Chad48309 - Posted - 03/12/2008:  19:12:42

Only in the past five years have I really become comfortable enough to listen to and enjoy folk music. I'm sure most people know what it's like being young and not knowing where to go. I've been playing fingerstyle guitar for about the same time, and (not to toot my own horn) am relatively accomplished at it. On a recent trip to Guitar Center, I picked up an MB-100 banjo from Epiphone, tuned it up, and started playing.

Two hours later, I was approached by a sales rep. He said, "Wow, you're pretty good. Two hours ago, you were terrible, but you're not half bad now. You play banjo?" I explained to him that I didn't and that I just looked up the tuning for one in one of their learning books off to my left. I told him that applying the same methods for fingerstyle to the banjo made it pretty easy to pick up.

I don't care for the sound of a resonator banjo. I know it might be blasphemy, but it's just not really the sound I'm looking for. The open-back MB-100 sounded great to me, and sounded exactly like what I was looking for. I know that I could do some modifications to it to amp it up a bit (adjust the tailpiece, action, round off the bridge feet, change of strings, fiberskyn head, etc), but that's not my primary concern.

I tend to think of banjo as a workhorse instrument. The cold Michigan winter wreaks havoc upon all the instruments in my house the minute they go outside. I'm frightened to even transport them from the house, to the garage, to my heated car. Investing a great deal of money (over $200 for me) in any instrument is just a hardship, and would make it impossible for me to comfortably play it on the road. I was wary of the durability of the MB-100.

Does anyone have any knowledge of specific defects I should be aware of in the MB-100? Do they have a tendency to warp, crack, etc? Is there any reason I should not buy this banjo?

Thanks guys. I really admire all of you, and I'm hoping to join in with some knowledge once I get my bearings around here.

Happy pickin'.

EDIT: Also note that I'm going to be playing mostly clawhammer on this banjo. Playing it Scruggs-style would be purely for practice. I figure $150 is a decent price to pay for a beginner banjo.

Sincerely, Chad Sobodash.

Edited by - Chad48309 on 03/12/2008 19:14:27

diarmaid - Posted - 03/13/2008:  06:27:19

hi Chad ive never played one yet, but someone here has reviewed it before...heres a link to the review

http://www.banjohangout.org/w/revie.../m/m/v/7312/

on the menu at the left of the screen theres a review section that you might find useful in helping you choose a banjo...welcome to the banjo hangout

www.banjomafia.com check it out!

grm405 - Posted - 03/13/2008:  12:07:08

"I figure $150 is a decent price to pay for a beginner banjo."

I am afraid you are optimistic. Almost all beginner banjos are about double that, at least any of the recommended ones. There are dozens or even hundreds of banjos sold which are basically the same banjo, made in the same factory, with different names branded on the headstock. Epiphone is one of these branded names. It is no better or worse than any of the others. The important thing is to get one which is defect-free (good luck) and properly adjusted (setup) from the dealer.

I suggest a trip to Elderly Instruments in East Lansing (or is it Lansing now?). You will learn a lot about banjos and Elderly is a great, reputable dealer. I purchased a new Rover RB20 from them 3 years ago at $139 as a travel/camping banjo and it is a uniquely good cheap banjo as a beginner instrument. Its plastic rim also is pretty weatherproof. It also sounds and plays decently. Works as good now as it did 3 years ago. At that time, Elderly had geared 5th string tuners installed as stock, but often it comes with an ungeared tuner, not as good.

Gerry


BanjoSKP

pluckyfingers - Posted - 03/14/2008:  21:50:08

I believe Samick owns the Epiphone brand and like Epiphone, the cheaper Samick banjos are rubbish, but if you go to the higher end of their range they can be quite good bluegrass instruments. Try a banjo from Tangier Sound run by Patrick Costello and his dad in Crisfield. They are offering a Tyler Mountain open back banjo package for less than $200

http://tangiersound.wordpress.com/2...njo-package/

Klondike Waldo - Posted - 03/15/2008:  10:17:53

Epiphone is owned by Gibson, not Samick.

I'll agree with Gerry on the Rover RB 20. We bought three for the school from Banjo.com. One of them came with a friction 5th string peg, but Banjo.com sent a replacement geared peg gratis, which I intstalled. The only problem we've had in 6 months is that two of the 5th string tuner buttons have cracked and have had to be replaced. The buttons are only $0.67 each through Stew Mac, so I've ordered some back ups to have on hand- no big deal. The banjos themselves are a good value, IMHO.

deligo ergo renideo,
Bob Cameron