Gold Tone OB3 "Twanger" Does Not Sound Like Prewar Gibson Mastertone

I have nothing against Gold Tone instruments. I think it is great that many companies are producing more affordable high quality instruments, replicas of classic pre World War II musical instruments. For example: Kentucky brand mandolins, Eastman brand mandolins, Recording King banjos and Dobros, Epiphone (Gibson's China line of less expensive instruments), et cetera. Let's face it, most people just don't make enough money to shell out $5,500 for a Deering Golden Era or Deering Calico banjo. In my humble opinion, musical instruments are way overpriced. But if you want something really nice, you're going to have to feel the hurt...lol.

In the following video, if you listen carefully to Gabe Hirshfeld compare a Gold Tone OB3 “Twanger” versus a prewar 1931 Gibson PV3 9580-4 flathead (originally a plectrum banjo). If you listen carefully, you can hear the beautiful sustain and quality in the Gibson, that the Gold Tone simply does not have. That little big of difference is everything musically!

Let's compare a Gold Tone OB-3 “Twanger” to a Pre-War Flathead

In this helpful video, you can hear Kelly Emerson compare a Deering Calico to a Deering Golden Era banjo. They both sound excellent! Although in the video Kelly said he chose the Calico, down in the comments you'll read where Patrick C. Randall said Kelly told him he actually bought the Golden Era banjo instead.

The Deering Golden Era sells for about $5,000, which is the closest banjo that you will find. (Good night in the morning!) But it is worth every penny! You get what you pay for. There are many banjo builders in the United States, but ultimately what matters most is the quality of sound that the banjo produces. At least that is what most banjo pickers want. Some others may prioritize the banjo's beauty instead, or the price point. I look at it this way—you're going to spend thousands of hours playing this thing, so why settle for an inferior instrument? I know it is painful shelling out $6,000 for a Deering Golden Era banjo, or a Paul Beard Model-E Dobro, Northfield mandolin ($8,000), et cetera. But if you want that coveted authentic instrument sound, then you must pay the price.

I think every musician should pick the one instrument that they play the best, which they are passionate about, and buy an expensive instrument of that one. I love the banjo, so I don't mind paying $5,000 for a Deering Golden Era or a used Gibson ESS (Dave Hum played a 1992 ESS Gibson). Although I love the mandolin, I am not passionate about it like I am the banjo. So I plan to buy an Eastman or Kentucky model mandolin made in China, that is high quality. I like the MD-515 Eastman mandolin. I love the Dobro, but $4,500 is out of my reach financially for now. So I may have to settle for a Gretsch G9231 Bobtail Dobro for now, which is not bad. I like the Paul beard Legend cones, which you can buy from Paul Beard for $80 and put into a different dobro. Most of the sound is in the cone. Cheaper cones when tapped on sound like old hubcaps, but quality cones sound like bell brass.

Anyway, some people will no doubt disagree with me on the OB3 Twanger. If you like it, that is all that matters. But for me, it is an inferior (but still somewhat nice) imitation.

"Cheat-A-Keys" Tuners Are So Much Better Than "Keith D Tuners"

I paid $300 a few years ago for just TWO Keith D tuners (for my 2nd and 3rd banjo strings). I ordered them directly from the company that makes them in New York.

Honestly, I hate the Keith D Tuners and do not recommend them to anyone! The Keith D Tuners replace your original tuning keys, so you need to completely remove and replace the original tuners the Keith D Tuners. The reason why I hate them is because they don't stay in tune, and when you need to readjust them, it is is a big hassle! Each Keith D Tuner has two separate adjusting knobs on it (one for setting the raise limit for the string, and the other for setting the lower limit).

If you banjo wanders slightly out of tune, you have to mess with the Keith D Tuner every time to get it back into tune. Each Keith D Tuner has three things to turn! You have the low limit set knob, the high limit set knob, and then the tuning peg itself that raises and lowers the string. So if your banjo is a bit out of tune (which is about every 5 minutes on my Recording King Elite-85, because it has a higher tuner gear ratio which makes them quicker to adjust but more sensitive), you cannot just turn the tuning peg to correct the pitch. You have to mess with the set screws on the Keith D Tuner. Since the Keith D Tuner has a set screw that LOCKS your high limit, you must readjust your Keith D Tuner set screw for the high limit. 

