--- title: Quality Banjo Parts - Does It Matter? description: Learn about the quality parts that are put on every banjo made by Deering and why it matters. image: https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/hubfs/Advanced%20Blog%20double%20pic.png --- [![Deering Banjos - The Great American Banjo Company](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/hubfs/Logos/Deering%20Logo.png "Deering Banjos - The Great American Banjo Company")](https://www.deeringbanjos.com/) - [Hooks & Nuts](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com) - [Banjos](https://www.deeringbanjos.com/collections/banjos) - [Find A Dealer](https://www.deeringbanjos.com/apps/store-locator/) - [Support](https://help.deeringbanjos.com/knowledge) - [Accessories](https://www.deeringbanjos.com/collections/accessories) [Banjo Shopping Advice](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/topic/banjo-shopping-advice) [Goodtime banjo](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/topic/goodtime-banjo) # Quality Banjo Parts - Does It Matter? by [Barry Hunn](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/author/barry) on November 4, 2014 ##### Share A customer asked me a great question the other day when I was extolling the virtues of [Goodtime banjos](http://goodtimebanjos.com). I was talking about the classical purity of tone; the quiet metal parts; the three ply violin maple rim, etc. The customer sincerely and quietly asked me, “does that stuff really matter?”  Sometimes the simple questions are the most profound.  While the answer is very definitely, “yes”, the question deserves more than a one word answer. Beginners face far more challenges than advanced players. Beginners don’t know enough about playing to know whether a bad sound is the fault of their technique, or the fault of their banjo. Beginners who learn on better quality equipment, always learn faster and with a higher level of accomplishment. There are several reasons for this. **1. Inter-limb Response** What you do with your right hand affects your left hand. So, when your banjo is responsive to your strum or pluck, your fretting hand is automatically more relaxed and learns quicker. When your fretting hand is not straining to reach frets, or straining to wrap around an incorrectly shaped neck, your strumming or plucking hand will be more tense and not move easily. These are subtle responses of which you are not usually consciously aware. Research has taken palsied children with one good hand, and after massaging and getting the palsied hand to relax and postured in an open relaxed position, one squeeze of a tennis ball in their good hand would instantly cause the once relaxed and open palsied hand to contract into the cramped position. Hence, the term inter-limb response. What happens in one hand affects the other. The Goodtime banjo is both responsive to the picking hand and easy to fret for the fretting hand. This is one reason the Goodtime banjos are one of the most popular choices of teachers around the world. The relaxed right hand, helps keep the left hand relaxed. **2. Inspiration Of Beautiful Tone** The Goodtime banjo is built with a three-ply violin maple rim. While most high end banjo makers don’t use violin maple, they virtually all use three-ply maple rims. The cheap import banjos with either soft wood or aluminum rims, can’t create the beautiful tone of a three-ply maple rim. After all, if these designs were so great, the top banjo makers would have abandoned the three-ply maple rim a century ago and everyone would be using soft wood and aluminum rims. These inexpensive banjos use these rims because they are cheap to make…. not because they sound good. Too many beginners give up on playing the banjo because their instrument not only doesn’t inspire them, it becomes a drudgery to play because it doesn’t respond, it doesn’t ring out, it doesn’t fret well and just is not inspiring. As a banjo teacher, I have seen poor instruments do more to discourage beginners than any other single issue. Conversely, I’ve seen more beginners succeed when they played a banjo with tone that inspired them. **3. Ease of Maintenance** If you talk to a Carpenter, dentist, auto mechanic, surgeon, plumber or any professional who uses tools for their work, you will hear an almost universal declaration that “poor tools are a constant source of frustration and can actually cause more time loss and damage than good tools.” Goodtime banjos are not only a joy to play but they are a joy to adjust and maintain.  One of our very successful dealers said they no longer rent cheap, import banjos because in attempting to maintain them, parts break, truss rods don’t work, heads are odd hard-to-find sizes, and all of this means more trips to the store for the student and less time to practice. This same dealer ONLY rents Goodtime banjos because “I don’t have to do anything but tune ‘em up and they’re good to go.” Changing heads on a Goodtime is easy. Keeping the neck tightened is easy. Adjusting the string height is easy. Keeping the tailpiece properly adjusted is easy.  Easy adjustments encourage students to keep their banjo in prime playing condition. **4. Ease Of Tuning** Deering has always used a geared 5th string tuner on the Goodtime banjos in addition to four geared tuners on the peghead. The current Goodtime models have rugged, sealed gear housings that have a smooth turns for precise adjustment. The frets are cut into the neck of the Goodtime banjo with extreme precision so your notes on the first five frets are just as in tune as on the twelfth and twentieth frets. Most imports have frets that are not placed accurately for good intonation. Sometimes the fifth string tuners are “friction” pegs which are desperately difficult to tune. This tuning difficulty when combined with a rim that is not resonant or responsive makes for a very disappointing experience for the beginner. This beginner is already struggling to accomplish a basic technique and almost always gives up thinking “I have no talent…. I can’t do this.” Do all these “features” of the Goodtime banjo really matter…. I think it’s very fair to say…yes, yes, and yes! ## COMMENTS [![Deering Rustic Wreath banjo ad](https://hubspot-no-cache-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/1901150/d031fb3a-1cee-4fe5-ac40-1292f8b42d7a.