Banjo FAQ's

Below is a general overview to assist you in making an initial banjo purchase. It is not an attempt to provide a detailed analysis of the banjo but a basic rundown of the usual things a first time banjo buyer might ask.

• What type of banjo should I buy?
• How much is a beginners banjo?
• What are the points to consider about banjo construction?
  • Tone ring
  • Vellum or plastic heads
  • Pot Assembly
• Other considerations
• After- sales service

5 string or bluegrass banjo
This is the style you would use for bluegrass and country music and is the most popular in Australia. Normally tuned to an open G chord, a thumbpick and two finger picks are usually used for playing the 5 string banjo to increase brightness, volume and ease of speed. Tunes are created by playing melodic arpeggios and occasional single line runs. Standard tuning is GDGBD

Plectrum banjo
Same scale length as a 5 string banjo but with 4-strings and is most commonly used for playing Dixieland style jazz. As suggested, a plectrum is used with a more chordal approach than the others. It is tuned CGBD

Tenor Banjo - Short Scale (Irish Tenor)
Has 4 strings and can be tuned to Irish tuning GDAE. This is used most commonly for playing Irish music (jigs, reels etc.}. The tenor banjo is played with a plectrum, single note runs creating the melodies.

Tenor Banjo - Long Scale
Used for Traditional Jazz players and is tuned CGDA

6 string banjo
Is less common and tuned the same as a guitar allowing a guitarist to get the sound of a banjo without the inconvenience of having to learn to play one.

How much is a beginners banjo?

Because of their more complex construction an entry level banjo is more expensive than other instruments such as a guitar. To buy an instrument that meets our standards of tone, playability and build quality we do not recommend instruments under $500 - $600 even though it is possible to find a banjo much cheaper. Not only do we not sell these instruments, we don't service them either as more often than not difficulties arise when trying to set them up properly.

We always stress the importance of tone and playability when buying any musical instrument. If you are working within a budget it is not necessary to start with a high quality professional instrument but buying the cheapest available can hinder learning by not giving the incentive needed to achieve. If you are not committed enough to buy a decent instrument you're not likely to get very far. 

What are the points to consider about banjo construction?

Tone ring
A tone ring can take many forms but basically it is a metal ring that sits between the rim of the banjo and the head. As the name suggests it has a major bearing on the tone of the banjo. The composition of the tone ring can vary from die cast metal in cheaper banjos through to special combinations of brass and alloys which produce a metal similar to that used in bells hence the name "bell brass tone ring". You would expect to pay from $1000 up to purchase a banjo with a proper tone ring.

Vellum or plastic heads
The head is the skin or plastic which forms the soundboard of the banjo and is similar to a drum skin. Early banjos used various animal skins (also referred to as vellums). These had to be fitted (or lapped) to suit the individual banjo so the size of the vellum was not critical. Vellums give for want of a better word a "plunky" sound, which is o.k. for some styles of music but not suitable for modern bluegrass. The tension varies due to changes in humidity and temperature, which affects the tone. 

Plastic heads are more stable and can be tuned to higher tensions without risk of breaking. Most modern banjos are fitted with plastic heads the standard size being 11". A limited range of fractional sizes are available to fit older instruments. They also come in various crown heights to suit banjos with different style tone rings.

Pot Assembly
The body of a banjo is referred to as the "pot assembly". This determines the structural integrity of the instrument and the tone. The pot assembly has gone through numerous designs and changes over the years but the most common pot assemblies you will encounter these days are as follows. 

• Thin wooden rim - usual for entry level banjos
• Cast alloy rim - the next step
• Gibson style pot assembly - consists of a thick wooden rim, heavy duty flange and tension hoop and a metal tone ring. This is generally regarded as the standard for quality instruments and most quality banjos today have this design or similar

We suggest a banjo with a cast alloy pot assembly to begin with. This is stronger than the cheaper wood rims and also has more tension hooks to allow even tensioning of the head. These banjos generally start around $500. 

If your budget allows you can buy an entry level banjo with a tone ring and heavy duty pot assembly for around $1000.

Other considerations

Functional features
There are functional advantages to features such as geared tuners, which make it easier to tune (especially the 5th string!) and heavy duty tailpieces which improve tone. 

Aesthetics
Fancy inlays, binding, gold hardware and pearloid tuning heads are a personal choice that make a banjo look prettier but don't add to the tone or playability

Set up
Often overlooked when buying a banjo is the set up. A banjo requires a proper set up to realise the correct tone and action. This is achieved through adjustments to the head tension, neck angle, rake angle of strings to bridge etc. All banjos we sell from entry level up are set up optimally. This is not true of most of our competitors. 

Quality after sales service

At Gladesville Guitar Factory we have genuinely interested, specialist staff that have been playing and working with banjos and other folk instruments for over 30 years. As well as repairs and maintenance, we have tuition books and videos, accessories such as straps, mutes, strings, imported spare parts, thumb and fingerpicks but most importantly knowledgeable and experienced advice.

Contact us and we'll be happy to answer all your questions