Carlo Robelli B1G 6 String Banjo

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 Carlo Robelli B1G 6 String Banjo is a unique instrument that has the body and sound of a banjo, but has six strings like a guitar. The tuning and the size of the strings is just like a guitar, so this is made for the guitar player who wants a banjo sound but doesn't know how to play a standard five string banjo. The build of the instrument isn't the best, but for what I want to do with it, it gets the job done.

UTILIZATION

Playing the Carlo Robelli B1G 6 String Banjo is pretty easy overall, as I find that I can play up and down the neck with ease. Reaching the top notes isn't an issue, but I generally will play chords on the lower part of the neck. The instrument is pretty heavy as the resonator adds a lot of weight to it, as is the case with most banjos. While I wouldn't say that the neck of the instrument has the nicest feel out there, but it is certainly more than playable.

SOUNDS

The sound of the Carlo Robelli B1G 6 String Banjo is certainly that of a banjo. While I could probably tell the difference between the sound of this and a real banjo, it would be pretty close. I've used this for recording on numerous occasions, as well as for a few live shows. It has a sound that will cut through a mix very well, but since I'm not an expert with 'git-jos', I don't know how this would stack up in terms of tone to other models in this price range. However, I can say for sure that if you're a guitar player looking for a six string banjo to get basic banjo tones without having to learn the instrument, this will certainly do the trick.

OVERALL OPINION

I really haven't seen too many Carlo Robelli B1G 6 String Banjos out there other than the one that I own. It wasn't the type of instrument that I sought out either, I saw it in a store and really liked playing it. However, mine now needs to be fixed up in terms of the intonation. I'm not sure that this would be a common problem with these, but mine does need some work. All in all, I'd encourage those interested in getting a six string banjo to check out this one, but also to check out others out there, as getting your hands on one of these would most likely be pretty difficult.