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/1901150/d031fb3a-1cee-4fe5-ac40-1292f8b42d7a) [![New Call-to-action](https://hubspot-no-cache-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/1901150/3f66a7bc-9ab8-4280-b8db-3bcdbab9e0a4.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/1901150/3f66a7bc-9ab8-4280-b8db-3bcdbab9e0a4) ## Search Blog Post ## YOU MAY ALSO LIKE May 23.2021 [Playing Tips](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/topic/banjo-playing-tips), [Banjo Shopping Advice](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/topic/banjo-shopping-advice), [clawhammer](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/topic/clawhammer), [old time](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/topic/old-time) ## [Can You Play Clawhammer Banjo On a Resonator Banjo?](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/can-you-play-clawhammer-banjo-on-a-resonator-banjo) "Can you [play clawhammer banjo](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/learn-how-to-play-clawhammer-banjo/) on a resonator banjo?" It's a question that comes up fairly often both on online forums and out in the public. The answer is... [Read More](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/can-you-play-clawhammer-banjo-on-a-resonator-banjo) May 12.2021 [Playing Tips](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/topic/banjo-playing-tips), [Banjo Shopping Advice](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/topic/banjo-shopping-advice), [irish banjo](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/topic/irish-banjo), [Tenor Banjo](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/topic/tenor-banjo) ## [Irish Tenor Banjo - What Is the Standard?](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/irish-tenor-banjo) When it comes to Irish tenor banjo, it is hard to define exactly what type of banjo that is. Yes, it is a four string tenor banjo. But is it a 17-fret or a... [Read More](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/irish-tenor-banjo) Sep 19.2019 [Banjo Shopping Advice](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/topic/banjo-shopping-advice), [clawhammer](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/topic/clawhammer) ## [What Does A Scoop On A Banjo Do?](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/what-does-a-scoop-on-a-banjo-do) You might have heard of or seen banjos with "scooped" fingerboards. A banjo with a scooped fingerboard is, usually starting after the 17th fret (the 18th -... [Read More](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/what-does-a-scoop-on-a-banjo-do) Sep 11.2019 [Banjo Shopping Advice](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/topic/banjo-shopping-advice) ## [Ever Considered a Linseed Oil Finish?](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/ever-considered-a-linseed-oil-finish) At some point or another we have undoubtedly all experienced playing instruments with satin or gloss finishes, normally favoring one over the other. And while... [Read More](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/ever-considered-a-linseed-oil-finish) ### sign up for our newsletter ### Popular Posts [The Four Essential 5-String Banjo Rolls](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/the-four-essential-5-string-banjo-rolls) [Ukulele Sizes – Soprano, Concert, Tenor & Baritone](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/ukulele-sizes) [Celtic Tunes on the 5 String Banjo](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/celtic-tunes-on-the-5-string-banjo) [Learn Melodic Style 5 String Banjo With G Scales](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/learn-melodic-style-5-string-banjo-g-scales) [How To Wear Banjo Picks](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/how-to-wear-banjo-picks) ### Recent Posts [Steve Martin & Alison Brown release new music](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/steve-martin-alison-brown-timobrien) [The Artisan Elephant Goodtime Banjo - Giving Tuesday 2024](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/the-artisan-elephant-goodtime-banjo-giving-tuesday-2024) [Buying A Banjo on Amazon](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/buying-a-banjo-on-amazon) [Steve Martin & Alison Brown On the Kelly Clarkson Show](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/steve-martin-alison-brown-on-the-kelly-clarkson-show) [Keith Urban Covers Sabrina Carpenter's "Espresso" on Deering Phoenix Banjo](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/keith-urban-covers-sabrina-carpenters-espresso-on-deering-phoenix-banjo) ### Archives - [June 2013 (35)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2013/06) - [April 2020 (20)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2020/04) - [August 2020 (15)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2020/08) - [May 2020 (12)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2020/05) - [July 2020 (12)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2020/07) - [March 2020 (10)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2020/03) - [September 2020 (10)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2020/09) - [April 2012 (9)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2012/04) - [June 2012 (9)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2012/06) - [March 2017 (9)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2017/03) - [August 2019 (9)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2019/08) - [June 2020 (9)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2020/06) - [October 2013 (8)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2013/10) - [September 2016 (8)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2016/09) - [August 2018 (8)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2018/08) - [September 2019 (8)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2019/09) - [May 2012 (7)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2012/05) - [May 2013 (7)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2013/05) - [August 2013 (7)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2013/08) - [May 2015 (7)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2015/05) - [June 2015 (7)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2015/06) - [August 2015 (7)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2015/08) - [July 2016 (7)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2016/07) - [December 2017 (7)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2017/12) - [October 2019 (7)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2019/10) - [October 2020 (7)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2020/10) - [September 2012 (6)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2012/09) - [March 2013 (6)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2013/03) - [April 2013 (6)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2013/04) - [July 2013 (6)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2013/07) - [July 2014 (6)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2014/07) - [May 2016 (6)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2016/05) - [August 2016 (6)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2016/08) - [May 2017 (6)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2017/05) - [June 2017 (6)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2017/06) - [June 2018 (6)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2018/06) - [May 2019 (6)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2019/05) - [November 2020 (6)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2020/11) - [December 2020 (6)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2020/12) - [July 2012 (5)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2012/07) - [December 2012 (5)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2012/12) - [September 2014 (5)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2014/09) - [October 2015 (5)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2015/10) - [March 2016 (5)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2016/03) - [April 2016 (5)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2016/04) - [June 2016 (5)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2016/06) - [August 2017 (5)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2017/08) - [September 2017 (5)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2017/09) - [May 2018 (5)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2018/05) - [September 2018 (5)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2018/09) - [October 2018 (5)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2018/10) - [March 2019 (5)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2019/03) - [June 2019 (5)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2019/06) - [January 2020 (5)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2020/01) - [May 2021 (5)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2021/05) - [December 2021 (5)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2021/12) - [January 2022 (5)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2022/01) - [August 2012 (4)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2012/08) - [October 2012 (4)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2012/10) - [September 2013 (4)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2013/09) - [March 2014 (4)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2014/03) - [April 2014 (4)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2014/04) - [October 2014 (4)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2014/10) - [December 2014 (4)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2014/12) - [March 2015 (4)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2015/03) - [November 2015 (4)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2015/11) - [November 2016 (4)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2016/11) - [February 2017 (4)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2017/02) - [October 2017 (4)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2017/10) - [July 2018 (4)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2018/07) - [November 2018 (4)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2018/11) - [December 2018 (4)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2018/12) - [December 2019 (4)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2019/12) - [February 2021 (4)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2021/02) - [February 2022 (4)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2022/02) - [March 2023 (4)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2023/03) - [August 2023 (4)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2023/08) - [November 2012 (3)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2012/11) - [February 2013 (3)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2013/02) - [November 2013 (3)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2013/11) - [February 2014 (3)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2014/02) - [May 2014 (3)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2014/05) - [June 2014 (3)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2014/06) - [August 2014 (3)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2014/08) - [February 2015 (3)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2015/02) - [April 2015 (3)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2015/04) - [July 2015 (3)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2015/07) - [September 2015 (3)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2015/09) - [December 2015 (3)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2015/12) - [January 2016 (3)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2016/01) - [February 2016 (3)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2016/02) - [December 2016 (3)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2016/12) - [July 