long-necked, left handed and gold plated flange versions also available.
Orange Blossom OB-250+
For those who want the very best...
As above but with the addition of a JLS tone ring (a faithful reproduction of the original Gibson tone rings of the 1930s), a 3-ply maple rim, Brian Hooper custom bridge (improved intonation and sound transmission) and a raised neck to body mount. Deluxe case.
Shop for Gold Tone banjos & mandolins in our online store.
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Openback Banjos
Cripple Creek CC-100OB
Superb value, entry level open back banjo. Features include bound maple body and neck, Straight Line tailpiece and brass tone ring.
Available in right or left handed versions, with optional capo spikes and planetary tuners.
Maple Mountain MM-150
Goldtone's original open back model, with a maple neck and a thinner maple rim to allow more air space inside the chamber.
The White Ladye tone ring achieves plenty of sustain, and gives the MM-150 that classic 'plunky' clawhammer tone.
Available in long necked, fretless and fingerboard cutaway versions
The Hoab
A reproduction of the original instrument as played by banjo legend Cyrus Hoab... you may have heard of him!
High gloss finish, maple neck and body, planetary tuners. Plenty of volume!
Options include natural or mahogany stain fish, left-hand and long neck versions, fingerboard cutaway for frailing.
White Ladye
Gold Tone's highly rated flagship open back banjo, with beautiful tone and appearance.
Features the Whyte Ladye tone ring, and a thinner maple rim to give greater volume and sustain. Maple neck, ebony fingerboard, mahogany stain finish.
Optional cutaway fingerboard, Hard case.
Shop for Gold Tone banjos & mandolins in our online store.
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Plectrum Banjos
Plectrum banjos are usually tuned to an open chord like their 5-string counterparts, but they have no drone string and are normally played with a flat pick (hence the name).
The scale length is the same as a standard 5-string, a resonator may be used if the player desires a harsher tone, but it isn't essential.
Cripple Creek CC-Plectrum
Entry-level plectrum banjo, maple neck, body and resonator. Natural finish with binding on resonator.
Plectrum Special PS-250
High quality plectrum banjo with a maple neck and body and removable mahogany resonator. Features include planetary tuners, bell-brass tone ring, mother of pearl inlays, dark brown finish.
Easily converted to an open backed model.
Shop for Gold Tone banjos & mandolins in our online store.
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Tenor Banjos
The standard tenor banjo is a popular rhythm instrument with jazz bands. The scale length is shorter than a standard 5-string, with a 19 fret neck, allowing the instrument to be tuned to a higher register. The resonator gives a piercing, nasal tone to allow the banjo to be heard over other instruments.
Irish tenor banjos are shorter still, with a 17 fret neck, allowing them to be played in the keys usually used for Irish music - G, D and A.
(Standard) Tenor Banjos
Cripple Creek Tenor
Entry-level tenor banjo, with a maple body and resonator. Good value for money.
Tenor Special TS-250
High quality tenor banjo, with bell brass tone ring, maple neck and body and removable resonator. Snowflake inlay, planetary tuners, dark brown finish.
Superb tone.
Irish Tenor Banjos
Cripple Creek Irish Tenor
Entry level irish tenor banjo, with a laminated maple rim, maple neck and removable resonator.
Irish Tenor IT-250
Open-backed, short scale tenor banjo. Excellent volume and tone quality courtesy of the White Ladye tone ring, and maple neck and body. Ebony fingerboard, mother of pearl inlays, planetary tuners.
Vintage brown finish
Shop for Gold Tone banjos & mandolins in our online store.
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Banjitars
These hybrid instruments sound like a banjo, but play like a guitar! Perfect for guitarists who are looking for a new sound, but don't want to have to learn a new instrument.
Cripple Creek Banjitar
Entry level banjitar with a bound maple neck, body and resonator.
Natural or mahogany stain finishes. Guitar style machine heads.
Excellent value for money
The Banjitar GT-500
The GT-500 is traditionally styled with maple rim, maple resonator, maple neck and a rosewood radiused fingerboard.
The unique Gold Tone pick-up accenuates the bass notes and provides peircing banjo style treble.
This model has excellent acoustic volume and good sustain.
Banjitar Lightweight BT-1000
Designed mainly for stage use, the BT-1000 weighs roughly the same as an acoustic guitar.
An optional slimline resonator provides a more piercing bluegrass tone, while the specially designed 12" head provides excellent bass response for such a lightweight instrument.
Banjitar 12-String GT-1200
Designed along the lines of the GT-500 Banjitar, this is a truly unique rhythm instrument!
The reinforced neck and solid construction ensure that the instrument stays in tune, the SMP pickup allows the instrument's piercing tone to be amplified.
Banjitar Deluxe GT-750
The GT-750 features a unique bell brass ring with a special lip, providing more acoustic volume and excellent sustain for a six string banjo.
A curly maple resonator complements the instrument's exotic looks
Available as right or left-handed, with optional hard case.
Shop for Gold Tone banjos & mandolins in our online store.
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Travel Banjos
Smaller scale, lightweight 5-string banjos, ideal for travelling, or for children to learn on. The scale is the same as a standard 5-string played with a capo on the 2nd fret (i.e. in the key of A).
Cripple Creek Traveller
Entry level travel banjo with resonator, maple neck and body. Good sound for a small instrument.
The Traveller
A unique design of travel banjo, the customised pretuned head eliminates the need for many parts, including the normal 24 tension brackets.
Weighs just over 1kg (2 1/2 lbs), and only 79cm (2' 7") in length, so extremely portable! Maple neck, body and optional slimline resonator.
The Traveller Deluxe
The highest quality travel banjo, with Gold Tone's own 'White Ladye' tone ring, gold-plated hardware, a curly maple resonator, and a Remo 'Fibreskyn' head. The tone quality is comparable to full-size profesional banjos when the instrument is tuned up to A.
Shop for Gold Tone banjos & mandolins in our online store.
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Other Banjo & Mandolin Related Instruments
Some more unusual instruments made by Goldtone...
Banjolele
Open backed ukelele banjo, standard ukelele scale and tuning.
Banjolele Deluxe
Ukelele banjo, styled for Formby-style strumming. Brass tone ring, arched top and resonator for a more nasal tone.
Standard ukelele scale and tuning
Banjola
An eccentric and unusual instrument, built like a bouzouki but strung like a banjo.
The Dojo
A resonator guitar that's strung like a banjo...
Spun aluminium resonator cone, mahogany back and sides
Bass Banjos
Bass Banjo BB-400
Another unusual hybrid instrument, with a banjo body and bass guitar strings, especially suited to slap bass techniques.
Available as a fretted or fretless instrument, supplied with a pickup fitted.
Mandobanjos & Mandolins
MandoBanjo
Strung and tuned like a mandolin, but with the body of a banjo. Good for percussive strumming or piercing lead lines.
Mandolin GM-70
A high quality f-hole mandolin, with a solid spruce top, solid maple back, ebony fingerboard, decorative mother of pearl inlays and a sunburst finish.
Superb tone, the best quality mandolin we have found in its price range.
Shop for Gold Tone banjos & mandolins in our online store.
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