Learn me: A good beginner banjo

I've always wanted to learn, if just for the novelty of it. Don't want to spend a ton of money, but don't want some chinese/korean piece of garbage that's going to fall apart either. Used is okay.

poopshovel wrote: Used is okay.

I think that's the answer for anyone looking to learn a new musical instrument. Hit up the List of Craig and see what you can find. Maybe find a banjo-enthusiasts' forum? (I don't know why but that thought makes me shudder a little bit, hahaha).

Banjohangout.org might be a good reference. Deering has a good reputation among current banjo makers but there are lots of good manufactures out there. If you're in no hurry & get lucky you may find a real deal. Several years ago I got a gold plated ODE & a prewar Gibson for just a few hundred dollars each. My lst banjo was Korean crap (a Star IIRC). I bought it used,cheap & it served me well until I sold it for about what I'd paid for it. It was difficult to play compared to the better ones I've owned. Also if you're in no hurry,you might subscribe to Banjo News Letter & study it for a few months. One of their back issues from many years ago had a good article on what to look for in used banjos. The back issue may or may not still be available. Be prepared for lots of bad banjo player jokes (see above).

ReverendDexter wrote: Maybe find a banjo-enthusiasts' forum? (I don't know why but that thought makes me shudder a little bit, hahaha).

he's in podunk georgia. ain't no way i'm going to a "banjo enthusiast" meeting 'round them parts.

M2Pilot wrote: Be prepared for lots of bad banjo player jokes (see above).

What's the difference between a banjo and a Harley? You can tune a Harley.

The Deering Goodtime was the standard answer to that question 10 years ago. Simple and high quality, but now I find they are no longer that inexpensive. Over $550!

Banjos are actually much simpler than other acoustic instruments so they should be the cheapest but they are also the most tarted up of any instrument out there so they are usually the most pricey. All that inlay and nickel plating adds up.

Do you want a resonator, bluegrass style 5 string or an open back 5 or 4 string? Open backs don't lend themselves to bluegrass as they are too mellow and resonators have too much attack to work well with a more traditional frailing style or even celtic music styles.

I have a Deering campfire that I have played for a good while. The goodtime is the Miata of the banjo world. Find a nice used one and flail away.

I've got a Kay plectrum that used to belong to my grandfather. He put himself through university in the 20's fronting a band, although I don't know if he used a plectrum or a tenor. Plectrums aren't too common anymore from what I understand - they're for strummin', not pickin' - but I do love the sound.

He also used to play on the dock at Windermere House, a resort in Ontario. He had trouble with the skin getting damp, so he wired a couple of light bulbs up inside the body of the banjo. Plug it in and it lights up, providing enough heat to keep the skin dry. How cool is that?

He was starting to teach me when he died. I need to pick it up again.

I have nothing to add to the original question. Just for fun, I looked up Kay banjos and it looks like the name has a varied history. I have no idea how "good" this banjo is. But it was my grandfather's, and my grandmother's name was Kay. So that trumps the rest :)

Did you know that Goodwill sells online, and they seem to get a fair number of banjos? It's true

mgb REAR AXLE early models

I had a job with a big name fiber optic cable manufacturer and we had a Holiday luncheon the last day before we were off work for the week. I was told we were doing a banjo "holiday" sing along in the lunch room if I wanted to join in.

So I went by and they were singing Frosty the Snowman and this older dude was playing the banjo and leading the singing. I kinda freaked out and hid out in my office.

ditchdigger wrote: The Deering Goodtime was the standard answer to that question 10 years ago. Simple and high quality, but now I find they are no longer that inexpensive. Over $550! Banjos are actually much simpler than other acoustic instruments so they should be the cheapest but they are also the most tarted up of any instrument out there so they are usually the most pricey. All that inlay and nickel plating adds up. Do you want a resonator, bluegrass style 5 string or an open back 5 or 4 string? Open backs don't lend themselves to bluegrass as they are too mellow and resonators have too much attack to work well with a more traditional frailing style or even celtic music styles.

