The Delta Snake Review: Musical Gear Review and Music Article Archive: Review: 2013 Gretsch G9470 Clarophone Banjo Ukelele

Review: 2013 Gretsch G9470 Clarophone Banjo Ukelele

The Gretsch G9470 Clarophone Banjo ukelele is part of the company's Roots Collection, which is a low to mid-priced line that replicates the feel of their old vintage models. In this case with styling that hails back to the 20s and earlier.

The current popularity of ukuleles hasn't included this type, which remains more of a rarity or specialty instrument, though this style has always been around. The main reason is that banjos are viewed as archaic now, and a uke version more so.

It's been said that music is really a cycle where things tend to come back around, perhaps changed by technology. Ukeleles were once popular in pop music in the 20s and 30s, and so its current resurgence isn't really a big surprise.

Another good example is the 12-string guitar, which until Leadbelly and Pete Seeger popularized it again, was considered to be an instrument that was dying out. All it takes is a new generation to discover an instrument for it to come back. In the case of this Gretsch, it probably won't be the next big thing, but these things will never go away either. Vintage banjo ukes remain one of the few bargains in rare instrument market, and the newer models remain small, but steady sellers.

Banjo ukes had their day back in the 1800s when the banjo was still one of the most common instruments. Back then, it wasn't unusual to have banjo orchestras, with types of banjos that no longer exist today (same with mandolins), and in a small ensemble, this type was probably used as a “voice” or part of the overall show.

Banjo ukes can vary a great deal in sound, but it does have the recognizable plunk of its big brother. It's sharper sound also makes it very suitable for solo work and single note solos that can cut through a group of instruments better than a regular ukulele can.

The Gretsch was made with volume in mind, with a maple plywood rim and maple neck. The sharpness of the wood is offset by the use of a more expensive Fiber Skin head which will tend to produce a more plunky tone. The rim also has 12 brackets, which is a nice amount which will give the player a lot of control over the head tightness, and thus the tone.

That control has it's downside, which is that if you don't know how to adjust a banjo head (or be able to recognize if one is out of adjustment) then a first look at the uke can produce a negative impression. The one I tried out was adjusted right, so the tone was bright and clear. By the same token, I've tried banjos, for example, that had a loose head that sounded dull and echoed. Anyone trying out this instrument will have to take that into account.

The problem is that if the head is adjusted wrong, it probably won't be corrected in the store. If it sounds dull and too plunky, buying it with the idea that you'll adjust the head later can literally be an act of faith. When trying out any banjo uke, if it sounds bad to your ears in the store, walk away if the store won't or can't adjust it.

The basic idea is that when buying any instrument, the sound you hear is the sound you should buy. That's why so many guitarists who buy guitars with the intention of changing the pickups end up in an endless cycle of trying out new configurations. You could buy the uke (or banjo) and adjust the head and find that it’s still a poor sounding instrument.

I wouldn't dwell on this in a review except that the one flaw I've found in the Gretsch Roots collection instruments is that many of the ones I've tried out were poorly adjusted, particularly the banjos.

The best way to test the Gretsch Clarophone is to try it out along with regular ukes to see which sound you like the best. It won't be as resonant and sweet, but you might find that it has a great sound for use in folk, blues, and some types of jazz. Whether it comes off as a novelty instrument will depend on how you use it.

Most “novelty” instruments are used to play silly or humorous songs, but both the regular and banjo ukes have a real and legitimate musical history, and both have a sound well suited to playing good music.

The final consideration is the brackets along the rim. Some might find that those will poke and stick on clothing, particularly with T-shirts at the beach. Also, after about a couple to a few weeks, your ears will become good enough that you'll want to adjust the head to a sound that's more to your liking. For a casual player, that might be more thinking than you'll want to do with a pleasure instrument.

I found the Gretsch Clarophone a nice entry in the banjo uke market. In fact, I liked it better than some that were more elaborate in construction due to its vintage wood styling. It's plunkier tone is not as suited to jazzier numbers, but it has a solid mojo for folk and blues type numbers. Personally, I like these things better than regular ukuleles.

The construction is very good, with 12 brackets, good styling and competent tuners on a good playing neck. It's small, but it's clearly not a toy. Obviously, it can be a nice travel instrument and some of the sounds it can create recall the old vintage banjos of the 20s, when gut strings were in use.

Another good point about banjo ukes. It's a try before you buy instrument, particularly if you're looking for an entry into the world of playing music. One advantage of a banjo uke has is that it's always been easier to make a good quality banjo type instrument than a guitar type (like the uke), and for this price, you may find that the sound and quality are better than regular ukes in this price range. Plus, ukes have been around long enough that price has come into the equation, and like guitars, you'll get a lot of advice to buy expensive ones (and a little contempt on the internet for the cheaper models).

The Gretsch Clarophone is what it is, and it's a decision between your ears and the banjo uke without a lot of experts (both real and imagined) telling you what's good or bad. Take it from a guy who prefers banjos to acoustic guitars, there's a ton of ukelele players out there, but with this Gretsch you can walk out of the store as one of a kind.

- Al Handa

2013

Note: This review first appeared on the ePinions.com site in 2013. This and other reviews were short takes that accompanied the link to a business that sold the guitar. As a rule, the guitar had to be at least examined and played by the reviewer (and ideally owned). In my case, a severe case of GAS made it possible to have at least owned the reviewed instrument for a short while. I'm reprinting these as having another source on a guitar never hurts, even if the reviews aren't definitive. Other than minor corrections, these short takes are unchanged from the original text. I figure that it might be helpful to keep the older perspective.

The Quitturz by Al Handa