Gold Tone vs Recording King:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Recording King had more branded searches than Gold Tone among banjo brands in New Zealand. Recording King had about 20 branded searches, while Gold Tone had 10. Recording King made up 0.29% of all banjo brand searches we track, and Gold Tone accounted for 0.14%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about banjo brands, Gold Tone appeared in four of the five answers and Recording King in three. Gold Tone was mentioned before Recording King in three out of four answers.
Who do people search for more?
Recording King, about 2 searches for every 1 for Gold Tone
Who does AI mention more?
Gold Tone, mentioned in 4 of 5 answers, Recording King in 3
Who does AI recommend more?
Gold Tone, named ahead of Recording King in 3 of 4 answers
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Top banjo brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Gold Tone was mentioned in four out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Recording King was mentioned in three out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. Gold Tone was listed before Recording King in three out of 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 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers- Gold Tone4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Recording King3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Epiphone2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers- Gibson2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Fender0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Ibanez0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about banjo brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which banjo brand should I buy in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best banjo brands in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best banjo brand in New Zealand for beginner players?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“banjo for beginners”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“bluegrass banjo”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in New Zealand on October 20, 2026.
Is Gold Tone or Recording King more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Gold Tone and Recording King by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all seven banjo brands we track, month by month, from searches in New Zealand.
Share of searches by month for Recording King, Gold Tone. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Fender | Ibanez | Epiphone | Gibson | Deering | Recording King | Gold Tone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 42.6% | 20.3% | 20.5% | 16.1% | 0.14% | 0.28% | 0.14% |
| Nov 2025 | 43.1% | 19% | 20.4% | 16.9% | 0.15% | 0.29% | 0.15% |
| Dec 2025 | 43% | 19.1% | 22.5% | 14.8% | 0.29% | 0.14% | 0.14% |
| Jan 2026 | 40.8% | 23.3% | 20.3% | 14.5% | 0.56% | 0.28% | 0.28% |
| Feb 2026 | 40.8% | 18.3% | 22.6% | 17.4% | 0.47% | 0.31% | 0.16% |
| Mar 2026 | 44.4% | 18.6% | 17.5% | 18.6% | 0.42% | 0.28% | 0.14% |
| Apr 2026 | 44% | 21.2% | 18.2% | 15.8% | 0.41% | 0.28% | 0.14% |
| May 2026 | 47.8% | 17.8% | 17.9% | 15.9% | 0.27% | 0.27% | 0.13% |
| Jun 2026 | 44.9% | 19.5% | 18.8% | 16.3% | 0.14% | 0.28% | 0.14% |
| Jul 2026 | 45.8% | 18.3% | 18.6% | 16.5% | 0.29% | 0.29% | 0.29% |
| Aug 2026 | 44% | 19.9% | 18.7% | 17% | 0.14% | 0.14% | 0.14% |
| Sep 2026 | 45.5% | 19.4% | 19% | 15.2% | 0.43% | 0.29% | 0.14% |
How has the Gold Tone and Recording King comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Recording King was ahead of Gold Tone in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Gold Tone’s share of searches among banjo brands in New Zealand held steady at 0.14%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 10.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Recording King’s share of searches among banjo brands in New Zealand moved from 0.28% to 0.29%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 20.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand banjo brands in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Recording King rose from 7th to 6th among banjo brands in New Zealand.
In September 2026, Gold Tone fell from 6th to 7th among banjo brands in New Zealand.
How are branded searches counted?
3 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Gold Tone’s and Recording King’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.
Gold Tone
1 branded search term
- gold tone banjo
Recording King
2 branded search terms
- recording king
- recording king banjo
Other head-to-heads among banjo brands
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