Banjo uke questions

What you need is a Gold Tone “Cripple Creek” Mini Banjo. It has an 8 inch pot, it’s about as long as baritone uke, it’s high gloss and very good looking . . . and it’s got 5 steel strings tuned cGCEA! If one removed the 5th string, it’s the same as a uke with steel strings. One can play it with fingers or with a pick—Clawhammer or Bluegrass.

I have one. :eek:ld:
 
I found a new home for one of my ukuleles, so I'm back looking at concert scale banjo ukes again. Here are some I'm considering......
Gold Tone - BUC, BU-1, or Little Gem. I could get the BUC from MIM ($381), pre-order the Little Gem from Uke Republic ($149), or get a BU-1 from various dealers on Reverb ($199).
Kala - $330 from Elderly.
Waverly Street - $250. It's listed at 30 ounces in weight which it pretty light for a wooden banjo uke. I don't know much about this brand, but would love to buy direct from the builder. Not much in the way of reviews or videos out there.
There's also a used Oscar Schmidt in the Marketplace for under $200.
I could buy a Deering locally, but I've eliminated that one because of the size & weight. I've also eliminated the Magic Fluke Firefly, as I don't like the MF neck & I don't care of the sound of it.

I'm leaning towards a less expensive banjo uke, since I'm not 100% sure how I'll like it. The Gold Tone Little Gem looks super fun.
 
I found a new home for one of my ukuleles, so I'm back looking at concert scale banjo ukes again. Here are some I'm considering......
Gold Tone - BUC, BU-1, or Little Gem. I could get the BUC from MIM ($381), pre-order the Little Gem from Uke Republic ($149), or get a BU-1 from various dealers on Reverb ($199).
Kala - $330 from Elderly.
Waverly Street - $250. It's listed at 30 ounces in weight which it pretty light for a wooden banjo uke. I don't know much about this brand, but would love to buy direct from the builder. Not much in the way of reviews or videos out there.
There's also a used Oscar Schmidt in the Marketplace for under $200.
I could buy a Deering locally, but I've eliminated that one because of the size & weight. I've also eliminated the Magic Fluke Firefly, as I don't like the MF neck & I don't care of the sound of it.

I'm leaning towards a less expensive banjo uke, since I'm not 100% sure how I'll like it. The Gold Tone Little Gem looks super fun.

This guy looks like he's having so much fun with his Waverly (I did check).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncJY-RBLyD0

I bought a Duke10 recently that I might sell because the tenor size might just be too big for me. I love the sound though. I did have someone say put a capo on it at second fret and just basically make myself a concert scale that way.
I'm going to get one of those Little Gems. For $149 you can't go wrong and blue (or maybe purple) are calling to me. They just look like fun. From the one vid I did see, the sound is pretty good. You never really know until you get it though.
The Duke's really light as is the little Gem from the specs I've seen. Weight is important to me too.
 
Concert scale is my happy place. I’m not a fan of playing with a capo. Whenever the lead sheets (guitar chords) for songs for church worship band call for capo 1 or 2, I try to transpose it at all possible.

The Little Gem might be a good way to get my feet wet with a banjo uke. Weight is a factor with me as well. That’s why the Deering didn’t make my short list.
 
Concert scale is my happy place. I’m not a fan of playing with a capo. Whenever the lead sheets (guitar chords) for songs for church worship band call for capo 1 or 2, I try to transpose it at all possible.

The Little Gem might be a good way to get my feet wet with a banjo uke. Weight is a factor with me as well. That’s why the Deering didn’t make my short list.

Concert may be mine as well as I like the sound better than most sopranos. For actual fingering, the soprano is best. My first buy was a tenor and I almost gave up because I couldn't reach the chords. I love that deeper, more guitarish sound of a tenor. I always wanted to play banjo, but there's no way I can fret one of those.
Post up how you like the Little Gem. I will too. I was going to get mine from Mim but she doesn't have them in yet. I guess Uke republic doesn't either.
 
I found a new home for one of my ukuleles, so I'm back looking at concert scale banjo ukes again. Here are some I'm considering......
Gold Tone - BUC, BU-1, or Little Gem. I could get the BUC from MIM ($381), pre-order the Little Gem from Uke Republic ($149), or get a BU-1 from various dealers on Reverb ($199).
Kala - $330 from Elderly.
Waverly Street - $250. It's listed at 30 ounces in weight which it pretty light for a wooden banjo uke. I don't know much about this brand, but would love to buy direct from the builder. Not much in the way of reviews or videos out there.
There's also a used Oscar Schmidt in the Marketplace for under $200.
I could buy a Deering locally, but I've eliminated that one because of the size & weight. I've also eliminated the Magic Fluke Firefly, as I don't like the MF neck & I don't care of the sound of it.

I'm leaning towards a less expensive banjo uke, since I'm not 100% sure how I'll like it. The Gold Tone Little Gem looks super fun.

The little gem would be my pick.
 
What you need is a Gold Tone “Cripple Creek” Mini Banjo. It has an 8 inch pot, it’s about as long as baritone uke, it’s high gloss and very good looking . . . and it’s got 5 steel strings tuned cGCEA! If one removed the 5th string, it’s the same as a uke with steel strings. One can play it with fingers or with a pick—Clawhammer or Bluegrass.

What strings does it use? I mean, what do you buy when the factory strings have worn out? Regular banjo strings?
 
Order placed for a Gold Tone Little Gem in clear (aka diamond) from Uke Republic. I'll report back when it arrives.
 
What strings does it use? I mean, what do you buy when the factory strings have worn out? Regular banjo strings?

Yeah, It takes regular banjo strings: .010, 024w. .016, .013, .010. So one can learn Bluegrass, clawhammer , 2 finger, etc. on it.

Go to goldtonemusicgroup.com and look for Banjos/travel. Lemme know if you find it. :eek:ld:
 
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