Also, unless you use a pair of pliers to tighten the set screw so it won't move, the set screws can only be tightened so much with your fingers, but it is not enough pressure to prevent the tuning from wandering. But when I do use pliers, then I have to use pliers to loosen the set screws every time I need to readjust the tuning, which is quite often. If you have ever owned any Keith D Tuners, you know what I am talking about, and it is frustrating!

The Cheat-A-Keys tuners are so much better for various reasons. You can order some nice Cheat-A-Keys from Banjo.com, but right now they are out of stock. I think the ones they sell look nicer. I ordered mine from Gold Tone in Florida (they're all out of stock right now), which are more plain looking.

• The first reason why Cheat-A-Keys tuners are much better is that they operate completely separate from your tuning keys. This means you CAN make adjustments to each string's pitch without messing with the Cheat-A-Keys device. Nice!
• Secondly, once set properly, the Cheat-A-Keys stays in tune! It just makes everything so much more simple, by keeping the D Tuners a separate function from the open string tuners.
• Thirdly, you don't need to remove your original banjo tuners to use the Cheat-A-Keys. I made the odd decision to buy gold plated Keith D Tuners, but my original tuning keys are chrome (so they look out of place). I just like the gold color and wanted some gold on my banjo...lol.

One of the disadvantages of the Cheat-A-Keys is having a weird looking device attached to your headstock. It is definitely a conversation piece if you like being asked questions. I like them myself.

A demo of CHEAT-A-KEYS Tuners

Here are some more varied opinions from banjo pickers about the Cheat-A-Keys device. I personally like the Cheat-A-Keys tuners much better than the annoying Keith D Tuners. To each their own. Here is a helpful video on how to install Cheat-A-Keys D tuners...

Installing Cheat-A-Keys Banjo D Tuners

Learn Don Reno's Banjo Style Of Playing

I found something new and very helpful this week. His name is Jason Skinner and he is without question the most avid Don Reno fan in the world. I really love what Jason has done to help banjo players. He has recorded an 18-part superb set of banjo instruction lessons for banjo enthusiasts. The first video covers basic information, but in the following videos Jason gets into some excellent banjo stuff...

Beginning Don Reno Style Banjo with Jason Skinner - Part 1

I really appreciate when banjo artists share what they've learned with others. I give everything I learn away for free, and always will. I'm not putting down musicians who sell stuff, I get it, they need to eat. But there's just an excellent spirit (like Daniel had in the Bible), when musicians share what they've learned for the pure love of music. Daniel 6:3, “Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.”

By the way, my favorite lesson in Jason Skinner's awesome banjo series is part 13, a song written by Don Reno called: “I'm Using My Bible For A Roadmap.” There's some really cool banjo fills and licks in here. Also, you can find free karaoke backing tracks on YouTube for this song...

“I'm Using My Bible For A Roadmap” (written by Don Reno)

It is my desire to help other banjo enthusiast, sharing the things that I learn. I'm spending a lot of time in the woodshed workshop picking, getting better and learning my banjo. God willing, I plan to make some YouTube videos down the road. But for now, it is exciting to learn and share! If you haven't watched Jason Skinner's Don Reno YouTube lessons yet, I really think you'll enjoy them. God bless!

“When you practice slow, you learn fast.” 
—Barry Hunn, Deering Banjo Company

Waiting For New Deering Sierra Mahogany Banjo

Thank you to all my BanjoHeaven fans for your continued interest in my blog. I haven't been posting many blogs, simply because I've been busy picking the 5-string banjo! When I lived on Guam I spent my time playing the Hawaiian lap steel guitar. My first love will always be the pedal steel guitar. But since I've moved to Pensacola (in the deep south) in July of 2021, my love for Bluegrass music has been rekindled. I've been working on my banjo picking mostly.

Dave Hum (1966-2012) started playing the banjo in 1996, when his father-in-law handed him an old banjo, and the rest is history! It is amazing how fast he progressed on the banjo. I love that man! I pray for his wife and daughters in Salisbury, England regularly. They have a rich heritage to be proud of in Dave's music. I humbly want to do what I can to help preserve Dave Hum's musical legacy. As a lifetime musician myself, I rarely find music that inspires me. I'm talking about music so special that even after hearing it hundreds of times, you never get tired of hearing it.

