Deering Banjos introduced a concert-scale banjo ukulele last year (see our video demo here) and recently added a tenor version of the instrument to its popular and affordable Goodtime line of banjos. The Goodtime Tenor Banjo Ukulele emphasises quality of materials, playability, and tone over fancy looks and elaborate appointments. Its maple neck has inlaid hardwood position markers and includes sealed, geared tuning machines. The open-back instrument has a 12-inch pot with a three-ply maple rim and Renaissance head. Deering’s innovative bridge plate, a piece of hardwood between the bridge and head, is designed to increase sustain and control unwanted bass frequencies. Deering also equipped the Goodtime Tenor Banjo with a passive pickup, which consists of a small piezo disc installed under the bridge area of the head and a standard-size jack mounted in the side of the rim.

The Goodtime Tenor Banjo is a really fun instrument to play. Compared with the concert-size version, the longer scale offers more room for the fretting-hand fingers, and is even louder than its smaller cousin. The pickup sounded great plugged directly into a Fishman Loudbox Mini amp, making this a versatile instrument well-suited for jam sessions, recordings, and performances.

SPECS: Open-back tenor banjo ukulele. 17-inch scale. Four-string maple neck with 17 frets. 12-inch pot with three-ply maple rim. 12-inch Renaissance head. Enclosed chrome, geared tuning machines. Aquila Nylgut strings. Passive piezo pickup. Made in USA. $599 list/$499 street. deeringbanjos.com, goodtimebanjos.com

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