Gold Tone GT-500 6 String Banjitar

Lovely instrument, let down slightly by setup.

I've been playing a 5 string banjo tuned D-G-B-E for some time so when a friend suggested getting a 6 string banjo I thought it was a great idea. I liked the look of the Goldtone and know they are generally good quality instruments so I ordered this one.

The instrument looks amazing. However, as this is, to my mind, intended for guitar players looking for a banjo sound, I was disappointed in the setup. The action was way too high and the string gauges for me were too heavy. I realise this is purely a matter of personal choice though. I removed the strings, lem-oiled the neck, It was really dry! and fitted a set of Picato 009-046 strings. I also adjusted the action down by about 2mm.

This has transformed the instrument. It's much easier to play and sounds great acoustically and amplified. On that score, The jack input was loose as was the volume control. I tightened them up and all is well. At this price point, I would have expected the set up to be spot on. However, a few hours work and it's playing and sounding great. I would recommend this to anyone. Just don't expect miracles out of the box!