The Goodtime Artisan Americana features a 12” rim, which gives the banjo stronger bass response and a warmer tone overall. The fullness and warmth of the larger rim is further enhanced by the addition of a 12” Renaissance head, which beautifully complements the banjo both visually and sonically. The Artisan version of the Goodtime Americana features a rich brown stain, planetary banjo tuners, and the Midnight Maple fingerboard, which adorned with intricate "Artisan" inlays.
Played with an old time style technique, the Goodtime Artisan Americana is reminiscent of banjos from a period when larger rims were more prevalent. Simply put, the 12” rim is a better setup for playing old time music. Sure, a traditional 11” banjo with a frosted top head has a far brighter sound and will “cut” more, but the warmer, richer sound is just a better for certain types of music. Since the combination of the Grand 12” rim and the Renaissance head makes for a wonderfully laid back sound in comparison to more modern banjos, the Americana lends itself perfectly for musicians looking to use the banjo to back up a vocalist or another instrument, instead of playing a lead instrument role.
We ordered this Goodtime Artisan Americana with a Scooped Neck for old-time frailing and clawhammer styles. It's a fitting option on an open-back banjo like this, and it frees up the neck past the 17th fret to access the warmer sounds of the banjo register.