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Deering

Deering Goodtime 5-String Banjo

    • Based on 172 reviews
Condition: New
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$529.00 Why this price?

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Availability: In Stock.
Fulfilled by GearTree
Arrives Nov 30 – Dec 1
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Features

  • 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

Description

Color:MultiColored 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. 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


Item Weight: 4 pounds


Product Dimensions: 37.75 x 11.75 x 3.75 inches


Item model number: GOODTIME BANJO/ GT


Is Discontinued By Manufacturer: No


Date First Available: June 26, 2006


Back Material: Open-back


Body Material: Maple


Color Name: MultiColored


Fretboard Material: Maple


Scale Length: 26.25


String Gauge: Light


String Material: Alloy Steel


Top Material: Top frosted mylar


Neck Material Type: Rock maple


Number of Strings: 5


Guitar Bridge System: Maple and ebony


Musical Style: Acoustic


Frequently asked questions

If you place your order now, the estimated arrival date for this product is: Nov 30 – Dec 1

Yes, absolutely! You may return this product for a full refund within 30 days of receiving it.

To initiate a return, please visit our Returns Center.

View our full returns policy here.

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Similar Products

Top Amazon Reviews

    • There is very little reason to get any other banjo than this one!
Color: MultiColored
I can't say enough wonderful tings about this banjo. I own this and also a Deering Eagle II that cost more than five times as much, and I have owned cheap imports as well. This Goodtime is closer to the Eagle II in terms of sound and playability than it is to the cheap imports. In other words, it plays well above its class. The sound is surprisingly bright and loud for an open-back, and the low action and light-gauge strings make it very easy to play. Deering clearly gives the Goodtime a lot of the quality workmanship that goes into their professional-caliber banjos, but keep the cost affordable by minimizing the frills. For example, the Goodtime has 1/3 fewer brackets than a typical banjo. It has no separate fretboard (the neck is the fingering surface), the wood is unstained, it uses guitar tuners rather than planetary tuners, the tension hoop is not plated, and it has no side fret markers, no tone ring, no armrest, and of course no resonator (various other Goodtime models are available that are stained and have planetary tuners and/or have a resonator and/or a steel tone ring, at commensurately higher prices). But the truth is that none of that really matters much for the purposes of any beginner or intermediate banjo student, and even for pretty much anyone who is just playing recreationally. All that matters is that it sounds and plays great, and it does! In fact, this entry-level Goodtime has some advantages over expensive professional-grade models. It's extremely light, weighing in at a mere 4 pounds (thanks in part to its minimal hardware and lack of any tone ring), making it easy to carry and easy to hold, even for a child or an adult with a bad back. This is a banjo you don't mind bringing with you camping or to the beach, unlike a heavy expensive one. The smooth satin finish allows your hand to glide easily up and down the neck, whereas the heavy gloss finish on expensive banjos can create more friction and feel draggier. And the Goodtime's guitar tuners are actually more precise than the planetary tuners on my Eagle II. Deering does sell a separate add-on armrest for the Goodtime banjo, if you really must have one (standard armrests won't fit because of the very wide bracket spacing). I bought it, and it was easy to install. Deering also sells a resonator kit if you later decide you want to upgrade from open-back to resonator (if you're reasonably sure you're going to eventually want a resonator, it probably makes more sense to just get the resonator model from the outset rather than add a resonator later--and you can always opt to just take the resonator off. But it's simply nice to know that you do also have the option of adding a resonator later--you're not necessarily committing to an open-back by buying this model. When I bought my open-back Goodtime and finally had a truly well-made, quality, nice sounding, playable banjo in my hands for the first time, I just wanted to play it all the time. I found it to be a real joy compared to the inferior imported banjos I had struggled with in the past. In fact, I loved it so much that I decided right away that I just had to have one of the upper-line Deerings and bought my Eagle II (I pretty much fell in love with this company and its products!). But that was just to satisfy my enthusiasm--the truth is, this simple open-back Goodtime would have been plenty sufficient for all my present and future purposes. If you're going to be playing in a band or in large open venues, you may want to spend a little more for one of the Goodtime models that have a resonator (Goodtime Two) or a tone ring (Goodtime Special Open-Back) or both (Goodtime Special). But whichever Goodtime you choose, it is an outstanding banjo for a beginner and it's still pretty outstanding for any banjo player of any skill level, short of a professional! ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2015 by The Screaming Queen
    • I have a heavy banjo that has a little better sound but this one also sounds very good and ...
Color: MultiColored
I'm a old beginner of 80 years of age. I have a heavy banjo that has a little better sound but this one also sounds very good and with the light weight I can handle it much better so spend many more hours with the practice. Always loved blue grass and now I can enjoy playing it as well. only played about a month now and I can play about 4 songs medium well. Getting faster all the time.. easy to carry so I play it in the car while waiting for the other half shopping. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2017 by Don Van De Maat
    • Love this Goodtime.
Color: MultiColored
I got the itch to play banjo after hearing the little banjo run in In Hell I'll Be In Good Company by The Dead South. I picked up a $80 1970's Kay banjo on craigslist that day and started fiddling with it to decide if I wanted a good banjo. Two days later I order this Goodtime. Two weeks later I was playing that tune perfectly. I have played guitar most of my life, and found picking up banjo to be natural and awesome. The quality is amazing. Everything is just so smooth and well finished about it.. held up to my $80 craigslist banjo. Having a good instrument really contributed to me sticking with it so far. I am now two months into banjo and can play a lot of enjoyable stuff. I used a Citi Price Rewind to get this down to $460 by price matching to Guitar Center. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2018 by anon
    • This banjo is a dream!
Color: MultiColored
Review Image by Diana
I did a lot of research before buying the Deering Goodtime open back banjo. This is the most consistently well-reviewed “beginner” instrument I’ve looked into, and the reputation is well-deserved. I’m a beginner on banjo, but I’ve played old time fiddle for 20 years and also play guitar and ukulele, so I know what to look for in stringed instruments. First, this banjo has a gorgeous sound. It’s a rich tone, which you might not like if you want a more punchy bluegrass sound, but I love it. The fretboard is fantastic- plays well low and high on the neck. Tuners hold the tuning extremely well. And the instrument just looks great. I love how light it is- easy to play on my lap or with a strap. The only problem I encountered was that in my excitement to play it, my marathon jamming left bruises on my thighs from the j hooks. Any open backed banjo would do this, and it was easily solved with a towel. I am totally in love with this instrument and can’t put it down. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2021 by Diana
    • This sounds and plays like a far more expensive banjo
Color: MultiColored
I have been playing on a poorly made banjo (not sure of the maker, there are no product labels on it, but it's design is indicative of similar banjos made in the 60's), and finally had enough and decided to upgrade to the Goodtime. This banjo is excellently made, and arrived perfectly set up and ready to play! This sounds and plays like a far more expensive banjo, I am very happy with it! My only "issue" is that it doesn't come with an armrest, and that Deering has designed it so that you can only use a Deering armrest (some custom makers have also released products, but they are far more expensive than Deering's armrest), but that is a simple fix, and really doesn't take away from the phenomenal quality and playability of this instrument. If you are looking for a good, affordable banjo, I doubt you will find one for better under $500. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2017 by Colin Bower

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