Epiphone vs Gold Tone:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Epiphone had more branded searches than Gold Tone among banjo brands worldwide. Epiphone had about 110,000 branded searches, while Gold Tone had 3,600. Epiphone made up 9% of all banjo brand searches we track, and Gold Tone accounted for 0.3%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about banjo brands, Gold Tone appeared in all four answers and Epiphone in none.
Who do people search for more?
Epiphone, about 31 searches for every 1 for Gold Tone
Who does AI mention more?
Gold Tone, mentioned in every answer we collected
Who does AI recommend more?
Gold Tone, the only one of the two named
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Top banjo brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and one Google AI Overview, Gold Tone appeared in all four answers. Epiphone did not appear in any of the four answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
Deering4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers- Gold Tone4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
Recording King3 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers- Gibson1 of 4Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
Fender0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
Ibanez0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers- Epiphone0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
Gretsch0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
Harmony Guitars0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
See every answer about banjo brands
4 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which banjo brand should I buy?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best banjo brands?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best banjo brand for beginner or folk music?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“beginner banjo”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Searched Google, AI Overview
“5 string banjo”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 20, 2026.
Is Epiphone or Gold Tone more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Epiphone and Gold Tone by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all nine banjo brands we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Epiphone, Gold Tone. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Fender | Ibanez | Epiphone | Gretsch | Harmony Guitars | Gibson | Deering | Recording King | Gold Tone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 70.3% | 13.9% | 9.3% | 4.2% | 0.62% | 0.68% | 0.46% | 0.31% | 0.25% |
| Nov 2025 | 68.4% | 16.3% | 9% | 4% | 0.58% | 0.66% | 0.44% | 0.32% | 0.29% |
| Dec 2025 | 68.4% | 16.3% | 8.9% | 4% | 0.59% | 0.65% | 0.54% | 0.4% | 0.29% |
| Jan 2026 | 64.8% | 18.9% | 10.4% | 3.8% | 0.55% | 0.62% | 0.41% | 0.35% | 0.28% |
| Feb 2026 | 67.3% | 15.7% | 10.6% | 3.9% | 0.68% | 0.77% | 0.52% | 0.35% | 0.28% |
| Mar 2026 | 66.2% | 19.6% | 8.8% | 3.2% | 0.58% | 0.65% | 0.43% | 0.29% | 0.23% |
| Apr 2026 | 67.3% | 15.7% | 10.6% | 3.9% | 0.69% | 0.77% | 0.42% | 0.35% | 0.34% |
| May 2026 | 65.9% | 19.8% | 8.9% | 3.3% | 0.58% | 0.65% | 0.36% | 0.3% | 0.24% |
| Jun 2026 | 64.4% | 23.6% | 7.1% | 3.2% | 0.47% | 0.52% | 0.28% | 0.24% | 0.23% |
| Jul 2026 | 68.5% | 16.6% | 9.1% | 3.3% | 0.73% | 0.67% | 0.45% | 0.31% | 0.3% |
| Aug 2026 | 68% | 16.5% | 9% | 4.1% | 0.61% | 0.66% | 0.44% | 0.37% | 0.36% |
| Sep 2026 | 68.1% | 16.5% | 9% | 4.1% | 0.72% | 0.66% | 0.36% | 0.34% | 0.3% |
How has the Epiphone and Gold Tone comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Epiphone was ahead of Gold Tone in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Epiphone’s share of searches among banjo brands worldwide moved from 9.3% to 9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 135K to 110K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Gold Tone’s share of searches among banjo brands worldwide moved from 0.25% to 0.3%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 3.6K.
How did search popularity change for banjo brands worldwide in September 2026?
1 change
Estimated monthly branded searches for Epiphone worldwide fell 18.5% over 12 measured months, from 135K to 110K in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Epiphone’s and Gold Tone’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
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