I want loud and berkeleying obnoxious. I want to sit on my back porch, rock the berkeley out, and start hearing spontaneous genetically ingrained confederate battle cries echo throughout the neighborhood.

Really, what got me thinking about it is the fact that we have a pretty rad Halloween "Safe Zone" deal for the kids here in Mayberry. We literally get thousands of kids. People bring their kids up from ATL and E36 M3. All the shop owners sit on our porches and hand out candy.

I usually don't dress up, but the Buckethead costume was a hit at last year's Halloween party. I carried my guitar and little belt-clip mini-amp, with effects ziptied to a strap. It was heavy and akward. Sitting on the porch playing banjo in full buckethead regalia would be pretty rad and creepy though.

Maybe what I want is a six string(???)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIYor1ZG2qg&feature=related

Well then here you go! http://www.buy.com/pr/product.aspx?sku=211985988&sellerid=19443569

Cheap! And you already know how to play it. As a guitar player I found banjo frustrating to try and learn and gave up. Mandolin on the other hand I really liked.

I will admit that any time I pick up a banjo-guitar I can't help but play the intro to "sweet home alabama" on it despite how much I hate the song. I was kicked out of a music store for it. 3 chords in the guy pointed at the door and shouted "Get out now!"

Dean makes a halfway decent six string banjo for the money. Fun fact: James Taylor played six string banjo for a couple Neil Young songs.

Don't know too much about banjo's, if you want mandolin help I know more than I should.

I keep saying to myself I want to learn banjo and never get around to it.

There are a bazillion bad music jokes for every instrument. One I heard for the banjo had to do with the unlikeliness of ever hearing the phrase "Oh, that's the banjo player's Porsche".

If there was ever a group which could reconcile that phrase, this is it.

Why's an accordion better than a banjo? Accordion burns longer!

Thanks folks, I'll be here all week!

There's no banjo here, but I'm gonna throw it in anyhow because I feel it is relevant. And the lead could very well be played on a banjo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbN-jO11vKg

I nearly bought this one at the Spring Carlisle show in PA. Gotta love going to a car swap meet and finding a banjo. I'm still kicking myself for not getting it. The guy was asking $100, but I'm sure he would have taken less.

I never pegged you for a 'I was gonna' kind of dude.

poopshovel wrote: I've always wanted to learn, if just for the novelty of it. Don't want to spend a ton of money, but don't want some chinese/korean piece of garbage that's going to fall apart either. Used is okay.

You'll get a lot of bad advice on banjos from people who don't know much, if anything, about them. Like on this forum.

The BanjoHangout web site has a page of reviews by brand and model put up by players. I found this really useful when browsing Craigslist for mine. I wound up buying an off-brand, an Austin, for about $150. It's a decent beginner model, sounds good to me but I did have to have one of the cheap plastic tuners replaced because it broke. If you can find a Deering, go for it, but I wouldn't spend $500 as a beginner.

Lots of people, especially guitar players, will tell you how difficult it is to learn 5 string Scruggs style banjo. Ignore 'em. If you know guitar you just have to unlearn some stuff. With only a DVD, a banjo and very intermittent practice I've learned to play about 3 songs in a recognizable fashion, which I think is pretty good for a 40-something guy who's never really played ANY instrument before.

You will need a strap to help hold it (trust me) and some proper finger picks unless you're going to try clawhammer style. I got my picks on Amazon. There's videos on YouTube that can explain what to buy and how to fit them. The banjo player community is very helpful.

ditchdigger wrote: I will admit that any time I pick up a banjo-guitar I can't help but play the intro to "sweet home alabama" on it despite how much I hate the song. I was kicked out of a music store for it. 3 chords in the guy pointed at the door and shouted "Get out now!"

I wanna buy that guy a beer.

All these posts and not one Steve Martin reference...

here ya go.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l31MSpojWTA&feature=related

Keith wrote: There's no banjo here, but I'm gonna throw it in anyhow because I feel it is relevant. And the lead could very well be played on a banjo. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbN-jO11vKg

that rules.