Bit the Bullet!

Hello All,

     Over the past 37 years, I've played alto, tenor, and baritone sax at different times in high school, church, and  jazz bands.  Throughout that time, I've also dabbled in a little bit of guitar and piano, just for fun.  For quite some time, I've considered learning to play the banjo, but for various reasons, I never jumped into it until recently.

     I've spent the past few weeks researching banjos, terminology, reviews, manufacturer websites, and goodness knows how many music stores, online stores, eBay and Craigslist listings, as well as just about any other place that had any information about banjos.  I was happy to find a wealth of information on what's out there, what people like/recommend for a beginner, and how much I should plan to spend.

     It was a little confusing at first, until the terminology became clear, and I finally realized what I wanted in a banjo.  Basically, I've been looking for a manufacturer with a great reputation, whose instrument would be easy for a beginner to play, yet still be good enough to keep as I progressed in my playing skills.  I took most reviews with a grain of salt, unless they overwhelmingly leaned in one direction or another, and I carefully weighed the experiences and skill levels of each reviewer, in order to determine how significant his review was to my selection criteria.

     In the end, the overwhelming "winner" in my search was the Deering Goodtime 2 banjo, with resonator.  It's made in the U.S.A., by a company with 30 years of experience, built rock-solid, has a great warranty, and it just looks and sounds great.  So, I ordered mine earlier this afternoon, and will be counting the days until it arrives next week.  Until then, I'm scouring the Internet for online video lessons, chord charts, tab layouts, and just about anything else I can study until it arrives.

     My wife asked me, "Can't you find a hobby that doesn't cost a bunch of money?"  My reply, "Nope."  Grin.

OP