Are you looking for the best beginner banjo? If so, you are in the right place. We’ve reviewed the top 20 banjos out there, including the 5 best beginner banjos. So keep reading.
Fortunately, the best beginner banjos are often very reasonably priced, but it takes a little research and prioritization to make sure you get what you want from your new instrument.
The banjo is one of the most interesting stringed instruments out there and offers a unique sound that has a lot of character.
Although the banjo has a negative connotation for some people, thanks to a small movie called Deliverance, it cannot be denied that the instrument is unique and has a charm that cannot be beaten. It is easy to see why, at this point, it has reached all kinds of musical genres.
There are a few easy-to-understand factors that will make it much easier to evaluate the various beginner banjos you’ll find on your search.
Table of Contents
Here are our top 5 Best Beginner Banjo in 2021
- Deering Goodtime 2 5-String Banjo
- Deering Artisan Goodtime 5-String Openback Banjo
- Costzon 5-String Banjo
- Ibanez B50 5-String Banjo
- Gold-Tone CC-100R Cripple Creek Banjo
Whatever your budget, here you can find an ideal choice of the best banjo for beginners and all other areas of your life that demand pristine performances.
🏆 Quick Look at the Best Beginner Banjo 🏆
The 5 Top-Rated Banjo for Beginners: Reviews in Details
Its review time! I, with some of my guitarist friends, decided to help the newbies so that they can overcome the challenge of grabbing their first guitar. The first guitar is always the wardrobe of our hearts.
Therefore, we must choose one that fits perfectly. We visited many guitar stores, talked to various professionals and manufacturers, and finally got our top five.
Here, we will provide a review of the best banjo for beginners in detail so you can shop knowing everything. Let’s get started.
If you like the sound of Good Time but are determined to buy a banjo with a resonator, look no further than Deering’s Goodtime 2, which costs around $700.
This banjo made in the United States is a considerable investment. However, the sound quality makes up for the price.
This banjo is designed with durability in mind. If you like to keep an instrument for a long time, this could be the banjo for you. Deering also offers a generous 6-year warranty.
The Goodtime banjo has a crisp, high-pitched sound that is generally associated with maple necks. The frets are built to help the beginner quickly achieve the correct intonation. Beginners with small hands will be able to hold the 22-fret neck with its low profile comfortably.
This banjo has a durable American build, so you can play it for years without losing its sound quality or structural integrity.
Like Goodtime, Goodtime 2 requires slightly more cash than equivalent banjos made by other brands.
But with that investment come definitively improved materials and tone quality, plus the reliability offered by a company that focuses exclusively on banjos.
If you’re the type of person who enjoys playing banjo for a long time, then the Deering Goodtime Parlor 5-String Banjo is by far one of the smartest options to consider.
Made and assembled in the United States, this banjo is simple and slightly smaller, making it best for travel and for teaching young music students.
This banjo is an open model which means it produces a relatively different sound compared to our first banjo. It has 19 frets, a blonde finish neck and resonator, and an 11 ”diameter 3-ply maple edge.
This Banjo supports its high-quality status due to its clear, bright sound produced in part by its 11-inch 3-ply maple edge. To add to this, it is perfect for beginners due to its precise draw that allows for great intonation and playability.
With top-notch reviews and amazing build quality, this Banjo is bound to serve you well as you go.
This is a five-string banjo that is made from plywood which makes it durable and corrosion-resistant, thus long service life.
The Costzon contains a digital tuner with a button cell that makes it easy to adjust the level of sound it produces.
In the presence of useful accessories, the digital tuner with a button cell in the cost can modify the sound level that the Costzon is creating with precision.
It is advisable to adjust the drum several times to obtain an excellent sound that matches the design requirements. Costzon is designed with a closed midrange handle that accommodates multiple people, while the solid midrange steel cable is made to be flexible to allow the player to pluck the strings.
It is usually the best option for children and beginners as it is easy to carry around while protecting it from scratches and corrosion.
Costzon has a fifth adapted tuner, which helps to produce the best classic tone and tones. It is one of the necessary types of banjo generally heard in country music.
Less than $300, the Ibanez B50 Banjo Resonator is a less expensive option for beginners.
This is one of the best beginner banjos for those who cannot afford to invest in a more expensive banjo at the moment but wants to make sure that the sound of their banjo is acceptable.
Ideal for beginners, the Ibanez B-50 is easy to play and is durable. The mahogany neck produces a warm sound while enhancing the instrument’s aesthetic appeal.
The Ibanez B50 may be the banjo for you if you like its striking looks, the sound of a closed bottom, and the slower response offered by the mahogany neck.
The Gold Tone CC-100R is another great banjo option that serves as a complete option if you are looking for the best beginner banjo.
