Posted by Randy Escobedo on April 16, 19103 at 20:46:24:
In Reply to: sound ideas! which banjo? posted by t salek on April 16, 19103 at 07:38:03:
Hi Terry-
The Granada will give you a great sound with lots of bottom end and highs. It of course is curly maple with a rosewood fingerboard. The Earl Scruggs Golden Deluxe is the same as the Granada except it has a ebony fingerboard with full pattern Hearts & Flowers inlay including the 1st and 15th frets. The Granada also comes with the choice of Flying Eagle inlay pattern. The Golden Deluxe will have a little brighter sound due to the ebony fretboard and of course the rosewood will give you a little mellower sound. Now, this depends on the setup you like and will vary with each players likes.
I have played both models and like them very much. It is hard for me to pick one over the other though I do like ebony fretboards.
The Flinthill Special is a wonderful high-end Gibson banjo. It has a powerful sound to it. A little more on the bright side. It is a beautifully made instrument with lots of heavy engraving and shiney gold plate instead of the 2 tone finish the Granada and Golden Deluxe has. This I'm sure contributes to its sound. It has great pearl work on it. The peghead is bound in pearl. It has pearl nuts, pearl tunning peg buttons and a pearl heelcap. Top notch in every way and lots of volume to it. It is made of choice curly maple and has a ebony fretboard with Hearts & Flowers inlay pattern.
If you are looking for that traditional Earl Scruggs sound as we have come to know it you can't go wrong with the Granada or Golden Deluxe. I don't know how far you live from Nashville but
check out the Gibson Bluegrass Showcase at Opry Mills. You can pick these banjos side by side there. Visit with Ed, Tony or Charlie at Gibson. It may help you make your decision visiting with them. Again, much is in your setup and sound you like. I have no problem with any of these banjos.
They are fantastic instruments! Maple banjos sound great tuned to open D..Lonesome Rueben rocks!