I've got about 400 bucks and wanna buy a banjo

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mixmkr

mixmkr

we don't need rest!!
screw my 'lectric gtrs... I wanna banjo. What can I get for 4 bills or less. I know nothing about dem suckers. Ebay looks like a sucky place to find one. And either cheap shit or expensive Gibsons in the catalogs.

C'mon all you closet banjo players. How 'bout some advice?
 
I got my Norma at a music swapmeet for $90. It was practicaly new then...I'll never sell.

Check the pawnshops. Crackheads hate the sound of any accoustic instrument apparently.
 
alot of people suggest deering brand banjo, as a really good value. like the deering goodtime is like the standard cheapo banjo.
 
You probably want a five string, bluegrass
and country, etc. rather than a four string tenor.

Banjos are drums with fretboards.
Best bet is to find some local bluegrass
musicians and find their favorite local store.

For starting, it doesn't make that much difference.
Kinda like getting a beginer a Mexican Strat.

Play it, and see if you like the action.
You have to finger pick it, pick-n-roll, and
all that.

Banjos are easy to hot rod. You can start
with a low end one with decent action and
add a "tone ring" to make is sound better
and a "resonator" to make it bigger.

Banjos and resonator/dobro guitars both seem
to have the same price curves, lots at $200 and
lots at $2000 with little in between.
 
I recently bought a 5 string Antares for $100 used. This means it was probably about $200 new. It's fair, but a little thin sounding. I haven't tried using finger & thumb picks yet - (just my fingers) so I dont' know what it "could" sound like.

I did a web search for banjo and found about 25 brand names, but further research indicated 90% of banjos are made in Korea (likely by the same company or two) and branded under different names.

The main thing I can suggest is to make sure you get a banjo that has the arm rest - mine don't have one and the rim around the head can really dig into your forearm.
 
I was just starting my research into banjos, as well. Very interesting instruments!

I inherited a VERY cheap one: aluminum can with a plywood resonator. Sounds like...well, aluminum and plywood: pretty cheap and hollow. I haven't yet replaced the strings on it (probably from the neolithic era) but I don't have too much hope that I'll get it to sound all that good.

A buddy of mine, who is a phenomenal banjo player, let me play one of his. First of all, the thing is heavier than my Les Paul. Its made of brass with a solid wood resonator. And it sings. No doubt, its one of those $2000 gibson level banjos, but there has GOT to be something in between.

The way I'm steering my hunt, which is about in the same price range, is looking for something that is heavy and feels good. :)

How's that for simple minded?

I'll also ask my friend what his advice is and post it here, if I can get ahold of him.

Take care,
Chris
 
I own 4 banjos and have played 'em for 30 years, maybe I can help.

A cheap banjo is much worse than a cheap guitar. It's hard to make a good one, and little profit for the maker. A good tone ring costs a fortune.

As suggested earlier, Deering is a good place to start. Their Goodtime student banjos are not crap and sound ok. If you can find some of their lower end models from the 1980's, all the better. Deering can make steel rimmed-non tone ring banjos that sound incredibly good. I'd look there. Ode too, if you can find one.

You can't use cheap metal anywhere on a banjo and the Asian countries tend to do so and they sound like crap.

We need more banjo playing guitarists, I hope you embrace the damn thing. A five string is hard at first but once you get it, it's amazing what you can do in styles and situations you'd think would not apply.
 
ok...learning a lot here...thanks for all the info, guys.

it seems that Deering seems to be the company of choice for 'starter' banjos, as well as some nice ones too. I see that they also make the Vega brand banjos too.

next question...(leaning towards the goodtime banjo)

there is the cheapest...the basic Goodtime for about $285 or so... open back..

then the the Goodtime Special with a resonator...about $375 it seems..

then finally the Goodtime Special II with the "special" tone ring for about $500.

I know nothing about these features, but seems I would lean towards the $500 banjo (as I would probably be keeping it forever...unless I go crazy and drop a couple G's for a good one!)

Or...just get the open back (tambourine?!) for $275 and go from there.

guidence...I need guidence.. then I suppose some lessons for the 'finger roll' and all that good stuff.

and definatly...the 5 string (geared tuner) and also wanting for the Flatt and Scruggs style playing.

(slucie)...banjo with a phasor and slight "tube crunch"??:eek:
 
Mixmkr--I'm not a player, but when I worked as a luthier for a while, I'd get an occasional banjo in for a set-up or repair work. There IS a night and day difference between the cheapies and the good ones. The good ones have a more focused and pure tone, whereas the cheap ones all sound like trash cans with strings. It seems to really be a case of you get what you pay for--unless you should stumble on a nice Gibson Mastertone for a couple hundred bucks in a pawnshop!

Stewart McDonald might even have a kit. I know they sell parts. Just another possiblilty.

http://www.stewmac.com/

They have the parts--but it doesn't look cheap
 
Philboyd is right. 5 string banjo rocks.

I was practicing some Victor Wooten'esque thumb and pluck techniques on my bass, when suddenly I had a thought...

I picked up the banjo and was doing rolls inside of 15 minutes. Not good ones, mind you, but it broke the ice with the instrument.

I tried recording with it, and you know what? The thing sounds GREAT on strummy acoustic guitar stuff. Even mixed in pretty low, it has enough attack to cut through and add its voice.

The chords are different than guitar, but once you get the hang of it, its really fun to figure out. And the instrument deserves way more credit than just a funky hill-billy thing.

