MandoPaul - Posted - 08/26/2009:  09:18:10

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Hi folks,currently a mandolin player but have an uncontrolable urge to play banjo.Could anyone give me advice on a decent starter kit?As a mando player i would always recomend people to spend a bit more than the most basic price so you have something you can enjoy for years but at the same time i am not up for spending thousands!Advice please.

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Edited by - gottasmilealot on 08/27/2009 07:02:39

richmondgeorge - Posted - 08/26/2009:  09:24:37

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Deering Goodtime or a used deering sierra

Bill Rogers - Posted - 08/26/2009:  09:58:54

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There are a couple of Gold Stars in the Classifieds for under $800. That'd be the way to go, IMO.

Bill

banjophysics - Posted - 08/26/2009:  10:10:02

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My first was a Morgan Monroe, but after not too long I bought a Deering. I think I agree with richmondgeorge on the Sierra. It's a little more money, but that buys a lot of banjo.

Tank772 - Posted - 08/26/2009:  10:16:55

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The first question I have is what's your price range? "The best you can afford" is generally the most often given advice here. A used Gold Tone CC-100R can be had for half the price of a Goodtime (Which is an open-back when resonator banjos are in general the choice for bluegrass). Epiphone MB-250's are really good, have a tone-ring, and can be found for good prices, $600 new and around $400 used. Washburn has one out that's not too pricey, about $700, the B-16 I think. The Gold Tones are good solid banjos. They have a tone-hoop, truss rod (The Goodtime line doesn't), dual co-ord rods instead of just one, a bunch lighter than some other banjos, the ability to remove the resonator if you decide to change the sound for clawhammer or oldtime or just cause, and great customer service as well as a good sound.

Parker

GHohwald - Posted - 08/26/2009:  10:33:38

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I believe that every banjo distributor has certain price points in which they offer better value. For banjos up to $800 or $900 I would recommend Gold Tone for a few reasons:

1. Each banjo is opened when it arrives from overseas and inspected and set up. So you encounter very few problems.

2. Any of the banjos above $400 have a double coordinator rod system that typically is only found on banjos listing over $1000 foreign or $3000 American. This provides incredible stability and sound transmission even on the lower priced banjos.

3. Wayne Rogers the owner of the company can be reached by phone if you have any questions or problems.

Like many companies the service and personnel are very important to consider when buying a product.

quote:

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Originally posted by MandoPaul

Hi folks,currently a mandolin player but have an uncontrolable urge to play banjo.Could anyone give me advice on a decent starter kit?As a mando player i would always recomend people to spend a bit more than the most basic price so you have something you can enjoy for years but at the same time i am not up for spending thousands!Advice please.

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Geoff Hohwald
http://www.freebanjovideos.com
http://www.5dollarbanjolessons.com

Big Smokey - Posted - 08/26/2009:  10:56:18

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I am an intermediate player just about to move up to an better banjo when I can afford it. I started out on a Recording King RK-20 which has been a great banjo for the money. It has been a great banjo to learn on and all in all I have around $400 into it. I think that everyone would agree that a good set-up is big part of the playing enjoyment equation. If you buy an inexpensive import, make sure you buy from a dealer who will take the time to inspect and set up the Banjo.

http://www.bigsmokey.com

philbywan - Posted - 08/26/2009:  11:14:10

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if you get a goodtime, definitely get one with a resonator. That will take you a long way. If you don't want to step all the way up to a Deering Sierra the Deering Boston is an excellent choice

"this guy probably thinks a laptop is some new kind of banjo..." - Colson Whitehead

spoonfed - Posted - 08/26/2009:  11:38:30

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Hi MandoPaul, you dont say where you are in blighty, there are a couple of decent dealers around but reccomending one to you is entirely dependant on your location. "Where you at man?"

spoonfed

Bizdoc - Posted - 08/26/2009:  15:41:51

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Paul:

I've had several banjos in the past few years, still currently have 3, and the one I have found that I play every day is, as someone else mentioned, a Gold Tone CC100R+

It's light, has a tone hoop, planetary tuners, understated, but nice hardware and has a good sound.

Learning the Banjo isn''t a race, so slow down and enjoy the ride.

2006 Gibson - Earl Scruggs Standard
2009 Gold Tone CC100R Plus

2tone - Posted - 08/26/2009:  16:35:02

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The Gold Tone is hard to beat for the money. MHO

kyblugrass - Posted - 08/26/2009:  16:39:03

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I have a CC100R+ and love it. However, you will soon grow out of it and want one with a little more punch, which means a tone ring instead of a tone hoop. If you want to keep the price below $400, then def go with the CC100R+.

