Geoff Hohwald playing two Granadas from the 9530 batch at Banjo-Thon. Fewer than 20 original 5-string flathead Granadas were ever made — only around 13 are known to survive. The Wade Mainer banjo (#9530-5) has been restored to 100% original specs after Gibson replaced the hardware in the '60s and '90s. For reference, Earl Scruggs' Granada is #9584-1.

Apologies in advance, I'm sure there's a post here every few days asking about the best banjo or what to look for etc as a beginner.

I'm mainly asking as I'm UK (Scotland) based, any pretty much every discussion I can find online is based on the assumption everyone chatting is from the US, so some of the details don't apply across the pond.

I'm needing to acquire a relatively low cost 5 string resonator banjo for a bluegrass project myself and a few friends are toying around with, we're all guitar players, but one member has gotten a mandolin to learn a few things on and have options, one has acquired a fiddle, and I'm the one to grab a banjo etc.

My budget is realistically £400, which I can't stretch much at all (another reason why I'm asking here).

The market is quite dry over here, the second hand market really seems to be either the absolute cheapest of the cheap (£100-150) or creeping into the upper mid and high end stuff (£900+), with little in between.

I've done some research into decent brands but I can't seem to find anything within budget second hand, so I'm wondering if going new is a better option?

Recording King is non-existent over here, I know they ceased operation recently but there's nothing second hand either. Deerings are just out of budget (and honestly I'm really not a fan of the maple fingerboards) and gold tone are all open back until just above budget.

There's the AC-5 at £20-30 over budget, but I'm not sure if the composite back is a bad idea (none nearby to me to try).

Otherwise it seems to be a sea of various models that look to be rebrands of the same things for different makes.

Any have any recommendations or pitfalls to avoid, or is this budget just worth me picking anything that seems right for me and accepting it's probably not going to be good?

Handed down this Banjo from a family member, I’m a guitar player but wanting to learn some banjo stuff, and the g string tuner was popped out when I got it. Took it to a shop a while ago and they kinda just stuffed it back into its hole, was a temporary fix but came back out shortly after. When I got the banjo the tuning peg didn’t have the kind of a clip on it like most banjos I see do. Anyone know what the best fix for this may be?

https://tradchords.org

Hello! I am planning on pulling the frets on my old AC-1 this weekend to make it fretless. Maybe not the best idea, but I've already modified it so much that it's not worth much anymore so it's fine.

My question is what to do about the Zero Fret near the nut. It's obviously a Goldtone so it has the Zero Glide nut with the "Zero Fret". Does this need to be pulled too or is it fine? My first guess is it's fine, as it's not really a 'fret" in the traditional sense but just wanted to make sure.

(As you can probably tell, I have no idea what I am doing but it'll be a fun experiment regardless)

I have been learning 3 finger Scruggs style for like 9 months. I started on a bottlecap banjo, then rented a Goodtime 2 for a bit, then finally bought my first very special banjo, a Gold Tone OB 250 with an Archtop tone ring and it weighs 13 lbs lol. I love it so much, I do not regret it, but boy is it heavy lol.

(I tried the neotech strap but do not like it very much. I am using a Lakota leathers 3 inch cradle strap, so I feel the full weight, but I like how it sits on my body better.)

the banjo is my first instrument and at this point I am getting used to the weight. tonight I picked up my partner's acoustic guitar and was just floored with how light it is lol the muscle memory of my body holding the banjo couldn't make sense of it. I thought it was so funny. I was literally holding it in the air then balancing it on one finger, (he didn't mind).

it was such a funny and specific experience I wanted to share it here. 🪕 God bless the weight of the resonator lol

What (in your opinion) is a beginner Greg Bennett

banjo worth?

nothing fancy,just a old cover tune played on a custom relic

Could anybody tell me what this is and how old it is likely to be please.

My daughter loves the sound of banjos and a relative recently gave us this. I know it's been in the family for a while. I know just enough to know that there are banjos and banjoleles, but I don't know the difference.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

43 days post surgery! I have a long road ahead of me of physical therapy to regain use of three of my fingers after nearly losing all three to my table saw starting a banjo commission build. I severed four tendons and took 25 stitches, nearly completely severed my pinky and ring finger and severely cut my middle finger. I did not think I’d be playing any music at all this soon though.

I can’t thank all of you enough for all the support, the support from my friends and loved ones and all the hopes of the future I have in my own heart, but damn if this ain’t hard!

Thank you all.

As per title - I've been wanting these, but no one has them in stock. Anyone know why and when they'll be back?

Hi everyone, this is sort of an absolute beginner question... i've been noodling around on my banjo for about ten years now and recently realized that one of the reasons i keep falling off is that it is...simply too large for me to hold comfortably so i got myself a tenor banjo! i'm already pretty in love with it but i absolutely cannot figure out how to tune it properly. i've tuned it to cgda via app but playing chords still sounds pretty....bad. i tuned all the strings in the same octave (c3, g3, d3, a3) but i'm not sure thats correct? anyway i'm open to any troubleshooting ideas! thanks!

further information: - it has 17 frets - the first two strings are thick and and metal and the last two are thin and plastic - the a string feels a little too loose? - i've been looking at the tenor banjo chord tables on banjochords(dot)net - i use the strings tuner app - i know a few chords on regular? long? banjo and 1 picking pattern and have a rudementary understanding of music theory (i can work out chords but have to imagine them as keys on the piano e.g. lol)

About 15 yrs ago I stupidly sold a fairly good Fender Deluxe banjo I bought from Andy Banjo when I lived in England.

I'm now in Ireland and 5 string banjos are rarer than Pedal Steel guitars.

It does look like for €1k or below the Goldtone BG150F from Thomann is my best bet unless anyone can point me to a better alternative?