The best banjo uke on the market today?

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guitarjunky

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Can you help me identify which brand offers the best banjo uke?

thanks!
 
Are you interested in production instruments or luthier made? Spanky is making some very nice high end banjo ukes:
http://www.spankyukes.com/
 
I think it could be helpful if you provided a bit more frame of reference for your question.

Do you have a price range in mind? Are you a banjo player looking to transition to ukulele, or a ukulele player looking to add a nice banjo uke to you collection? Would you consider, or possibly prefer vintage?

I don't have enough experience yet to weigh on the merits of different brands, but I can tell you that I am really happy with my Gold Tone Banjo ukulele in concert size (model BUC). Gold tone makes the model that I own in soprano (BUS), concert (BUC), tenor (BUT), and baritone (BUB). They also have a deluxe model (Banjolele-DLX) with a full-size resonator in soprano only.

I have friends that own vintage banjoleles too, and they still play them regularly as well as collecting them.
 
I forgot to mention Waverly Street ukes. Everyone that gets one seems to really like it, and the builder is a member here.

Numereous Vintage companies out there just search banjo ukulele on ebay and there will be quite a few. I am sure a lot of them are pretty nice.

Mike over at Mainland has been working on getting a bonjo uke out for quite some time, I bet it will be real nice since he has been working for a long time tring to find the right uke for his brand. No time frame of arrival yet though.
 
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I cannot comment on all the banjo ukes available (mine is a '28 Gretch, and looks that old) but if you are looking for a great instrument is a work of art, check out the Spanky's ukes. Simply gorgeous resonator woodwork.
 
Sorry I should have put more details...

I am www.ukulelejunky.com and I am a canadian dealer of mid range to high end ukes... I am trying hard to promote uke in Canada and would like to expand the lines of products that I am offering...

So the Banjo uke is one and I will surely also try to find good brands of resonator ukes...

Any help is welcomed!

all the best from Montreal
 
As a dealer it might be best to try and find a production company rather thana luthier. (I would think but I don't know I am not a dealer) Gold Tone seems to have a pretty good production banjo uke. Besides that there are not that many production banjos on the market right now. You might contact one of builders above and see if you canstrick a deal to sell their ukes in you store.

I thought I heard Lanikai or Ohana (or one of the mid ranged companies) were going to make a banjo uke soon. But I really do not know anything about that.

Ohana is developing a Resonator that should be out this year.
 
Morgan Monroe now makes banjos. I have never seen one in person but my wife has a Morgan Monroe Blues 32 guitar and it is a nice looking guitar that sounds pretty good considering the price.
 
thanks for the advices everyone! I am open as well to any suggestion to help me become a better uke dealer... any other speciality ukes I should consider?

thanks
 
guitarjunky said:
Sorry I should have put more details...

I am www.ukulelejunky.com and I am a canadian dealer of mid range to high end ukes... I am trying hard to promote uke in Canada and would like to expand the lines of products that I am offering...

So the Banjo uke is one and I will surely also try to find good brands of resonator ukes...

Any help is welcomed!

all the best from Montreal
Click to expand...

This may be a bit premature but I am working on a deal with a banjo maker here near Toronto to make some banjo ukes. He makes all the wood rings for Bean Sprout at the moment. Keep it Canadian!
 
I love the Banjo Uke. Mine is an old one, but I wouldn't mind getting a new quality one some day. I been thinking about making one out of a Tamborine. If I can find me an old neck, I can rebuilt the neck, and maybe put it on an old tamborine.. Im far from a Luthier, but, restored a few vintage banjos, including my Banjo Uke, so I think I could maybe build my own. If it sounds right, is a totally different story, but it would be fun to do I think..
 
I saw a video on youtube of a guy who made one from a tamborine
 
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Tudorp said:
I love the Banjo Uke. Mine is an old one, but I wouldn't mind getting a new quality one some day. I been thinking about making one out of a Tamborine. If I can find me an old neck, I can rebuilt the neck, and maybe put it on an old tamborine.. Im far from a Luthier, but, restored a few vintage banjos, including my Banjo Uke, so I think I could maybe build my own. If it sounds right, is a totally different story, but it would be fun to do I think..
Click to expand...

Mainland sells ukulele necks - I'm not sure how heel would fit but I'm sure it could be done. You can purchase lag bolts from Stewart MacDonald.

="http://shop.mainlandukuleles.com/...520D8611E1EB8A7AFB.qscstrfrnt01?categoryId=8"
 
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dnewton2 said:
I forgot to mention Waverly Street ukes. Everyone that gets one seems to really like it, and the builder is a member here.

Numereous Vintage companies out there just search banjo ukulele on ebay and there will be quite a few. I am sure a lot of them are pretty nice.

Mike over at Mainland has been working on getting a bonjo uke out for quite some time, I bet it will be real nice since he has been working for a long time tring to find the right uke for his brand. No time frame of arrival yet though.
Click to expand...

I hope to approve a proto-type this month and have them for sale towards the end of the summer.
I hope to price them about $280
 
hoosierhiver said:
I hope to approve a proto-type this month and have them for sale towards the end of the summer.
I hope to price them about $280
Click to expand...
What sizes will the Mainland Banjoleles come in? Will they have open or closed backs?
–Lori
 
hoosierhiver said:
I hope to approve a proto-type this month and have them for sale towards the end of the summer.
I hope to price them about $280
Click to expand...

$280 dollars?!? I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't read it from you Hoosierhiver!

Any idea of a time frame for that uke though? Maybe before christmas? (crossed fingers)
 
dnewton2 said:
I thought I heard Lanikai or Ohana (or one of the mid ranged companies) were going to make a banjo uke soon. But I really do not know anything about that.
Click to expand...

My lms got a Lanaki in. I didn't get to play it, they couldn't find the bridge. It had a resonator and was HEAVY. I'll try it out next time I'm there.
 
That would be nice, I've been looking at that Lanikai. Most of the banjo ukes with resonators are significantly heavier than a standard uke.

I like the looks of the Ashbury banjo ukes, but they're apparently uk-only, although they're made in china.
 
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