Deering Goodtime Blackgrass Special 5-String Banjo

The Blackgrass Special is for the player who loves the look of the Blackgrass but wants more tone. The difference is inside the pot: a Deering Patented Goodtime Special Steel Tone Ring sits on top of the 3-ply violin grade maple rim, producing a brighter, richer sound with noticeably more sustain and projection than the standard Blackgrass.

Everything else that makes the Blackgrass distinctive carries over. The pure black stain covers every surface — neck, rim, resonator, flange. The black high crown head and matte black powder-coated hardware complete the look. Underneath that finish is the same all-maple construction Deering is known for: 3-ply violin grade maple rim, rock maple neck, and midnight maple fingerboard with vintage artisan-style pearloid inlays.

The neck comes with spikes installed at the 7th, 9th, and 10th frets, so you can play in the keys of A, B, and C right out of the box. Planetary tuners and a geared 5th string tuner provide smooth, accurate tuning. At 8.75 lbs, the tone ring adds noticeable heft compared to the standard Blackgrass — and you can feel that extra mass translating into a more authoritative tone.

If you want the darkest-looking banjo in the Deering lineup with the tone to back it up at a jam, this is it.

Handcrafted in Spring Valley, California. Deering has been building banjos in the USA since 1975.

Every Deering we sell receives a professional setup by our banjo tech Tara before shipping. Your banjo arrives ready to play. Free shipping anywhere in the US. 7-day money-back guarantee.

Banjo Warehouse is an authorized Deering dealer. Questions? Call Geoff directly at (404) 218-8580.