Anyway, let me share some interesting things with you friends. By God's goodness and grace, I ordered a new Deering mahogany Sierra banjo back on May 2nd from Banjo.com for $2,799. Deering's Sierra line is backordered. So I need to just be patient and wait. Even Guitar Center is only taking reservations for the Sierras, backordered as well. I figure it is worth the wait for a new banjo fresh off the assembly line! I ordered it from Banjo.com because I am trusting Barry Waldrep, that his workers will correctly install the 7th street railroad spike.

I've never played a Deering banjo, but I've read only good reviews. Like most everyone else, I dreaded spending $3,000 for a banjo, but after seeing Jens Hans Kruger's $15,999 banjo, I feel fortunate...lol. I love Hans' playing. By the way, Jens teaches a free masterclass on YouTube, which is definitely worth watching.

Deering Sierra Banjo

For now I am playing a Recording King Elite-85 (maple neck), which I bought from Ross Nickerson back in 2018 for $1,795. That is my only banjo. I really like my RK. It has a bone nut, longer than standard 27 3/8" scale, pretty curly maple resonator, and I love the mother of pearl heart and flower inlays. It is a replica of the prewar Gibson Mastertone. Yesterday evening I put new strings on it, tightened the head (it was fairly loose), tightened up a loose coordinating rod in the pot that was rattling at the nut, used mother's chrome polish that I bought from Auto Zone to polish the metal, and it sounds great! But I need to buy a compensator bridge, because my G string is sharp at the 12th fret (but the other strings are in tune). I am looking forward to comparing the mahogany neck 26 1/4" Deering Sierra, to my maple neck 27 3/8" Recording King. I think every banjo player should have at least 3 banjos!

I really wanted a banjo that wasn't made in China. Hence, Deering. I was sad to learn that Stelling banjo is closing their doors after 48 years. Gibson's banjo factory was completely destroyed in 2010, when the Cumberland River overflowed in Nashville. Gibson didn't think it was worth reinvesting in another factory. Dave Hum's main banjo was a 1992 ESS (Earl Scruggs's Standard) banjo. I am curious about Hatfield and Huber banjos. I've never played either. I love banjos!!!

I heard Jason Skinner make a great statement today in one of his videos: “Good tone is 90% the player and 10% the banjo.” I agree with that. If you watch Dave Hum play the banjo, he picks with authority, taking charge of the instrument. That makes a big difference in tone. He can do that because he knows exactly what he is going to play next. In sharp contrast, newer players tend to “wing it,” just grabbing a handful of strings...lol.

I read a very helpful comment recently by Barry Hunn on Deering's website: “When you practice slow, you learn fast.” That is so true! I know because it works for me. When I play a new song very slowly, following the tablature exactly, to make sure that I get every note just right, then I KNOW what I am doing. So as I play those exact notes and slowly get faster, I know that I am doing it right. That is the only way to properly build accuracy with speed. Thanks for reading.

Banjo 5th String Capos

Hey, I just ordered an Earl Banjo Suspender 5th String Capo from Old Town School of Music in Chicago. They're only $14.95. I refuse to spend $59 for a Banjo Highway 5th String Capo. I mean, I would if I had no choice, but that is a steep price! I got an idea from reading an article on the BanjoHangout forum today, about using a guitar string peg as a 5th string capo. The pegs are slotted, which you can slide right over the fret. I'll cut the peg. ...

I admittedly haven't tried it yet, so I'm not sure if it will work. I had asked Barry Waldrep at Banjo.com to install a sliding capo, but he advised against it, because it lowers the resale value of the Deering banjo. So I told him to just install a 7th fret railroad spike.

I actually ordered a small hand drill, bits and railroad spikes from Stew Mac and installed my own spike on a Recording King Madison mahogany banjo, that I bought for my youngest daughter in 2019.

Sometimes when I'm playing melodic style, the railroad spike on the 7th fret gets in the way. I'm starting to lean toward not using railroad spikes, but I haven't come to a conclusion yet. I've never used the Earl's Banjo Suspender Capo before, so I am curious. I noticed that Dave Hum uses a sliding capo on one of his banjos.

Earl Scruggs and Steve Martin