Deering Goodtime Classic 5-String Banjo

Deering Goodtime Classic 5-String Banjo Review

Deering Goodtime Classic 5-String Banjo Feature

• Three-ply maple rim
• Deering peghead shape
• Planetary tuners
• Warm brown stain
• Capoing spikes on frets 7,9 & 10

The American-made Goodtime Classic banjo by Deering is an enhanced version of the ultra-popular Goodtime Banjo. The Goodtime Classic features a Deering shaped peghead, a warm brown stain with an elegant satin finish, planetary tuners and capoing spikes under the fifth string at frets 7,9 & 10. The rim is three-ply maple with a maple neck and the metal parts are nickel plated. The top frosted Deering head is 11 inch, high crown.

Deering Goodtime Special Classic 5-String Banjo

Deering Goodtime Special Classic 5-String Banjo Review

Deering Goodtime Special Classic 5-String Banjo Feature

• Three-ply maple rim
• 1/8 inch thick steel tone ring.
• Planetary tuners
• Warm brown stain
• Capoing spikes on frets 7,9 & 10

The American-made Goodtime Special Classic banjo by Deering is an enhanced version of the ultra-popular Goodtime Special Banjo. The Goodtime Special Classic features a Deering shaped peghead, a warm brown stain with an elegant satin finish, planetary tuners and capoing spikes under the fifth string at frets 7,9 & 10. The rim is three-ply maple with a 1/8 inch thick bluegrass style tone ring and the metal parts are nickel plated. The top frosted Deering head is 11 inch, high crown. The Tone ring broadens the tonal response for more brightness, increased bass and greater sustain and projection. This banjo sounds better than competitive banjos that cost over twice as much.

Deering Black Diamond 5-String Banjo

Deering Black Diamond 5-String Banjo Review

Deering Black Diamond 5-String Banjo Feature

• Deering '06 tone ring
• Special maple rim
• Deering true tone tailpiece
• Ebony finger board and peghead overlay with engraved mother of peal diamonds.
• High gloss mahogany neck and resonator

The Deering Black Diamond banjo is an innovative and unique banjo. The combination of black head, black resonator binding with maple purfling/accent gives this banjo a completely unique appearance and sweet, sustaining sound. The elegant, hand engraved diamond inlays on the fingerboard and peghead create a subtly elegant appearence highlighted by the naturally colorful ebony. The slender Deering neck profile finished in high gloss is fast and comfortable to play. The three ply maple rim, made of a special variety of maple, is the perfect compliment to Deering's '06 tone ring and one piece resonator flange. Warmth, sustain and power give the Black Diamond banjo a special place in the artist's repetoire and in the history of the banjo.

Deering John Hartford 5-String Banjo

Deering John Hartford 5-String Banjo Review

Deering John Hartford 5-String Banjo Feature

• Grenadillo wood tone ring.
• Maple neck and resonator.
• Ebony Fingerboard with steamboat Gothic inlays.
• Adjustable tailpiece
• Tone ring ages like a violin.

The American-made Hartford model banjo, designed and built for legendary banjoist/performer John Hartford, has the world renonwn Deering Grenadillo (wood) tone ring. The dark walnut stained, satin finished maple neck and resonator are highlighted by the Steamboat-style, fingerboard inlays and Paramount style peghead. No other banjo in the world sounds like a Hartford. Powerful, sweet, warm and rich with no shortage of volume makes this banjo super versatile as well as lighter in weight than a bronze tone ring banjo. The wood tone ring ages like a violin or guitar, faster than bronze tone ring banjos.

Deering Calico 5-String Banjo

Deering Calico 5-String Banjo Review

Deering Calico 5-String Banjo Feature

• Deering '06 bell Bronze tone ring
• Maple Neck and resonator with honey-amber stained, high gloss finish.
• Ebony Fingerboard with fancy, curly-que mother of pearl inlays.
• Three-ply rim with one piece flange.
• Deering adjustable tailpiece

The American-made Calico banjo features Deering's propriatary '06 bell bronze tone ring, three-ply maple rim, one piece resonator flange, Deering planetary tuners, Deering fully adjustable tailpiece, maple neck and resonator with mother of pearl fancy inlays on the bound ebony finger board. The high gloss, honey-amber stained neck and resonator are both highlighted by ivoroid binding and multi-color wood purfling. The peghead is bound in seamless white.

Deering Greg Deering Limited 5 String-Banjo

Deering Greg Deering Limited 5 String-Banjo Review

Deering Greg Deering Limited 5 String-Banjo Feature

• Deering '06 bell Bronze tone ring
• Walnut neck and resonator.
• Ebony Fingerboard with super fancy mother of pearl inlays.
• Three-ply rim with one piece flange.
• Deering adjustable tailpiece

The American-made Greg Deering Limited banjo features Deering's propriatary '06 bell bronze tone ring, three-ply maple rim, one piece resonator flange, Deering planetary tuners, Deering fully adjustable tailpiece, Burl walnut resonator, English walnut neck with mother of pearl inlays on the bound ebony finger board. The high gloss, walnut neck and resonator are both highlighted by ivoroid binding and abalone purfling. The peghead is bound in seamless white..

Deering Goodtime 2 5-String Banjo

Deering Goodtime 2 5-String Banjo Review

Deering Goodtime 2 5-String Banjo Feature

• Slender rock maple neck
• Sealed geared tuners
• Three-ply maple rim
• Adjustable tailpiece
• Single Bound Maple Resonator

A resonator back provides more projection of sound in the Goodtime 2. It's made here in the USA, at the Deering shop with the same tooling used to make the top of the line banjos. Greg Deering designed the Goodtime banjos because there were no low priced banjos of enough quality for people to actually learn on without difficulty or giving up. He remembers what it was like to want a good banjo and not be able to afford one, so his gift to others is the Goodtime banjo line.

