Banjos

The Dean Guitars Backwoods 6 String Banjo, or git-jo as it's known, is a unique instrument that combines that sound of a banjo with the make up of a guitar. This isn't the highest quality 6 string banjo out there that I've played, as to me this is a pretty cheap instrument. Not too many companies make 6 string banjos, but I've got a custom Carlo Robelli at home that I like a good deal more than this one. I don't know where this instrument is manufactured, but I'm sure it's overseas somewhere. It's strictly an acoustic instrument, so it's doesn't have any electronics. UTILIZATION The overall feel of the Dean Guitars Backwoods 6 String Banjo isn't the best in my opinion. It's playable, but for me the action didn't feel great and it wasn't the easiest instrument to play overall. It's got the same make up as a guitar, so it's a nice way for guitarists to get the sound of a banjo without having to actually learn how to play one, but I'm just not a big fan of the playability on this one... SOUNDS The Dean Guitars Backwoods 6 String Banjo certainly sounds like a real banjo, just not the best sounding banjo in the world. Most will certainly mistake this for a true 5 string banjo, but again I don't think it's the best sounding quality wise. There's not much that can be done to change that either, as you pretty much get what you get with this. It is pretty cheap so I guess I can't do too much complaining, but as far as 6 string banjos go, it's definitely toward the bottom of the list in terms of sound quality amongst the few that I've played. OVERALL OPINION While the Dean Guitars Backwoods 6 String Banjo is a super cheap way to get into the world of git-jos, banj-itars, or whichever name suits your fancy, I do think that they could have done better with this one. I've only just played the instrument a few times, but it's enough to know that it's not an instrument I'd recommend getting. I'd do a bit more research as there's other 6 string banjos out there that shouldn't cost too much more and will be of a much higher quality...

I tried one of these a couple of times during my search for the ideal, practical tenor banjo. This was a much more refined instrument than its competition, the Deering Goodtime tenor (which lacks either a trussrod or a fingerboard, frets are set directly into the neck.) The Gretsch impressed me throughly. The short scale and small pot are comfortable, and the instrument is lightweight, very nicely balanced, and significantly loud for a compact open-back. Nice crisp tone. Fit and finish is very good, it feels and looks like the quality the name implies. The pricetag, new at L&M was about a grand Cdn$ which I felt a little rich for my blood at the time. I ended up with neither the Gretsch nor the Deering, instead I eventually settled on a larger, heavier, longer scale and LOUDER old Ludwig. Nice instrument but I still regret not getting the Gretsch, which promptly went out of production. So I’m looking for a used one; there are a few around.

This six-string banjo (known by some folks as a "gitjo") is made by Carlo Robelli. I guess it's essentially a banjo for guitar players. While I don't think playing regular banjo is all that difficult to learn, it's nice to have something that's strung like a guitar and can easily be played. The extra strings and ability to hit more notes doesn't hurt either. This is a totally acoustic instrument and I'm not sure a pickup can be easily added. It's pretty cheap and isn't the finest made instrument in the world but it's nice to mess around with. UTILIZATION Playing this thing is actually pretty easy. I sound much better at banjo than I really am when I play this. Sure the banjo itself isn't the best sounding instrument in the world but it's easy enough to play. It's very light and easily fits into small banjo cases. The top notes are harder to hit but they're still doable. Overall it plays really well and can be transported easily. SOUNDS This is definitely, as I said, not the best sounding instrument ever, however, I do have a soft spot for it as it's really got a good feel to it, and it's great for guitar players. Plus, i'm not really a huge stickler for banjo sounds, and I rarely if ever need to play one on a session (or live). So it works well enough for me, and as long as you aren't trying to sound too professional with it, it'll most likely work for you too. Don't rule it out for recording or live playing though, because it can sound good for those, just not immaculate. OVERALL OPINION I feel like this is definitely worth it for the price. It's really cheap and it's definitely a worthy investment. It's great for guys who really just want to mess around and get down on some banjo without having to learn it all that much. Again, it's not perfect but it should be fine for the beginners. I have seen nicer versions of this but this one is certainly no joke. Good buy.

The Hondo Banjo II is a basic 5 string banjo, the year of which it was made I do not know. A producer who I'm an assistant to has this banjo at his home studio where I've played around with it a bit but have yet to record anything with it. I'm not the best banjo player in the world by a long shot as I've only recently began to dabble with it a bit. I don't really know what kinds of materials this is made of, but it's not an acoustic/electric banjo so there are no pick ups or electronics. UTILIZATION The overall feel of the Hondo Banjo II is pretty good. It's not the smoothest playing banjo that I've encountered, but isn't hard to play by any stretch of the imagination. Of course half the battle with me and banjos is learning how to play it properly, but I find that learning on this one is pretty easy and not restrictive at all... SOUNDS The overall sound of the Hondo Banjo II is nice a vibrant with a sound that will definitely stick out. It might not be the most professional sounding banjo out there, but for my purposes with playing it, it sounds just fine. There's not much you can down with the timbre beyond manipulating it with your playing, as is the case with all strictly acoustic banjos. As I said earlier, I've yet to record with it so I can't say how the sound would translate for this application. OVERALL OPINION I don't think it's too easy to get your hands on a Hondo Banjo II, and while it's a pretty nice playing and sounding banjo, it's not one for the ages and it's not like you can't easily replace it with another similar banjo. I'm not sure what kind of price this would command used, but it's probably not much as Hondo isn't exactly a brand name. It's definitely a nice little banjo if you can get one on the cheap, otherwise it's probably not worth it...

The Hohner HB100 is a standard size banjo with five strings and a resonating body. It is not an acoustic/electric, so there are no pick ups or setting controls on this instrument. The Hohner HB100 also has a very cool overall look to it with an awesome inlay pattern on the neck. UTILIZATION The neck of the Hohner HB100 banjo is easy to play on and is overall pretty fluid feeling. It is easy to play all around the neck including the highest notes and it has a pretty average weight. If anything it is a little lighter than most other banjos that I have played. Getting a good sound from the Hohner HB100 is pretty easy if you know how to play and it works great for all applications including recording, shows, and practicing. SOUNDS I use the Hohner HB100 for recording rock, pop, and folk music if I want to give it a little bit of a country or bluegrass edge. However, it is definitely suitable for any type of music that you would want to use a banjo with as the sound of it is pretty standard as far as banjos go. While I have certainly heard better banjos, in this price range there aren't too many other banjos that sound as good as this one. OVERALL OPINION I've been using the Hohner HB100 banjo for about two years and it has become one of my favorite banjos to record with because it is extremely easy to play and has a nice sound to it. This was the most I could spend for a banjo and I feel I've definitely got my moneys worth. The price is very reasonable for a nice banjo like this one, and Hohner is definitely a company that I trust. This is a must try for those looking for banjo in this price range.