Resonator Banjos are great options for beginners as they’re durable, sound great when set up correctly and are more cost-effective than other models.
Resonator banjos can be played using three finger picks and can often produce louder music than open back banjos, though you can remove the resonator to reduce noise considerably.
The resonator
Resonators are an essential component of your vehicle’s exhaust system, playing an essential role in shaping engine tone and volume. Resonators use frequency modulation of exhaust sound waves to either give your car an throaty roar or quieten down its sound for smooth driving.
An exhaust resonator acts like an echo chamber by amplifying soundwaves to optimize power production and fuel efficiency while giving your car its unique engine sound.
Resonators can be found in all vehicles and are designed to reduce noise by cancelling out certain frequencies. Comparable to mufflers in their function, resonators differ both in design and material composition compared to them – Resonators typically made of durable and long-lasting 304 stainless steel material makes for durability while its different shapes and sizes allow it to match your vehicle and personal style while they can easily and cost-effectively be replaced when worn out.
The head
Like any banjo, the Goodtime requires some tuning up to achieve maximum sound output; but with a bit of work it can match even those costing considerably more!
The Goodtime’s specs are drawn closely from those of its Deering Mastertone counterpart, featuring Bell Brass cast tone rings and one-piece banjo flanges to produce bold foundational tones ideal for country, bluegrass and Americana music.
This banjo features a slightly thinner neck profile designed to accommodate musicians with smaller hands, though this may or may not be an issue depending on player preferences and musical genre.
The article DIY Mylar Flange for a More Mellow Head details how to cut and install a second Mylar head under your regular one to reduce some of the harshest high frequencies produced by a banjo. This quick, inexpensive, and completely reversible modification will ensure your new banjo sounds its best!
The bridge
A bridge is a small yet critical component in creating the sound of a banjo. It sets down strings over head and flange, helping shape frequency response and sound of instrument.
Some players utilize the bridge to introduce new lyrical ideas or add an emotional depth to their songs, modulating to another key if needed – something which can have dramatic effects on listeners.
The Banjo Bolster is a patent-pending device that optimizes the sonic potential of open back or resonator banjos by transparently eliminating unwanted overtones while maintaining full power and tonal response. Quickly installed or removed without altering your instrument.
The rim
Resonators provide the banjo with a harder surface upon which to vibrate, enabling sound waves to escape back out towards your audience rather than absorbing into you and the banjo body and decreasing overall volume. Without one, much of its vibrational energy may become lost over time as sound is absorbed back into the player and banjo body itself and reduced. With one, however, more sound projects forwards into your audience’s ears!
This configuration makes a bluegrass banjo louder and livelier, and makes the instrument easier for group players to hear.
Deering offers three-ply birch laminations as the standard material for creating banjo resonators, as they’re strong, stable and do not warp over time – perfect for banjos!
Deering Goodtime 2 5-string resonator banjos are our go-to choice for beginner players looking for an inexpensive yet high-quality banjo, featuring its trademark Steel Goodtime Special tone ring and all the components typically found in higher end models at an accessible price point.