Best cheapo banjo on Amazon?

[Aaron Smith]

I have been through several cheap banjos, and they were all absolute junk. The big issue is that they all had a single coordinator rod, which made action adjustments all but impossible without causing a bunch of other problems. Don't bother with cheap banjos.

I would start with a Deering Goodtime. Goldtone also makes some decent instruments... their absolute cheapest are still kinda junky, but their mid-priced ones are actually quite nice.

[Cone Head]

Originally Posted by Aaron Smith

Don't bother with cheap banjos.

This is very good advice.

Unfortunately there does not seem to be such a thing as a decent "budget" banjo, unless you want to look at something like a 1950s/60s Harmony Reso-Tone (they sound surprisingly good, considering they are made of what appears to be Bakelite).
You can find them in the $150-$250 range depending on condition.

I have a Lyon & Healy from the 1890s (!) which wasn't much more expensive, but required some additional work to get it playing. It's great for older, pre-bluegrass styles.

You definitely need a resonator to play bluegrass, but there's no reason why you can't play clawhammer on a resonator banjo, in fact many of the greats did just that.

[Psalad]

Interesting perspectives... really appreciate all the info...

I wonder if we mean different things when we think about a decent entry level instrument. I had a $300 seagull S6 that I played for years, and thought it sounded very good, plays well, and is a terrific entry level instrument. I would never hesitate to suggest someone buy one.

Same thing with my $500 epiphone Masterbilt... solid instrument for not a lot of money.

I really like my $2k Taylor, but I would never recommend it to someone who is just starting out on guitar. There is not $1700 of difference for a beginner. For a seasoned player, sure.

So really... maybe we just have different perspectives?

I still haven't decided but I appreciate all the input so far and am taking it all in.

[Cone Head]

Originally Posted by Psalad

maybe we just have different perspectives?

Earlier, you wrote:

Originally Posted by Psalad

With an acoustic guitar, the difference between a $200 guitar and a $500 guitar can be quite noticeable.
---
With a banjo, I haven't noticed those differences.. at least, not as much.

I don't think these differences would have been very readily apparent to me either, until I had spent a few months playing banjo.

Unless you're shopping for a child, I would recommend avoiding the "starter" category entirely and get a decent intermediate instrument right away.

There's just no reason to subject yourself to the frustration of cheap hardware and poor workmanship on a banjo - it can be a frustrating enough instrument without these things.

If finances truly necessitate keeping your budget low, you'll be able to buy a much better instrument if you shop for a used banjo rather than the examples in those amazon links.

[BoneDigger]

Get the Deering Goodtime...

Todd

[cyclistbrian]

Originally Posted by Psalad

Interesting perspectives... really appreciate all the info...

I wonder if we mean different things when we think about a decent entry level instrument. I had a $300 seagull S6 that I played for years, and thought it sounded very good, plays well, and is a terrific entry level instrument. I would never hesitate to suggest someone buy one.

Same thing with my $500 epiphone Masterbilt... solid instrument for not a lot of money.

I really like my $2k Taylor, but I would never recommend it to someone who is just starting out on guitar. There is not $1700 of difference for a beginner. For a seasoned player, sure.

So really... maybe we just have different perspectives?

I still haven't decided but I appreciate all the input so far and am taking it all in.

No. This is what we're trying to explain. You can get a decent starter guitar on a low budget. You cannot get a good cheap banjo. That $150 banjo is the equivalent of one of the really nasty unplayable guitars you can still find new for $49.00 at various places like Walmart.

[mc1]

Originally Posted by Psalad

...
I still haven't decided but I appreciate all the input so far and am taking it all in.

...and cut to the scene where psalad buys a $3k banjo.

[Psalad]

Originally Posted by mc1

...and cut to the scene where psalad buys a $3k banjo.

NOOOOOOOO!!!!

I'm too cheap for that.

[Fire&Rain]

Originally Posted by cyclistbrian

No. This is what we're trying to explain. You can get a decent starter guitar on a low budget. You cannot get a good cheap banjo. That $150 banjo is the equivalent of one of the really nasty unplayable guitars you can still find new for $49.00 at various places like Walmart.

^^^^^^This!
If you end up buying a $150 banjo anyway, don't come back here and whine. You have been warned...

[Psalad]

Originally Posted by Fire&Rain

^^^^^^This! If you end up buying a $150 banjo anyway don't come back here on AGF and whine...

You kidding me? If I were to come back after buying a cheap I would have one of two response.

1. Yes, you are all RIGHT and cheap banjos suck.

2. You are all wrong and cheap banjos are OK.

[mc1]

Originally Posted by Psalad

You kidding me? If I were to come back after buying a cheap I would have one of two response.

1. Yes, you are all RIGHT and cheap banjos suck.

2. You are all wrong and cheap banjos are OK.

3. cheap banjos are a mixture of suckage and okness. i can live with it, but it would be nice if it were a little bit higher quality in a few ways. still, pretty good for the money.

[dhalbert]

A new Deering Goodtime is $399 mail-order, before coupons or whatever. I looked at the "sold" listings on eBay and there seem to be quite a few sold for $200-$300.

Deering just came out with the "Goodtime Americana" series, which is larger in diameter and has a distinctly different voice. There are demos on YouTube.

But I don't play the banjo.