2017 (3)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2017/07) - [November 2017 (3)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2017/11) - [March 2018 (3)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2018/03) - [April 2018 (3)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2018/04) - [April 2019 (3)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2019/04) - [July 2019 (3)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2019/07) - [November 2019 (3)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2019/11) - [February 2020 (3)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2020/02) - [March 2021 (3)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2021/03) - [August 2021 (3)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2021/08) - [September 2021 (3)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2021/09) - [November 2022 (3)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2022/11) - [May 2023 (3)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2023/05) - [September 2023 (3)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2023/09) - [May 2024 (3)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2024/05) - [October 2024 (3)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2024/10) - [February 2012 (2)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2012/02) - [March 2012 (2)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2012/03) - [November 2014 (2)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2014/11) - [January 2015 (2)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2015/01) - [October 2016 (2)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2016/10) - [April 2017 (2)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2017/04) - [January 2018 (2)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2018/01) - [February 2018 (2)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2018/02) - [January 2019 (2)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2019/01) - [April 2021 (2)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2021/04) - [October 2021 (2)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2021/10) - [August 2022 (2)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2022/08) - [June 2023 (2)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2023/06) - [November 2023 (2)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2023/11) - [November 2024 (2)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2024/11) - [April 2011 (1)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2011/04) - [September 2011 (1)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2011/09) - [January 2012 (1)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2012/01) - [January 2013 (1)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2013/01) - [December 2013 (1)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2013/12) - [January 2014 (1)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2014/01) - [January 2017 (1)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2017/01) - [February 2019 (1)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2019/02) - [January 2021 (1)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2021/01) - [June 2021 (1)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2021/06) - [July 2021 (1)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2021/07) - [March 2022 (1)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2022/03) - [May 2022 (1)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2022/05) - [June 2022 (1)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2022/06) - [July 2022 (1)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2022/07) - [September 2022 (1)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2022/09) - [October 2022 (1)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2022/10) - [February 2023 (1)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2023/02) - [April 2023 (1)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2023/04) - [October 2023 (1)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2023/10) - [December 2023 (1)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2023/12) - [January 2024 (1)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2024/01) - [February 2024 (1)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2024/02) - [June 2024 (1)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2024/06) - [July 2024 (1)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2024/07) - [August 2024 (1)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2024/08) - [September 2024 (1)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2024/09) - [December 2024 (1)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2024/12) - [March 2025 (1)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2025/03) see all [![Deering Banjos - the Great American Banjo Company](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/hubfs/Logos/Deering%20Logo.png "Deering Banjos - the Great American Banjo Company")](https://www.deeringbanjos.com/) 3733 Kenora Dr. Spring Valley, CA 91977 - [619-464-8252](tel:+619-464-8252) - [info@deeringbanjos.com](mailto:info@deeringbanjos.com) - [HOME](https://www.deeringbanjos.com/) - [BANJOS](https://www.deeringbanjos.com/collections/banjos) - [FIND A DEALER](https://www.deeringbanjos.com/apps/store-locator/) - [ARTISTS](https://www.deeringbanjos.com/blogs/deering-artists) - [CONTACT US](https://www.deeringbanjos.com/pages/contact-us) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Barry Hunn", "url" : "https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/author/barry" }, "dateModified" : "2020-07-10T23:12:08.318Z", "datePublished" : "2014-11-04T17:46:30.000Z", "headline" : "Quality Banjo Parts - Does It Matter?", "image" : [ "https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/hubfs/Advanced%20Blog%20double%20pic.png" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/quality-banjo-parts-does-it-matter", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/hubfs/Logos/deering-logo-green-406325-800x163.png" }, "name" : "Deering Banjos" } } ```