Gold tone

[kjbllc]

How are the gold tone mandos rated for sound and playability?

[CES]

Not as highly as Eastman and Kentucky. I played one of their Rigel inspired mandolins once that wasn’t terrible, but wasn’t great, either. Their banjos are highly regarded, their Mandos not so much. That said, if you play one and like it’s tone/playability, no reason not to go for it...

[allenhopkins]

I've purchased several Gold Tone instruments, all in the banjo family -- Cripple Creek Mini travel banjo, banjola, cello banjo (4 string). I also have a long-neck banjo hardshell case and a gig bag from the same company. Overall I've found their products decent quality and reasonably priced. Gold Tone also fearlessly offers instrument types that no one else seems to build now: banjo-ukuleles, banjo-mandolins, short neck "Irish tenor" banjos, the aforementioned banjola, which is basically a mandola body with a 5-string banjo neck, etc. They also license some US makers' designs, like Rigel mandolins and Beard resonator guitars.

I haven't played one of their "regular" mandolin family instruments; they build OM's and bouzoukis as well as mandolins and mandolas. I'd play one first before ordering one on-line, but I think if you find a weakness, it'll be design-related, rather than construction quality or finish quality. A pretty reputable company, in my experience -- but again, I can't speak from experience about their mandolins.

[Br1ck]

I have a Paul Beard model Gold Tone squareneck resonator that I'm very happy with. All solid wood, sent to Paul Beard for their resonator to be fit. Not quite the quality of a real Paul Beard, but fine as an occasional instrument.

[Seter]

I'm happy with my Gold Tone OM, haven't played one of their mandolins though.