Scott
“You Can Hang a Sign on a Pig Saying It''s a Horse...But It’s Still Just a Pig.”

stanrabb - Posted - 08/26/2009:  16:51:05

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Hey Bizdoc - Just curious - but do you actually prefer the Gold Tone to the Gibson?

"I've had several banjos in the past few years, still currently have 3, and the one I have found that I play every day is, as someone else mentioned, a Gold Tone CC100R+

It's light, has a tone hoop, planetary tuners, understated, but nice hardware and has a good sound.

Learning the Banjo isn''t a race, so slow down and enjoy the ride."

2006 Gibson - Earl Scruggs Standard
2009 Gold Tone CC100R Plus

bandzo - Posted - 08/26/2009:  23:19:01

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I went through same research project 2 months ago and CC100R+ was the best for the € spent.
GHohwald etc listed some really good points why CC-100R + (Cripple Creek Plus) is a good deal and hard to beat.

[i]"...you will soon grow out of it"[i/]!? I think it's called vanity ;)



- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - *
Banjo picking is like golf, once you are hooked, you are hooked for life.
Bang Bang...

Mr Sean - Posted - 08/27/2009:  01:54:11

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Hi Paul,

like bandzo I too have gone through this process recently. After reading many reviews and listening to sound clips on YouTube I plumped for the Recording King RK20 at just over US$400. I have not been disappointed. The banjo feels, plays and sounds like an intermediate banjo rather than a beginner one, even though the price is low. I'm from N. Ireland but have been in New Zealand for 3 yrs now. NZ and NI share the same problem in regard to quality banjos in most music shops - they don't exist (must be a law, I think). Every 5 string banjo I have ever tried in an Irish or New Zealand music store felt cheap and sounded tinny. In the end I took the risk and ordered my RK20 from the States (thanks Banjo Hut) and had it sent to a US relative who posted it to NZ. Banjo Hut would have sent it by UPS direct to NZ, but that would have cost more. Also I could have bought the same model in NZ from an Auckland importer, but it would have cost twice the price I paid! I'm not a cheapskate, but why choose to pay over the odds when you don't have to?

Yes the RK20 is made in China. But don't let that make you think poor quality (my Playstation 3 and ipod Touch were also made in China). The instrument is head and shoulders above any BSO (banjo shaped object) that I had tried out in a UK or Irish music shop - this feels and plays like a proper banjo even if I am still a newbie trying to master the forward-reverse roll. I like to think that the quality has something to do with Greg Rich's association with Recording King. He was head of Gibson's custom shop in a previous life and if you stick around the Banjo Hangout you'll bump into him at some point. So what makes the RK20 lower priced than others? It has a rolled brass tone ring rather than a cast one and has one coordinator rod rather than two.

I'm led to believe that the Morgan Monroe MNB1 is essentially the same instrument as the RK20. They share the same price range/components and its hard to spot the difference in a side by side photo comparison (headstock and armrest decoration differ). Good luck with your choice, its not easy deciding, especially if you have to order something from the U.S. site unseen so to speak. But for my 2 cents worth the Recording King RK20 is a great intermediate banjo at a beginner banjo price.

Sean.

Helix - Posted - 08/27/2009:  02:52:31

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After reading many other reviews, I invite you to read the Helix reviews.

My advantage is that I play bluegrass, frailing and clawhammer interchangeably, so when I build, I get to use that player's insight.
I use a resonator, but some of us on the hangout use a magnetic mount, really slick.

I am finishing a Mahogany rim and neck with Mahogany resonator, this banjo will compete with the others mentioned above, and compete in spades = $777.00

Three hours later, a small boon is that your shoulder doesn't fall off, lighter weight. .

Ask how much the others weigh, ask why. Ask me, and I'll share what I've learned.

As a player, you probably realize you have specs., what things you want, what you don't want.

What I don't want for you is to become frustrated with too little banjo out of the box. You have lots of buying power with this economy, please research why you don't have to buy an imported factory banjo that doesn't come with a setup.

Made in Arizona.





