Gold Tone Dojo

[1four5]

Thinking VERY seriously about getting one of these.
http://www.banjostore.com/dojo.html
Me and 5 strings seem to get along better than 6 strings ever dreamed of. I did a search here for any words of wisdom, and nadda! I got a reso guitar because I love them. I got a banjo because my buddys said my finger style sounded like banjo pickin. I've done more with my banjo in 6 months than the last couple years on guitar. It just fits me. My blues on banjo has even gotten nastier than my guitar blues. This seems to be the best of both worlds, man, blues using a neck and tuning I've come to love. Just courious if any one has any experience with one? Gold Tone resos any good? I've got a Gold Tone banjo I really love. Also...mahgony or maple? I wouldn't have a clue. If I can survive the holidays with some cash...I'm thinking of ordering one next month.

[jeffl]

I dunno,one-fer,but I played harp for a reunion gig last month where the lead guitar player had a 6-string Tele and a 5-string Tele that he switched back and forth on. I never played with a guy playin' a 5-string guitar before.

[mickeypainless]

[updated:LAST EDITED ON Dec-12-05 AT 10:23 PM (EST)]THAT'S COOL 1 4 5! When ya gonna get it?
I just ordered the Rogue B-30 for my oldest boy for Xmas! He's expressed an interest and I love encouraging ANYTHING musical w/ my family!

[ricochet]

Was he doing the Keith Richards thing, tuning to Open G and pulling the sixth string off?

"A cheerful heart is good medicine."

[jeffl]

Yup. That band wuz a Stones tribute band that played blues tunes about 50% of the time.

[1four5]

Hey, that's what banjo tuning is...open G with the low string removed. Only thing is, the 5th string (G) it tuned higher than the rest. The low neck area with only 4 strings is insane for open leads especialy if your a thumb flopper. The high G string is a blast, and what really sets a banjo's voicing apart from other instruments. I've even tuned my reso guitar like a banjo...even used a high e-string for the high G string...hey it worked, but there was no way I could navagate the neck like a real banjo neck. I've gotten so used to that high G, that I use it for accents and fretted notes (instead of a drone like it's supposidly designed for). The idea of playing a reso guitar...yet with a neck identical to my banjo...man...GAS...I'm hoping to order one right after the holdays (going on vacation).

Mickey...you have a lucky boy!!! Hes' going to love that banjo! If it don't stick, well you're not out much...but if he takes off, hey...BAS is as addictive as GAS...

[ricochet]

I've tuned to Open G with the sixth string tuned down to an extra low G. Might be fun to do that with instead a little sixth string tuned to a high G, and keep the other 5 in "normal" Open G.

"A cheerful heart is good medicine."

[richard]

hey there ifour5
i think a few comments on the banjo hangout have mentioned some problems with the bridge on the dojo - i think it moved around or something. and the tone wasn't what some were hoping for as well - but you may be able to fix this up with some mods anyway.
i wouldn't mind trying one out - i play a 5 string and a reso live, so technically i could just take a dojo along and minimise the baggage...

Richard

[pat costello]

I had an Dobro-built Dojo back in the 80's. It looked cool, but it had almost no volume.

That was a well built instrument. Now stop and ask yourself what something built from imported parts (that is kind of the whole idea behind Gold Tone) is going to sound like.

Dear Old Dad has a 1920's (hard to say the exact year because the only marking on it is a Pat Pend stamp) National tenor guitar that is an amazing instrument. Amistar is now building five string banjos off of the old National designs. If you have to have a resophonic banjo I would contact Amistar - or maybe another small shop like DonMo and save up for a metal body instrument. It'll sound better, play better and look better.

-Patrick
http://howandtao.com

[1four5]

Thanks for the input you'all, I've done as much web research as I can, and read every review I could find...which range from bad to luke warm. I'm with you Richard, We're just getting off the ground with our band, and banjo is my main instrument. It's tuning and neck is what I'm comfortable with and as much as I'd love to use my bendaway live, I'm having a hard time getting it together with the neck and 6 strings...as the last 6 months has been almost all banjo for me. Putting the banjo neck with a reso seems like a taylor made combo for me. Still not sure what I'm gonna do, gotta get past The holidays first...

[richard]

Hi Pat, nice to see you pop up on another forum ! how's the teaching going ?

1four5, that's pretty much what i have read about the dojos. The problem with hybrid instruments is that they sometimes do a poor job of each instrument they are trying to emulate.

it's like electric guitars - sometimes you hear of people wanting to make their Les Paul sound like a Telecaster, or vice versa. when it comes down to it, you can't really have an instrument that does both really well.

Patrick's suggestion is pretty good - get a custom job. Surely it couldn't be that hard to get the right pieces together to get a reasonable sounding dojo.

1four5, it's a pity we live on opposite sides of the world - i reckon we could have a pretty good jam, swapping banjos and resos !

Richard

[1four5]

[updated:LAST EDITED ON Dec-23-05 AT 03:50 PM (EST)]You're so right Richard! We would have one hell of a jam! I also noticed you'all started the same way we did...lunch time jams at work!

I still haven't decided wheather or not to get a Dojo, although I'm leaning towards getting the maple version if I do. I have to think that the reviews I've read mostly come from banjo players with little reso guitar experience...and there aint nothing out there as loud and nasty as a well tweeked banjo. I've gotten pretty good at tweeking instruments, so if it's possible to go from so-so to good, I should be able to figure it out. I don't really have the bucks to go custom, as much as I would love to, but maybe some time playing with a production version will convine me it's worth it to save up for. I'm also not against installing a pick-up, as that's also a direction I'm thinking of going with my banjo...as I'm learning the pains of mic-ing a banjo, and being trapped behind a mic stand.

>I've tuned to Open G with the sixth string tuned down to an extra low G. Might be fun to do that with instead a little sixth string tuned to a high G, and keep the other 5 in "normal" Open G.<

Now this is a worthy experiment! I've tried it with the 5th string, but never though about having a choice of a high (6th string) or low G. It would certianly be different, I may try it on the bendaway.

[richard]

Hi again 1four5 -
i got a Schatten banjo pickup after being pretty impressed with the one on my resonator.
it has a good strong output, and with some eq gives a much more manageable banjo amplification alternative. Nice rosewood jack as well. If you decide to go for one, get in touch with Rod Rose at Schatten. great people to deal with.

If you ever make the trip out to Australia - let me know !!
Richard

[1four5]

Thank you very much for the info on the Schatten pick-up! I wen't ahead and ordered the basic mahog Dojo, when I get my hands on it I'll let you know what it's like. It will be fun to play with and tweek, and just might put a Schatten in it.

[1four5]

Just got off the phone...shipped this morning...got me tracking #'s...man, here I go, through that waiting period. BTW, I got it from a place called Janet Davis
http://www.bluegrasscenter.com/
due to their rave reviews in the banjo world. Same price as 123 and MF...only JD's good reviews come from the fact they inspect and set up everything before it goes out. We'll see, and I hope I have good reports. I've had some pretty badly set up stuff come raw from MF and 123, not to mention hearing stories on BRB about damaged stuff and smashed cones. I called them, because I haden't gotten tracking #'s and ordered it two days ago. The guy on the phone was super nice, and even knowledgable. He even said they didn't ship as fast as the wharehouse companies, because they won't let it go out until it's been checked over.