Deering Boston 5-String Banjo

Deering Boston 5-String Banjo Review

Deering Boston 5-String Banjo Feature

• 3/16" Steel rim
• Mahogany neck and resonator
• Ebony Fingerboard
• Adjustable tailpiece
• Deering adjustable tailpiece

The American-made Boston banjo's 3/16" steel rim, satin finished mahogany resonator and slender neck, creates a bright, powerful tone that records clearly and stands out in jam sessions. The ebony finger board with mother of pearl dots is fast and effortless to fret. The sealed geared tuners are smooth and precise for ease and precision tuning.

Deering Goodtime 5-String Banjo

Deering Goodtime 5-String Banjo Review

Deering Goodtime 5-String Banjo Feature

• Low-profile, 22-fret rock maple neck with hardwood bow tie inlays
• Sealed, geared tuning machines, including fifth string
• 5/8-Inch maple/ebony Goodtime bridge with adjustable Deering tailpiece
• Six-year warranty
• Three-ply, 11-inch maple rim with steel tension hoop and high crown head

The Deering Goodtime is a great banjo at a competitive price, constructed in the U.S. The Goodtime is an open-back banjo, weighing in at just four pounds, so it's ideal for traveling, camping, hiking, or taking to the beach. It provides a vibrant, singing banjo tone, and makes a great "starter" banjo, since it's well-fretted and plays easily.

Slim Neck Profile

The Goodtime banjos have a slender, low-profile neck that is easy to finger and comfortable for large and small hands.The fret work is accurate and precise to ensure correct intonation over the entire fingerboard.

Satin Deering fiddle-shaped peghead with sealed, geared tuning machines.

Three-ply maple rims are standard on all Goodtime banjos.

Adjustable Action

You can adjust the action (string height) on the Goodtime banjo by adjusting the single coordinator rod in the pot easily and effectively adjusts the playability so that the strings are close to the fingerboard and are easy to press down.

Three-Ply Maple Rim

The Rim is the round wood drum part of the banjo: In 2009 Greg Deering finished new tooling to make all Goodtime rims in the higher grade 3-ply maple design. Prior to that they were laminated birch and maple rims. This standard 11-inch diameter rim provides a top quality sound that out performs all other banjos available in this price range. Thanks to this new upgrade, Goodtime banjos sound like they should cost far more they do.

Goodtime Tailpiece

The patented Goodtime tailpiece is extremely strong and easily adjustable to maximize tone by raising or lowering it.The standard 11" diameter rim is a 3-ply violin grade maple rim provides a top quality sound that outperforms many banjos available in this price range. The 16 brackets and standard rim diameter make head adjustments easy and replacement heads are readily available since the heads are the same size as most modern banjos (11" high crown).

Made in the U.S.A.

Deering manufactures the Goodtime Banjo in America at the Deering Banjo Company in Spring Valley, California.

Goodtime Specs

• Neck: Blond Slender Rock Maple
• Frets: 22 Pressed In Nickel Silver
• Inlays: Hardwood Bow Tie
• Tuners: Sealed Geared (Incl. 5th String)
• Neck Finish: Satin
• Peghead: Satin Deering Fiddle Shaped
• Rim: Blond 3-ply Violin Grade Maple
• Tension Hoop: Steel
• Head: 11-Inch Frosted Top High Crown
• Bridge: 5/8-Inch Maple/Ebony Goodtime
• Tailpiece: Deering Patented Goodtime
• Finish: Satin
• Back Style: Openback
• Neck Width at Nut: 1 1/4 Inches
• Scale: 26 1/4 Inches
• Rim Diameter: 12 Inches
• Overall Instrument Length: 37 1/2 Inches
• Weight: Approx.4 lbs
• Warranty: 6 Years

The American-made Goodtime banjo features a slender, rock maple neck, 3-ply maple rim, sealed geared tuners, and an adjustable tailpiece. The natural, blond maple is finished in elegant satin and the metal parts are nickel plated. The single coordinator rod makes adjustments easy and positive. The maple and ebony bridge sits on an easy to adjust 11 inch, top-frosted head.

Deering Sierra 5-String Banjo

Deering Sierra 5-String Banjo Review

Deering Sierra 5-String Banjo Feature

• Deering '06 bell Bronze tone ring
• Mahogany neck and resonator
• Ebony Fingerboard
• Three-ply rim with one piece flange.
• Deering adjustable tailpiece

The American-made Sierra banjo features Deering's propriatary '06 bell bronze tone ring, three-ply maple rim, one piece resonator flange, Deering planetary tuners, Deering fully adjustable tailpiece, satin finished mahogany neck and resonator with ebony finger board and is the most popular professional banjo made today.

Deering Goodtime Midnight Special 5-String Banjo

Deering Goodtime Midnight Special 5-String Banjo Review

Deering Goodtime Midnight Special 5-String Banjo Feature

• Three-ply maple rim
• 1/8 inch thick steel tone ring.
• Planetary tuners
• Black Stain
• Capoing spikes on frets 7,9 & 10

The American-made Goodtime Midnight Special banjo by Deering is an enhanced version of the ultra-popular Goodtime Special Banjo. The Midnight Special features a Deering shaped peghead, a black, deep pentrating stain with an elegant satin finish, planetary tuners and capoing spikes under the fifth string at frets 7,9 & 10. The rim is three-ply maple with a 1/8 inch thick bluegrass style tone ring and the metal parts are nickel plated. The top frosted Deering head is 11 inch, high crown. The Tone ring broadens the tonal response for more brightness, increased bass and greater sustain and projection. This banjo has the beautiful tone of the Goodtime Special with the additional elegance of the black finish.