Anyway, I like it. :)

Take care,
Chris
 
Check out

www.fqms.com

I was looking at the catalog today and they have a "Banjitar"(a 6 string banjo with a guitar style action/fretboard) for like $360.
 
mixmkr said:
ok...learning a lot here...thanks for all the info, guys.

it seems that Deering seems to be the company of choice for 'starter' banjos, as well as some nice ones too. I see that they also make the Vega brand banjos too.

next question...(leaning towards the goodtime banjo)

there is the cheapest...the basic Goodtime for about $285 or so... open back..

then the the Goodtime Special with a resonator...about $375 it seems..

then finally the Goodtime Special II with the "special" tone ring for about $500.

I know nothing about these features, but seems I would lean towards the $500 banjo (as I would probably be keeping it forever...unless I go crazy and drop a couple G's for a good one!)

Or...just get the open back (tambourine?!) for $275 and go from there.

guidence...I need guidence.. then I suppose some lessons for the 'finger roll' and all that good stuff.

and definatly...the 5 string (geared tuner) and also wanting for the Flatt and Scruggs style playing.

(slucie)...banjo with a phasor and slight "tube crunch"??:eek:
Click to expand...

Here's a good place for you to hang out and drool for awhile:
http://www.trussel.com/f_banj1.htm

Drooling is important, as the banjo player in a band it's how the rest of the guys are gonna know if the stage is level.......if the drool comes out the sides of your mouth equally.

Anyway, I'd go with the $500 Deering. It looks like a stripped down version of what they call the 'Boston' series now. It used to be a style II. They go for about $1200 but the $500 one should sound very close. I just recorded some bluegrass standards for my daughter's middle school and I was suprised at how much better the Deering came out compared to my 'really good' archtop banjo.

About 5 years ago I doing a country duo with a keyboard guy and dueling sequencers and this one night the showroom lets out after a Wayne Newton show and we've got 1000 people headed out way. "What's the lamest song you can think of?" I said. "Macarana" he says, so we start in and then it dawned on me. BANJO! So I pull it out and capoed the first fret so Ab would be comfortable and it hooked up like you wouldn't believe. Who knew. The place rocked and the keys guy is still talking about it.
 
Epiphone makes an RB250 copy that is about in that price range and seems to be one hell of a good bang for the buck. It comes in at about $675 or so with a hard shell case. Sounds pretty nice, plays well, but don't try comparing it with a $4,000 Stelling. Check MF and 8th street.

Make sure you get real planetary banjo tuners. I'd avoid the aluminum pots like the plague.
 
ok...I think I've narrowed it down to a Deering Goodtime Special...but probably the Goldtone BG250F. Both in the $500 plus range. Bid on a couple at Ebay, but got to close to the new price, and didn't meet the reserve... oh well...

looks like a new Goldtone from Janet Davis Music.... I think...
both seem to get GREAT reviews all over the internet...but the Goldtone "looks" more traditional (not that that really matters), but has a higher list price of $798 VS $559 for the Deering.

any opinions on these opinions??:D
 
Re: Re: I've got about 400 bucks and wanna buy a banjo

hixmix said:
Check out

www.fqms.com

I was looking at the catalog today and they have a "Banjitar"(a 6 string banjo with a guitar style action/fretboard) for like $360.
Click to expand...

I've been looking at some of those myself.Im gonna get one this year.:eek:

That country guitar slinger Keith Urban started playing one of the 6 string banjos and now his phone want stop ringing off the hook because everyone wants him to play banjo on their record.

I just want one to fiddle around with for the fun of it.
 
not that I have any experience with the 6 string versions.. but after spending all day on the internet reading message boards, dealer and manufacturer web sites... the 6 string gtr/banjo...those by Dean and others (however, Deering does have a $1000 one:eek: ) all seem to be a "joke" by the "real" banjo players. Mainly on the tone... just a lousy sounding guitar or a really bad sounding banjo..
I looked at those initially too, and thought it'd be cool. However, with the three finger picking, the 6 strings would kinda not lend itself as much as the banjo seems to. However...if you are a 4 finger picker...


man...banjos can be really expensive... and I thought Les Pauls had gotten rediculous with their price.

it seems $1000 gets you a GREAT, no frills banjo.. and the $500 range (like the Deering and Goldtone) get you a VERY good banjo. $3500 have all the carvings, inlays and all that groovy stuff...

$200 or less gets you the Asian trash...
 
Im sure you are right about the quality mixmkr.For a few hundred dollars I'll be happy if it stays in tune.LOL.I do pick with 3 fingers and a thumb so maybe I'll be ok.:eek:

The bottom line is, that even if the quality is great with a 6 string banjo ,it will never respond,play or sound exactly like a 5 string banjo with the wacko tuning.
 
mixmkr said:
not that I have any experience with the 6 string versions.. but after spending all day on the internet reading message boards, dealer and manufacturer web sites... the 6 string gtr/banjo...those by Dean and others (however, Deering does have a $1000 one:eek: ) all seem to be a "joke" by the "real" banjo players. Mainly on the tone... just a lousy sounding guitar or a really bad sounding banjo..
I looked at those initially too, and thought it'd be cool. However, with the three finger picking, the 6 strings would kinda not lend itself as much as the banjo seems to. However...if you are a 4 finger picker...


man...banjos can be really expensive... and I thought Les Pauls had gotten rediculous with their price.

it seems $1000 gets you a GREAT, no frills banjo.. and the $500 range (like the Deering and Goldtone) get you a VERY good banjo. $3500 have all the carvings, inlays and all that groovy stuff...

$200 or less gets you the Asian trash...
Click to expand...

A friend out here has a Deering 6 string and uses it a few times a year on gigs. He's a great guitarist that is simply unwilling to learn something new. I've taken another approach and that is to have some ability on as many stringed instruments as possible. For me anyway, time spent on a secondary instrument tends to improve my approach to guitar playing.

Back to the 6 string banjo. It's hard to rolls out it that sound anything like a 5 string but fiddle style double stops help get a drone effect you can play off of even though they're an octave too low. Melodic runs are sure easy however.
 
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