Gold-Tone is a highly respected brand and the company did a great job on this banjo.
When choosing a banjo, the tone is easily one of the most important characteristics to consider when choosing a model. This unit features a laminated brass tone ring. This is a stock option due to the striking golden appearance.
The instrument has some excellent features and is well made to deliver good sound and easy playability. This banjo has some really nice hardware included, including gear tuners, a tone ring, two coordination bars, and an adjustable tailpiece.
Both beginners and advanced banjo players will probably find a lot to love in this banjo. The banjo offers great value for its price, however, it should be noted that this banjo is among the most expensive on our list.
However, if you have the money to spend and really want to start with the best, the Gold Tone CC-100R banjo is a great option for you.
Things to Consider Before Buying a Beginner Banjo
If you are looking for a banjo in the market, it is important to know what characteristics you should take into account to choose the right instrument for your needs.
Among any type of instrument, there are likely dozens of variations, if not more. Some of them are more suitable for certain types of music, others are more suitable for those with advanced mastery.
Here, we will look at a number of features and which ones to look for as a beginner.
Banjo Price
It is the first consideration for many. Fortunately, it is possible to get a decent banjo for under $500, and a truly outstanding one for $1,000 or less.
If you’re not sure if the banjo is the right instrument for you, then understandably you want to spend less – look for something around $200, and you should be able to learn to play without frustration while enjoying a decent, determining sound if you’d like to go up to a better banjo at a later date.
There are banjos of all prices, which are affected by brand, material quality, features like resonators, string numbers, and more.
As a beginner, you don’t want to spend a large amount of money on an instrument that you may not end up using as much as you planned.
For that reason, we have ensured that all banjos reviewed here are reasonably priced for new players.
String Number
The number of strings controls not only how many notes a banjo can play, but they are often chosen to play specific types of music. Beginners tend to choose 5-string banjos, which are the most widely used.
Six-string banjos are often used to make playing songs played on the guitar easier, but if you’re buying a banjo to play banjo music, you may want to stick with 5-string instruments.
Quality Construction
The edge or sides of the banjo should be made of good quality wood or metal, not particle board. The reason for this is that the edge contributes to the banjo sound, ensuring it delivers a distinctive and pleasant sound.
Maple, mahogany, ebony, or rosewood is desirable as wood. Bronze or brass is heavy but provides excellent sound, as do steel and aluminum. Of all the metals, aluminum is the least resonant; However, it is lighter in weight.
Adjustable Controls
While these are not necessary, they are very nice to have. An adjustable tailpiece helps you control sharpness, and an adjustable bridge lets you change the pitch clearance height and enjoy a level of action that appeals to you.
Top Things You Should Know about Banjos
Various artists have left their mark on the development of this instrument, including big band and classical musicians. The banjo shares some important features with the acoustic guitar and ukulele. But violin and viola players have also made their mark on its sound and construction.
Here are some questions you may have about this instrument:
Types of Banjos
6-Stringed Banjo:
In terms of playability, this type of banjo works like a standard guitar. Therefore it is a good choice if you are a guitarist who wants to try a different string instrument.
These stringed instruments are like guitars in terms of the 6 strings. The big difference is that the banjo sounds like bright and vibrant, well, a banjo.
These banjos are available in open/closed back variants, and you can even find 6-string electric banjos. Buyer be careful! If you choose your first string instrument, you should expect to spend more time learning the instrument than a standard 5-string banjo.
5 string banjo:
If you are a beginning banjo player, this is a good option. It became popular during the 1830s and included a specialized/single string that was shorter and gave the musician the ability to play the banjo in a higher / open tone.
Another advantage of the 5-string banjo is that you can play the traditional banjo sound that people around the world are used to hearing.
4 string banjo:
These banjos do not have to be played as basic instruments. In fact, they are played in different styles such as:
- Chord melody
- Cordal Accompaniment
- Duo style
- Single string melody
- Tremolo
There are two kinds. The Tenor Banjo has a short neck and became popular in 1910. This type of banjo contains short-scale frets and is mainly used for chord accompaniment.
Then there is the Banjo Plectrum. The musician plays this instrument like a guitar. It contains a selection and is sometimes used to play jazz music.
Final Words
If you’re looking for a high-quality, reliable banjo to start learning, you really can’t go wrong with any of the above options. The banjos above are the best of the best when it comes to a great beginner banjo.
We have just reviewed some of the best banjos on the market. If you are an experienced banjo player then you probably want to choose a high priced unit. Meanwhile, if you are a novice gamer, a banjo of less than $500 would be better.
This is what makes Learn the Banjo Starter Pack the best overall choice. The instrument itself is not the most elegant on the market. That is fine since you are just getting started with the instrument. You can spend more money once you practice something. Until then, this Rogue unit is the best beginner banjo.
