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.