Good banjo for around $200

I got mt Dean Backwoods 3 Banjo in the mail the day before yesterday and thought I'd share my story. For a long time, I've wanted a banjolele, but getting a decent one looked like about a $400 endeavor. I purchased a banjo pack from Muscian's Friend; it was supposed to include a gig bag, a pitch pipe nd a strap, but the website stiffed me. It's a used banjo in mint condition, and the pack ran $207 plus $15 tax. In addition ,I bought banjo picks and Janet Evan's wonderful You Can Teach Yourself Banjo.

The wood on the resonator, neck and fingerboard is much nicer than I expected for this price range, and the chrome is shiny. The peg on the fifth string was so loose that I couldn't even tune it to a G, but I fixed that with a screwdriver. It wasn't hard to get in tune.

The first thing I noticed when I started playing it was the pure volume it put out. With the picks, it's louder than an acoustic guitar, and afteran hour of play, I had a headache.The strings are okay. I know there are better banjos out there, but the sound is lovely. Within a few hours, I could play a few rolls at a decent speed, and I'm looking forward to applying what I've learned to the ukulele using the thumb roll.

So this item on the Musician's Friend website is actually used????

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/folk-traditional-instruments/dean-backwoods-3-banjo

Sounds like you're happy with it anyway. Enjoy.

Jim B

If you purchased the item in "mint" condition then you should have received everthing included in the description of the banjo pack - everything. Otherwise Musician's Friend would not give the rating "mint." So call their customer service. I'm sure they will provide you with everthing you should have received.

I got on the phone with them, and they're sending a gig bag, a strap and a stand, which wasn't in the package (I think), but was in the photo.

Just to restate, I've played dozens of musical instruments onstage and at home, from the piano to the vibraphones to the lion's roar, and I've never come across a music book as instructive as Janet Evans's You Can Teach Yourself Banjo. I've learned in just a few days a lot of goodies I want to transfer to the ukulele and the guitar.

Banjo's are outrageously loud esp if you use the metal picks!!

Personally out of all the fretted stringed instruments I think the Banjo is hardest... That top G is mind bender and the finger picks make you feel like Freddie from Friday 13th series!!!

Good luck with your Banjoventure

Will look into that book as it sounds a winner!

I eventually gave up on the picks. They're too loud, and it's much easier playing with my fingers. I think it's much easier than the guitar, which I've never felt particularly good at. I mean, I have taught guitar lessons in the past (only to other beginners, lol), but on the banjo, there are only a few basic rolls, and once you get all of them, there are so many possibilities open to you. The banjo's also good for left-hand techniques like the hammer on, hammer off and slide. It reminds me a lot of playing the drum set.

First time poster, long time reader.

Im a little late to the game on this thread but thought i'd chime in with some info for you or anyone else that is considering getting a Banjo.

1st thing that you'd want to look at when getting a "good" banjo would be whether or not it has a tone ring or not. The tone ring is a piece that sits between the head and the wood rim. Most entry levels dont have this but you can find mid range banjos with a tone ring for around $300 - $400

2nd thing are the brackets. The more brackets on the head the more evenly distributed the tension on the banjo head. This means you'll get better tone out of a 30 bracket than an 18 bracket.

3rd. Do some research on woods and their tonal qualities. Are you looking for your tone to be warmer? brighter? snappy? quick decay?. Different woods will give you different things.

and 4th. Like almost all instruments, not to worry about the aesthetics. What really matters is that it feels good, plays good, and sounds good to you.

Not sure if any of this will help or if im beating a dead horse. But hopefully it will help.

Thanks for your input. I'll keep that in mind if I ever want an intermediate banjo.

For me, the banjo is crosstraining. While I love the sound the banjo makes, I mostly want to adapt a new approach to music to the ukulele. For instance, clawhammer is considered an intermediate skill on the ukulele, but a beginning skill on the banjo. I've already incorporated slides, hammer-ons and hammer-offs into my ukulele playing, and I'm excited about what I'm learning.

How about Janet Davis' You can Teach Yourself Banjo?