In response to ongoing customer requests, Deering Banjos has introduced a pair of steel stringed, six string Goodtime banjos to their catalog. Both are strung like a guitar, making it a simple thing for guitarists to make banjo sounds without having to master the techniques of the five string banjo.
Deering already has a nylon strung banjo-guitar in its Goodtime lineup, which are all designed to offer low cost but high quality instruments minus the fancy appointments and specialty hardwoods which can drive the prices upwards. Guitar necks are under tremendously higher tension, especially with steel strings, and the company had been working on how to handle this in a Goodtime instrument for some time. They have created a neck with a 2-way adjustable truss rod that can handle the tension of steel strings, attachable to a banjo rim.
This neck is built to specs that will feel comfortable to anyone accustomed to a modern flattop guitar, with 1 11/16” nut width, and a 15” fingerboard radius. Hardwood inlays are placed where you would expect them, on a 22 fret, 26.25” scale.
The new 6 strings are available with either a standard 11” rim, or a 12” for a much deeper tone. Either model can be outfitted with a piezo contact pickup or the Kavanjo system used on other Deering electric banjos, employing a humbucking pickup like those used on electric guitars.
The Goodtime 6 string carries a retail price of $675, and the 6 string jumbo for $775.
All of the Goodtime models are made of simple maple and now include several different banjos, both open back and resonator models.
