Goldtone Banjo AC 12:A Review Guy Wolff

[@robertbiggs1702]

I bought this model last summer, mostly for he weight and specifically because of the composite rim. I bought specifically so I could take it down to the river to play and not have to worry about humidity, and with the price, not worry if it fell in the river and floated away. To my surprise I found that It sounded amazingly well and its sound carried in the open air really well. A month ago I decided to do an upgrade to it. I bought a Dobson tone ring from Balsam Banjo Works and installed it on the AC-12A. Took about an hour with a wood file to modify the outside rim so that the Dobson tone ring fit properly. Now it sounds like a $1200-$1500 banjo. The original banjo was $260 and the Dobson tone ring as $99, so $359. That price for a banjo that sounds this amazing is mind blowing.

[@guywolff]

I love the sound on this thing so much but I have thought of this mod as well .Thanks for the heads up on the add . Bill Rickard is just a phone call away !

[@jakeglanville6835]

Don't know what it is, Guy, but the site has twice refused to accept my comments. Only wanted to say that your playing and review have really sold this banjo to me! I'm thinking of getting a new banjo (for the first time!) and if I do it will be one of these. I'm really impressed, so very many thanks for putting this clip on.

[@guywolff]

You are going to love this banjo !!! It is an amazing value ...

[@benjwicker]

Thanks for the review, Guy. Mine is in the mail, it’ll be my first banjo!

[@guywolff]

Enjoy the ride ! It has been 53 years for me and it has been a joy every day :)

[@80eightReviews]

While I can't play Guy, your fabulous playing & the instruments great sound, means I've now got one on order. I'll keep it safe for when you come over to the old country.

[@guywolff]

Just a small pannier with a top that opens all the way means you can take it with you on your spring rides ( as long as the weather is fine ) You never know if you might meet a banjo player on the road :)

[@80eightReviews]

@@guywolff Wandering Banjo playing minstrels are a frequent sight on the sun-dappled byways of Northumberland as you know Guy. None have clay under their fingernails though - now that would be a sight!😀

[@guywolff]

That is so true .The only potters I know in Northunberland play Northumbrian pipes :) @@80eightReviews

[@80eightReviews]

@@guywolff They'd be piped out of the county if they played anything else Guy. Why, they might be sent to Cumbria and that would never do 😀

[@guywolff]

One of the two bothers that owned Bardon Mill (Errington Reagh) was in the Northumbrian Pipe So.. He really took to me when I told him I had a set .Thankfully he never heard me play them @@80eightReviews

[@joeshea1010]

NICE VOCAL, LOVE THAT BASS NOTE!!

[@strumstering]

Nice to see you playing it, Guy.

[@Blindbat-84]

I got the AC-12 standard, not A scale and it should be here today. Got it as my first banjo so we'll see. I'm such agreenie but it sounds so pretty. This is one of the few videos that sold me on it over the AC-1 as my starter especially as I want to learn clawhammer. Hoping the action isn't too high out of the box for me. Couldn't get mine from GT directly as they are out of stock, likely super popular right now, so had to order third party from Guitar Center. Here's wishing me luck! Totally blind over here too, so that adds a new layer of challenge and so far no local teachers, but I've got some decent resources to start out hopefully strong! Thanks for this.

[@jcx5659]

Thanks Guy for your review. I've been trying to find one of these for a while now with not any luck.

[@guywolff]

I just called the team at Goldtone in Florida, and gave them a credit card number. I had it in two days :-)

[@jcx5659]

@@guywolff Took your advice and gave them a call. They are shipping me one tomorrow. Thanks. And I love your playing.

[@guywolff]

I know you are going to really enjoy this banjo .. Thanks for the compliment on my playing ... @@jcx5659

[@gwc3721]

We went to The Cows Tail Inn together one night where you played. Peanut dhells all over the floor. I was working on an estate in New Preston tending sheep. I think it was 74 or 75.

[@snafujag100]

Great playing !!!

[@jspendleton3898]

Thanks for the video! I'm an acoustic guitarist, and the A scale length is appealing, but I'm worried I'll regret not getting the full scale. Any thoughts or suggestions if the A scale would be too limiting?

[@guywolff]

At $300.00 an axe buy both ..They make an AC12 with a 26.36 string length for the same price as the AC 12 /A A neck at 23.5 inches string length .. Being that I play out of a double C tuning the short neck means I can tune to D ..Also with the short scale the bridge is nearer the middle of the drum making a warmer sound for Clawhammer style playing .IN the end I will most likley add a set of nylgut strings and maybe a goat skin drum head to this banjo ... .

[@oarnbak]

Goldtone make nice banjos. I got a 12" 350 openback for clawhammer. I am allso building banjos. Greetings from Arnbak Banjos at KZbin from Denmark

[@guywolff]

I came to Denmark in the early 1970s and played in a rock band on a TV show called Milk and Honey .My freinds had rented an amazing house conected to a beautiful pig farm at Snoldelev (I think) outside Roskilde) ...

[@oarnbak]

@@guywolff 🙂I do recall the band Milk and Honey. Yes Snoldelev is close to Roskilde. I live in western Jutland near Ringkøbing.

[@guywolff]

@@oarnbak THe band was called "Dr Dopo jam " (it was very muxh like Frank Zappa's band ) and the tv show was called Milk and Honey :)

[@johnbrownproject1800]

Now I wanna buy one, and I'm not even a banjo player!

[@udhehfhehcuw9169]

I was considering getting the ac1 11” a scale for a camping banjo, when I realized I not only don’t have a 12” but really want one. Now I’m wondering is it worth the extra 1lb for the 12” rim, and also, is the a scale going to leave me wishing I had a full length scale at times. It’s unfortunate these are not in stock (even at the goldtone warehouse right now) for me to try a couple models and make a selection. Your playing sounds fantastic by the way

[@guywolff]

There are a few reasons for the A scale .. Because of the string length the bridge is closer to the center of the dream making its tone warmer .The wider neck also makes playing a blast on the shorter scale . It is my favorite neck from GT ..For the price you really can not go wrong ..

[@AAAAAAAAAA2896]

Is it wood or not?

[@guywolff]

THe Ac12/A is like the Harmony pot of th 1950's.It is a rozin or plastic pot ..The original Ashborn was a maple laminant