Learning how to play the banjo is a considerably great achievement that will enable you to enjoy its unique sound while playing your favorite sounds. One of the first decisions you have to make is deciding the best beginner banjo that you will purchase to learn with.

Knowing where to start is an issue that be wilds all banjo beginners and for a good reason. Many banjo brands in the market seemingly offer the best chance for beginners and they can overwhelm you when you are in the market for your first banjo.

In this article, we provide a guide for a first time banjo buyer.

The number of strings

The number of strings in a banjo depend on the type of music you are interested in playing. Some banjos have up to 12 strings but for beginners the lower the number of strings the easier it is to learn.

A 6-string banjo is one of the best to start with because it is tuned in the same way as a standard guitar. It can also be played in the same way as the guitar making it an easy one to start learning the banjo with. If you already know how to play and tune the guitar then this banjo will make your process very easy to learn.

There are banjos with 4 and 5 strings as well and they tend to be more popular with more traditional music and they come in different lengths of scale.

Open or resonator back

Banjos come with either an open or a resonator back which is the wooden bowl that creates the movement of air in the inside part of the banjo head to project sound waves on the outside. The main different between these 2 is the volume where the resonator ones are louder.

Therefore, the type of music they are associated with is the main difference. The open back banjos are mainly used in old-time folk style of music that has tunes that are simple and mostly played by the rural folk. On the other hand, the resonator banjos have louder and more steep tones that are favored for playing the bluegrass type of music which can be played alongside other complimentary instruments such as guitars and mandolins. In short, your choice of banjo will be determined by the type of music you want to play.

Tuners

These are the mechanisms by which the strings are tightened or loosened to ensure that they produce the best sound. The quality of tuners is what separates good banjos and poor ones. You should try the tuners before purchasing by testing whether they move smoothly. You should ensure that you are satisfied with the quality being offered to ensure that they do not break off once you begin using them.

Conclusion

The most important thing when looking for the best beginner banjo is seeking help and advice from banjo players of lovers who have been there and already have the knowledge. Listening to the advice they give is likely to be based on their own experiences and by listening to it you can avoid the pitfalls that many beginners make.