Banjo Crazy

Spotlight on Gold Tone Cello Banjos

“Paul, these cello banjos have their own soulful sound. Thanks for understanding why I bonded with this instrument, and bonding with it yourself. This voice hasn't been heard for close to 100 years! It needed to come back as a playable instrument. The cello banjo has been given a second chance, and this time it's working! Thank you for being part of it, Paul!”

Marcy Marxer

“Occasionally, a Gold Tone dealer takes a special interest in a particular product and gives it his all. If you’re interested in learning more about cello banjos, talk to Paul Roberts of BanjoCrazy.com who is an authority on this special instrument.”

Wayne A. Rogers, Gold Tone President

“Cello banjos have enchanted me. One of the marvelous things about these instruments is that they have a distinctly different sound from what I previously would have associated with a banjo. I feel there are limitless musical directions I can go with cello banjos.”

Paul Roberts - Cello Banjo Specialist

“The CEB-4 and CEB-5 cello banjos provide banjoists with an interesting and flexible banjo family instrument to fill up the bottom end of their ensembles. Cello banjos can shadow the melody played by fiddlers and regular pitched banjos, or play bass lines and counterpoint, making complete any acoustic music ensemble. We’re going to be seeing a lot of people using them.”

Bob Carlin

“The cello banjo has helped me develop as a musician by giving me new creative opportunities. Its low voice and long sustain inspire me to try slower, darker tunes than I usually play on a regular banjo. The cello also asks me to slow down some of my regular repertoire, drop extraneous notes, and syncopate the core melody. This often reveals a surprising depth and complexity within a tune that I had been playing on autopilot for years."

Cathy Moore

“Once you play a cello banjo you will be hooked. The odd thing about this is that the cello banjo was never intended to be played like we’re playing it now. The hundred years of not playing cello banjo has changed everybody’s perspective, so they’re not really thinking in terms of it being a baritone aspect of some group, they’re starting to play it in duets or even as a solo instrument.”

Mike Keyes