Aye up, folks. I am currently bereft of banjo. My choice. I'm guitaring and warbling mostly. But I have the itch again. I'm not going to spend much at all. In short, I've been looking at Ozark 2109G and Barnes & Mullins (Albert), Ashbury 25. Sure I could spend more, but I'm not going to. This would be for home use .. mainly, with an occasional excursion out on jam sessions. I have learned a bit (Thanks, to Dan the Clawhammer man - I can drop and double thumbs in ma sleep) but I'm a guitarist / singer most of all.
Thanks for paying attention. Any ideas would be welcome.
Cheers
Malcolm
Most any banjo will do what you want it to do. Find one that is inexpensive but doesn't sound too tinny and will stay in tune, at least to some extent.
I learned on a $70 import banjo, no tone ring, tinny sound, but I did learn and did play for myself but wasn't good enough at that time to jam. I enjoyed that little inexpensive banjo and I did learn a lot.
Sounds like you’re not in a panic so my suggestion is to keep an eye on the local classifieds and when something pops up within close range so you’re not adding too much petrol onto the price of the banjo you can pull the trigger.
Make sure it’s a five string banjo. A lot of four string ones out there.
Check out shopgoodwill.com
Lots of cheap old banjos to choose from and shipping is usually pretty cheap too
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Originally posted by cevantCheck out shopgoodwill.com
Lots of cheap old banjos to choose from and shipping is usually pretty cheap too
There's a good looking Gumby that will auction off in less than 24 hours.
I would order the used Recording King RKOH-06 from Guitar Center online. Shipping is about $20 plus tax. It's the 18 hook model with a Fiberskyn head. They're light and take mods well. I had one a while back.
Edited by - ancient tones on 06/07/2026 03:25:19
Depends on what 'cheap' means to you but there a plenty of banjos under £200 on ebay (buy it now price) and low bids on Auction. Quality variable but commensurate with price, perhaps
Cheers, folks. Update: after a fruitless search for a 'competitively priced' used banjo (that would be delivered), and after some failed bargaining (with a shop) for a used Ashbury AB 25, I saw a new Ozark 2109 for £300. More than I wanted to go, but it was the cheapest new price for that banjo in the YooKay. Seemed to have reasonable reviews, so I nibbled the bullet. Hopefully I will happy with it when it arrives from NI (Norn Iron).
quote:
Originally posted by cevantCheck out shopgoodwill.com
Lots of cheap old banjos to choose from and shipping is usually pretty cheap too
Goodwill is not found in the UK
The Ozark and Ashbury are essentially the same banjo. Another one of the same is the Pilgrim Jubilee which I saw somewhere under £300 very recently. the Ashbury on Ebay with renaissance head and nylon strings isn't a bad option. I think these are decent but not great. I have the Pilgrim. If you can wait for a Goldtone AC12 to come back into stock in Europe it's a really good cheap option.
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Originally posted by A Scot in OtleyCheers, folks. Update: after a fruitless search for a 'competitively priced' used banjo (that would be delivered), and after some failed bargaining (with a shop) for a used Ashbury AB 25, I saw a new Ozark 2109 for £300. More than I wanted to go, but it was the cheapest new price for that banjo in the YooKay. Seemed to have reasonable reviews, so I nibbled the bullet. Hopefully I will happy with it when it arrives from NI (Norn Iron).
Missed this reply. I was going to post the cheaper Pilgrim Jubilee https://reverb.com/uk/item/10679016-pilgrim-jubilee-5-string-open-back-banjo
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Originally posted by GrahamHawkerquote:
Originally posted by A Scot in OtleyCheers, folks. Update: after a fruitless search for a 'competitively priced' used banjo (that would be delivered), and after some failed bargaining (with a shop) for a used Ashbury AB 25, I saw a new Ozark 2109 for £300. More than I wanted to go, but it was the cheapest new price for that banjo in the YooKay. Seemed to have reasonable reviews, so I nibbled the bullet. Hopefully I will happy with it when it arrives from NI (Norn Iron).
Missed this reply. I was going to post the cheaper Pilgrim Jubilee https://reverb.com/uk/item/10679016-pilgrim-jubilee-5-string-open-back-banjo
Cheers, Graham. I must have missed that, or the price has recently dropped. I would have taken a punt on that at that price - well I'd have made an offer on that. Hey ho. I'll be happy with what I've got provided it's all okay. I'll bung new Eagle Medium strings on it and wallop in a couple of spikes under the 5th string. Once I've given it a few weeks thrashing, I'll report back on it for the benefit of others who might be thinking of getting one.
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Originally posted by A Scot in OtleyCheers, Graham. I must have missed that, or the price has recently dropped. I would have taken a punt on that at that price - well I'd have made an offer on that. Hey ho. I'll be happy with what I've got provided it's all okay. I'll bung new Eagle Medium strings on it and wallop in a couple of spikes under the 5th string. Once I've given it a few weeks thrashing, I'll report back on it for the benefit of others who might be thinking of getting one.
You may already know this but you'll more than likely findt it strung incorrectly, so don't follow the way it comes with the strings going through the holes and under the tailpiece. Instead on the right way with strings over the tailpiece top and down through the notches.
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Originally posted by GrahamHawkerGoodwill is not found in the UK
And attention to where a member is posting from is not found on the Hangout.
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Originally posted by A Scot in OtleyI saw a new Ozark 2109 for £300. ...Seemed to have reasonable reviews, so I nibbled the bullet.
Good for you. I was going to say that all three choices looked to be adequate for the purposes you described. They seemed more or less equivalent to Gold Tone CC-50 or maybe CC-100 or a Recording King Dirty Thirties. Better than the Epiphone MB-100. The Gold Tones and Epi were available at Thomann UK.
Anyway, each one had things to like. I might have preferred the maple banjo with 24 hooks (vs 18 of the other 2). But the one you chose is fine for playing at home and sometimes jamming.
Take note of Graham's advice that the banjo will probably arrive with the Waverly tailpiece strung incorrectly.
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Originally posted by Old Hickoryquote:
Originally posted by A Scot in OtleyI saw a new Ozark 2109 for £300. ...Seemed to have reasonable reviews, so I nibbled the bullet.
Good for you. I was going to say that all three choices looked to be adequate for the purposes you described. They seemed more or less equivalent to Gold Tone CC-50 or maybe CC-100 or a Recording King Dirty Thirties. Better than the Epiphone MB-100. The Gold Tones and Epi were available at Thomann UK.
Anyway, each one had things to like. I might have preferred the maple banjo with 24 hooks (vs 18 of the other 2). But the one you chose is fine for playing at home and sometimes jamming.
Take note of Graham's advice that the banjo will probably arrive with the Waverly tailpiece strung incorrectly.
Just for info, according to the images, the one I've bought (Ozark 2109) has the 24 hooks.
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