"Picking" Your First Banjo

     Howdy! Today many of y’all are going to discover how to purchase your first banjo! Anytime someone thinks of bluegrass music, usually the banjo is one of the first images that pop into one’s mind. One may imagine an Earl Scruggs tune flying off their fingers, themselves playing an old timey spiritual on a porch surrounded by oak trees bearing Spanish moss, or happily picking a banjo outside a cozy mountain retreat. However, before one can join the fun, and become a banjo picker, one must pick a banjo! Therefore, let us get down business, and decide what banjo is best for you.

     First, you must decide what music you desire to play. Banjos come in many varieties. Here are are few of the most common types of banjos.

•        The Plectrum Banjo: This banjo has 4 strings, is tuned to CGDA as a standard tuning, and boasts 22 frets. This type of banjo is played with a single pick, and is used in Dixieland Music; a type of jazz music originating in New Orleans.

Thanks for visiting Blues Bluegrass and Beyond! Popular Dixiland Plectrum banjo. Picture obtained from www.amazon.com

•        The Tenor Banjo: This banjo also has four strings, but has three popular tunings; standard tuning: CGDA, Irish tuning: GDAE, and Chicago tuning: DGBE. This type of banjo is also played with a single pick, and is used almost exclusively in Irish traditional and Celtic music. 

               

Thanks for visiting Blues Bluegrass and Beyond! Popular Irish tenor banjo.  Picture obtained from www.amazon.com

•         The Open Back Banjo: These types of banjos are older than America itself! Originating in West Africa, these banjos were first created by West African tribes. They were made of hollow gourds, animal skin, and straight tree limbs. During the Middle Passage and the Triangle Trade, or the point in which Africans were brought to America as slaves, the instrument took on a new form. A drone string, today, our 5^th string, was added by Scottish musicians to imitate the sound of their native bagpipes. The instrument evolved into the minstrel banjo of the mid-19^th century, and eventually into the instrument we have today. Open back banjos today, basically resemble a modern drum without a back. They also feature fret boards composed of 22 frets. These are 5 stringed instruments, and have multiple tunings, with standard tuning: GDGBD, being most popular. Other popular variants of this tuning, such as Sawmill tuning: GDGCD, are also popular among banjoists. These banjos are played using clawhammer or frailing style; a type of playing that involves rhythmic variable strumming, alternating the use of the thumb and the backs of the finger nails. Slave spirituals, American Civil War era music, and American folk songs are popularly played on open back banjos. Famous open back banjo musicians include Steve Martin, Tony Trischka, Janet Davis, and many others.

Thanks for visiting Blues Bluegrass and Beyond! Popular open back banjo. Picture obtained from www.amazon.com

•         The Resonator Banjo: Resonator Banjos are the most versatile and commonplace banjo available. They were created in the early 1900s, the time in which banjos nearly become extinct in America. At this time in history, the banjo was an oddity only to be found in rural Appalachian, or deep Southern regions of the United States. Suddenly, the resonator banjo was born. The resonator banjo is what sparked the birth of modern banjo music. Musicians such as Earl Scruggs, Dr. Ralph Stanley, Eric Weissberg, and many others promoted the modern recognition of  the banjo. Earl Scruggs, alternatively known as “The Father of the Banjo”, created a new style of banjo picking in the first half of the 20^th century. His three-finger picking style can be heard in songs such as Foggy Mountain Breakdown and The Ballad of Jed Clampett. His revolutionary style of playing involved using the thumb, index finger, and middle finger to play notes with alarming speeds, all while sustaining a recognizable melody. The resonator banjo is different from many banjos due to its tone ring and wooden resonator that amplify its natural sound. Resonator banjos can play softly, or just as loud as an amplified electric guitar. The resonator can also be removed on many models to transform the banjo in to an open back banjo. This type of banjo has 22 frets, and five strings that are tuned to standard tuning: GDGBD. Due to its versatility, this banjo is a staple in bluegrass music, and continues to be used in rock ‘n roll, Southern rock, Celtic music, classical music, some forms of blues, and even techno-music as the musician, Bela Fleck, demonstrates.

Thanks for visiting Blues Bluegrass and Beyond!Popular 5-string resonator banjo. Picture obtained from www.amazon.com

                                         

     Since this blog mainly caters to bluegrass and blues music, I am about to discuss with you which two beginner resonator banjos I feel would be your best investment. The two banjos I would recommend for a beginner banjoist would be either the Oscar Schmidt 0B5 banjo, or the Deering Goodtime 2 banjo. Both, in my opinion, are good quality instruments for the beginning player. As a side note, although these banjos may seem expensive at $400 or more, it is much easier to play a quality beginner instrument, than a poorly made one. I would advise saving money, and waiting to buy a better instrument, than buying a poor quality instrument, sooner. You will thank me later.

     I, myself, am a proud owner of the Oscar Schmidt OB5 resonator banjo. After the initial set-up, or adjustments made to your new instrument by a trained technician, you will find this banjo is easy to learn on, and leaves you ‘pickin’ and grinnin’! Oscar Schmidt is a subsidiary of Washburn. Washburn has a reputation of making quality acoustic instruments, and has been satisfying their customers since 1883. As Oscar Schmidt is owned by Washburn, you can expect a quality and well-made instrument. One detrimental feature about this banjo, however, is the fact that the instrument is bulkier than many of its competitor’s instruments. Here are some of its features:

• 30 bracket cast aluminum tone ring
• Remo banjo head
• Mahogany resonator
• Gloss finish
• Geared 5th string tuner
• Nato neck
• Multi inlay rosewood fret board
• 22 frets
• Chrome Armrest
• Oscar Schmidt offers a lifetime warranty
• Through Oscar Schmidt, the instrument costs $429.90 
• To take a closer look at the OB5, visit Oscar Schmidt's website. 

                       

Thanks for visiting Blues Bluegrass and Beyond! Oscar Schmidt 0B5 Banjo. Picture obtained from www.amazon.com

                                          

     Although I do not own the Deering Goodtime 2 banjo, it is also a very respectable specimen. I personally think this banjo offers a higher level of playability. It is even easier to play than the Oscar Schmidt OB5, lighter in weight, and features a better quality tone ring. However, this banjo is more expensive. While this banjo plays slightly better in the hands of a beginner or pro, it does not feature a glossy finish, armrest, or the extra beautification that you find in the Oscar Schmidt OB5. Here are some of the features found in the Deering Goodtime 2 Banjo. 

Thanks for visiting Blues Bluegrass and Beyond!  Goodtime 2 Banjo. Picture obtained from www.amazon.com

                                       

     

• Blonde Slender Rock Maple Neck
• 22 Pressed In Nickel Silver Frets
• Exotic Wood Bowtie Inlays
• Geared Tuners
• Geared 5th String Tuner
• Sealed Geared Guitar Tuners
• Durable Satin Finish
• Deering Fiddle Shaped Peg head
• 3-ply Violin Grade Goodtime Maple Rim
• 11” Frosted Top High Crown Head
• Steel Tension Hoop
• 16 Bracket Shoes
• 16 Flat Hooks with 9/32” Hex Nuts
• Patented Goodtime Tailpiece
• 2 Piece Flange
• Nickel Plated Armrest
• Nickel Plated Hardware
• Resonator of Blond Maple
•  Black Binding
• Durable Satin Finish
•  $699.00 at Deering.com
• To take a look at the Goodtime 2 visit Deering's website. 

     I personally have played both banjos, and while both instruments have differences, they are both quality instruments. Until next time, happy pickin'! – Tom Kostelac  

 Pictures courtesy of www.amazon.com.