Are you trying to find banjos among various brands on the market but aren’t sure where to begin? To assist you in finding the right one, we’ve put together a list of the 7 best to help you pick the perfect one!
We investigated and evaluated a number of the top-selling banjos on the market in order to create our list of the best. Making a decision among the many options available is never simple. There are an infinite number of models available, each with a distinct price. And as you’ll find out, the best options aren’t usually the ones you imagine! This comparison is rich and relevant because of the numerous factors that were employed. You will find products featured in this ranking not only based on their pricing but also on their features and other customers reviews. To write this review, we completed 19 hours of research and did 96 banjos tests. You won’t need to pick products at random any more. If you’re unsure of what to look for, browse our list and consult the buying guide!
An overview of our top picks
Table of contents
The best banjos you can buy today
- Traditional style: This 5-string banjo is perfect for any style of play with its guitar-style headstock and neck combined with a tambourine shaped body. Whether you’re playing mellow country tunes, folk, bluegrass, clawhammer-style, even rock, you’ll get a great response and sound from this right-handed banjo.
- Remo head: This banjo kit is flawlessly designed with a Remo head, made by the world-renown Remo drum company. The crisp white, frosted head delivers bright sound and clarity. The head is secured with 24 chrome-plated brackets and resting on the Remo head is a beautiful 5/8" maple/ebony bridge for superior string vibration transfer.
- High-quality craftsmanship: Ashthorpe's banjo features a mahogany neck and purpleheart fretboard with finely manicured, smooth seated frets. The body is crafted from mahogany with a high-gloss finish. The closed-back resonator can be easily removed, allowing this banjo to be played open back. Designed with a 5-ply maple and mahogany shell, a 5-ply maple rim, 15:1 ratio geared tuners with high-quality tuning pegs, an adjustable hinged tailpiece, and chrome-plated armrest.
- Geared 5th tuner and adjustable truss rod: This 5-string banjo also includes a geared 5th string tuner, typically found on more expensive banjos. The geared 5th tuner is an upgrade over the common friction tuner, providing more accurate tuning and less slippage. The adjustable truss rod allows you to adjust the neck, ensuring it remains straight.
- Banjo bundle kit includes: This banjo is safely stored inside a 15mm premium fabric padded “gig bag” guitar case with pocket, carry handle, and shoulder strap. Extra strings, a polishing cloth, and three celluloid picks are also included.
- ✔️REMO DRUM HEAD It uses high-quality Remo drum head as Banjo panel that can produce a sweet tone. You can also gently beat the head to fusion different timbres in your melodies.
- ✔️ADJUSTABLE STRING HEIGHT It equips a truss rod that can adjust the string height, so that you will feel comfortable and perform fluently.
- ✔️DURABLE MATERIAL Mahogany neck, sides and back have beautiful wood grain, hard and not liable to warp or corrode, making the banjo durable.
- ✔️SMOOTH DECENT TOUCH It has a fine bright paint, glossy and smooth, giving you a comfortable playing experience.
- ✔️ECONOMICAL KIT Coming with bag, guitar Tuner, Strap, Pick up, Strings, Picks, you can get these accessories which is suited to beginner one-off at a cost-effective price.
- ♪ Bright and Percussive Sound - The drumhead of Mulucky mini banjo is made of polyester that has great elasticity to respond quickly.
- ♪ Easy to Learn - The 28-inch banjo with 5 strings offers a distinctive sound that most players can easily grasp. And the chrome-plated closed tuning pegs are easy to tune and hold
- ♪ Beautiful Sound - 5 string banjo mini with geared 5th tuner brings the classic tones, 12 brackets ensure even head panel tension to fusion melodious percussion timbres by gently beating on the head
- ♪ Complete Beginner Kit - 1 x Pick-up, 1 x Strap, 1 x Ruler, 1 x Wrench, 1 x Cleaning Cloth, 3 x Picks, 3 x Finger Picks, 5 x Spare Strings
- ♪ Warranty Service - We are a professional banjo supplier, committed to the spirit of music and supplying competitive instruments. If you have any dissatisfaction with this banjo, please contact us for a full refund or a replacement banjo
- Remo Drumhead 5 String Banjo- the drumhead of Donner banjo is from the professional drumhead supplier - Remo, contributing to a warm, full and clear tone. You can tap the head lightly to create different melodies while playing.
- Quality Material Banjolele- Mahogany neck, sides and back have beautiful wood grain, hard and not liable to warp or corrode, making the banjo durable.
- 24 Bracket Banjo- Donner Banjo's 24 high-quality Brackets stabilize the drumhead, resulting in a crisp sound.