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MandoPaul - Posted - 08/27/2009:  03:53:24

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Cheers folks,plenty of advice for me to mull over,i am in Birmingham so will pop to hobgoblin soon and take a look,also hoping to attend the last couple of bluegrass festivals for the season over the next month and will be doing plenty of banjo chat inbetween picking my mandolin(which is a chinese made eastman and i love it so have no qualms looking down those avenues).Please keep the advice coming,i will not be rushing into purchasing just yet.
Paul

Shodon - Posted - 08/27/2009:  05:29:29

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Though I'm new to playing the banjo, I've played guitar on and off for over 40 yrs so, here's the thought process I used when I purchased my first banjo. First find your favorite sounding banjo music style and really listen to what you're hearing to determine what it is about the particular banjo sound that captures you interests. Second research all you can about the particular banjo (s) used for the music. Look at wood types and sound ring designs to help see what gives the music the blend you really like. Find as many banjos with similar materials and features as you can and see what you can work into you budget.. And lastly buy the best you can possible acquire with all the funds you can put together that fulfills you wants and taste.

With musical instruments I say buy the best you can afford to acquire. If you buy a poor or cheap instrument you'll NEVER be happy with it or be able to get the sound you want and it will do nothing but hold you back and give you disappointment. Buy the absolute best you can! !!! You may never reach the instrument's potential, however, the instrument will never be what holds you back.


"Even though I have a Black Belt in the Martial Arts my banjo always kicks my butt"

buckbybanjoboy - Posted - 08/27/2009:  06:52:31

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Hi Paul
Birmingham Hobgoblin will certainly set you off on your trail for a decent starter banjo, but, at least consider Eagle Music in Huddersfield, or Andy Banjo in Faversham, Kent. They are both a fair distance from you, but both have good web sites, so you can compare prices, and if you can visit ,they both stock a vast range and you can always have a play before you buy.
Welcome to the `hangout, you`ll make a lot of friends here and get lots of good advice.
Regards
Peter V.

I`d rather be playing`grass than cutting grass.

david64 - Posted - 08/27/2009:  17:40:08

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For the money I would suggest you check out the BanjoHuts website and listen to their Mastercraft Maple model. Darn good sound for the bucks!

david64 - Posted - 08/27/2009:  17:42:27

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Here's the link.....

http://www.banjohut.com/mastercraft...ss_natu1.htm

goldtopia - Posted - 08/28/2009:  07:03:32

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They are all good suggestions. It depends what style you want to play and how much you are prepared to pay for a banjo. I live in Bournemouth on the south coast and have a Gold Tone for sale www.bluegrassminstrels.co.uk you can see it on my website, though I might let it go for a bit less. A good starter banjo of reasonable quality is, as suggested, is a Deering Goodtime or a Gold Tone. You need to decide first if you want to be a frailer or a three finger picker. This makes a considerable difference on the type of banjo to buy. Listen to a few uTube banjo players, this will give you a good idea of what you want to do.

Bill.O

saphine - Posted - 08/31/2009:  13:30:13

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Hi, I bought my Golt Tone OB250+ from Andy Banjo, he shipped t up to Inverness and I have loved it since first clapped eyes on it. Yeah it's kinda heavy but it sounds great and I'm never gonna be standing for hours playing. His service is second to none.


Be who you are and happy, life''s a party, go and have some fun.

BANJO TONY - Posted - 08/31/2009:  16:26:00

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can you get Sullivan banjos on the other side of the pond,there great from the jam series all the way up.

Bizdoc - Posted - 09/01/2009:  18:28:10

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quote:

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Originally posted by stanrabb

Hey Bizdoc - Just curious - but do you actually prefer the Gold Tone to the Gibson?

"I've had several banjos in the past few years, still currently have 3, and the one I have found that I play every day is, as someone else mentioned, a Gold Tone CC100R+

It's light, has a tone hoop, planetary tuners, understated, but nice hardware and has a good sound.

Learning the Banjo isn''t a race, so slow down and enjoy the ride."

2006 Gibson - Earl Scruggs Standard
2009 Gold Tone CC100R Plus

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sorry to take so long, I wasn't paying attention to the posts. I do play my gold tone daily and the Gibson only occasionally. I really like my gibson and will keep it for a lifetime, it has the tone I have been after since I started to play, but it doesn't take long for it to hurt my shoulder. The gold tone however, while not that deep sound of the gibson, still has a good sound, and it is light enough that I can play it as long as I like. I guess I look at the Gibson, and I play the Gold Tone CC100R+. I'm not afraid that I'll mark up the gold tone (since it costs much less than the Gibson), it's light, which means I can play it as long as I like, has a good sound, and has an understated yet good look about it. I have railroad spikes in the Gold Tone so I can play songs that require the fifth string at an A. I dont have the courage to change the gibson, I've got too much invested in it to blemish it. Which is a lesson in its self, If your going to be afraid to play it, don't buy it.

Learning the Banjo isn''t a race, so slow down and enjoy the ride.

2006 Gibson - Earl Scruggs Standard
2009 Gold Tone CC100R Plus