Hey Banjo Pickers, I would love your advice. I’ve been playing a Deering Goodtime Special for a number of years. It plays well, and is loud, but the tone seems very bright. I’ve heard other banjos (most recently a Deering Deluxe) that seem to have a sound that is less bright, more “old-timey” (kind of a muted sound, I don’t know how else to describe it). I love that sound.
My first question is: (1) Is this difference only in my head? (2) If there really is a difference, are there reasons to prefer one tone to another? And (3) is there a way to get that sound out of Goodtime Special, or would I have to buy a new banjo?