Banjo recommendations

ToneControl

Martin Simpson has the best Banjo jokes

Seriously though, in the 1920s, all the banjo players moved to playing 4 string tenor guitars, tuned the same, because they sounded so much nicer. Have you tried one? I bought one - a Blueridge solid-top one, they are great, far less of a "novelty" sound

strtdv

For a 4 string tenor banjo for under £300 I'd go for a used Tanglewood or something similar like a Barnes and Mullins.

Get one with planetary tuners, not guitar type ones, and a brass tone ring.

Tenor guitars are lovely and have a nice sweet tone to them (Ozark make a nice one), but for something that sounds completely different a banjo is pretty unique sounding.

As well as guitars I play an electric mandolin, an Irish Bouzouki, and a 4 string tenor banjo.

johnnyurq

A milk bottles worth of petrol and a zippo to kill it with fire, then buy a Variax or Roland VG unit.

strtdv

It all depends on what you're looking for. As a rhythm instrument a tenor guitar or mandola/bouzouki is more useful, but for lead parts, particularly in say Irish traditional music or bluegrass, there's nothing like a banjo.

I also like the way having the strings in 5ths makes you change the way you approach the instrument, and that can carry over to the guitar.

A guitar with a synth pickup just wont get you there, both in the overtones and unusual harmonic content that you get from a banjo and in terms of playing the licks with your left hand.

Banjos get lots of harmonic interaction between the strings and a lot of metallic sounding overtones that are unpleasant unless you tune the banjo right (which generally means tuning it so the harmonics sound right rather than strictly following what your tuner is telling you), but sound very sweet when you do. They change with each key you play in as well which is part of the reason you see banjo players tuning a lot.

Something like this would tick all the boxes and isn't too expensive at £279:

Frankieabbot

Tone71 said:

Any banjo players here?

I`m keen to muck about with one and love the sound but have no idea on what to look for when buying, thinking of a couple of hundred tops or maybe swap some gear out to get one.

Any recommendations?

Cheers

Bit of a bump....but did you start playing banjo? Clawhammer or finger picking style?

Tone71

No, never did get one, the itch passed, for now!

Frankieabbot

Tone71 said:

Cheers for the replies, bertie I too have wondered about the odd 5th string

Might have a long think on this one and stick with the Uke for now whilst looking into it.

I think the inner hillbilly resides in us all though doesnt he?

Maybe a banjolele then? Crimbo is coming. Would be a nice pressie from someone.

crunchman

My wife bought me an Ozark banjo for my birthday. I haven't really got to grips with it yet.  I did see something from Mumford and Sons where the banjo player was using a guitar pick.  That may be the simpler option even if it's not completely authentic.

musicman100

I think some players think just because they can play a bit of finger picking on guitar that banjo will be easy. But even with finger picking on guitar there are some many different styles some easy some not so easy. I would say if you're a good synchcopated bass finger picker eg Atkins, travis, Brian setzer, and so on, you will stand a decent chance of getting the concept n a decent sound without to much hard work.