- High Gloss Finish - Donner banjo uses a fine bright paint for a shiny texture and a smooth touch, giving you a comfortable playing experience.
- Full size Banjo Kit for Beginners -All accessories, including banjo picks, gig bag, tunner, ruler and truss rod, are suitable for banjo Beginner.
- ♫【HIGH-QUALITY REMO DRUM HEAD】Selected banjo panel will produce a sweet tone, ensuring clarity sound. Proper bridge setting can stay stable when fast fingerpicking
- ♫【SUPERIOR MATERIAL】Black walnut fingerboard and bridge, sturdy and stable, make the sound more layered. Sapele sides and back have beautiful wood grain, hard and not liable to warp or corrode, making the banjo durable
- ♫【ECONOMICAL KIT WITH FREE LESSONS】Our pack is constucted with bag, digital tuner(battery not included), strap, strings, picks, hanger and clearing cloth. You can get these accessories which is suited to beginner one-off at a cost-effective price. Meanwhile, you will also enjoy extra one-month lesson by contactng us when the item arrive
- ♫【GEARED 5TH TUNER】It is important for both tuning and playability, bringing you the classic tones and perfect for country, folk, bluegrass and even some modern rock. And it is an important upgrade over the common friction tuner
- ♫【THICKENED BAG for BETTER PROTECTING】An thicker bag will protect the banjo better, making it a great idea to take for traveling, camping, hiking, going to the beach. And also perfect for anyone who has always wanted to learn to play this iconic instrument
- Includes padded gig bag: Included with this 5-string banjo is a deluxe 15mm padded gig bag for secure carrying and storage. In addition, this guitar case is designed with a front pocket, backpack shoulder straps, and a carrying handle.
- Premium craftsmanship: Crafted from the finest woods, with a 5-ply maple and mahogany shell, mahogany neck, closed back mahogany resonator, as well as a purpleheart fretboard, this beautiful 5-string banjo from Jameson is exceptional.
- High-quality design: Jameson's banjo features a Remo Weatherking drum head, a 5/8-inch maple ebony bridge, a chrome plated armrest, an adjustable tailpiece, and truss rod. Also, designed with a removable resonator allowing you to play the banjo both open and closed back.
- Geared 5th tuner: As a 5-string banjo, this model features a 5th geared tuner side peg. This is a beneficial enhancement over the more typical friction tuners, allowing for better control of your instrument’s sound.
- Beautiful tone: The design behind this banjo and the chosen materials enable it to produce an eloquent, rich tone. It offers distinctive and beautiful sound characteristics, perfect for playing bluegrass, clawhammer, folk, country, and rock tunes.
- Durable Material: PHL fingerboard and maple bridge, sturdy and stable, make the sound of banjo more layered; Sapele sides and back have beautiful wood grain, hard and not liable to warp or corrode, making our 5 string banjo durable
- Great Sound: Superior okoume neck , quality Alice steel strings deliver a more punchy sound. 12 durable chrome-plated brackets ensure even head panel tension to fusion melodious percussion timbres by gently beating on the head.
- Excellent tuner: With battery,it is easy to tune. Important for both tuning and playability, brings you the classic tones and perfect for country, folk, bluegrass and even some modern rock.
- Full accessaries: The tenor 5 string banjo kit includes gig bag,digital tuner, extra string,strap, pick-up,transparent ruler,bridge, mental picks. Get beginner kits one-off at a cost-effective price.
- Warranty Service: We provides 90-day warranty for the banjo and lifetime string replacement. If there is any problem with the 5 string banjo, please feel free to contact us and we will solve the problem ASAP.
- ♪ Remo Head: This open back banjo kit is flawlessly designed with a Remo head, made by the world-renown Remo drum company. The professional retro imitation animal skin; warm and retro tone, delicate, transparent, with moderate overtones. The head is secured with 24 chrome-plated brackets and resting on the Remo head is a beautiful 5/8" maple/ebony bridge for superior string vibration transfer.
- ♪ Sound - The open back produces a more mellow, softer sound, and since the sound chamber rests against the player, some of the sounds are absorbed into his clothing and the player’s body, which lowers the banjo’s volume
- ♪ Adjustable Bracket - 24 brackets ensure even head panel tension to fusion melodious percussion timbres by gently beating on the head, It can be adjusted according to the sound you want
- ♪ Geared 5th Tuner and Adjustable Truss rod: This 5-string banjo also includes a geared 5th string tuner, typically found on more expensive banjos. The geared 5th tuner is an upgrade over the common friction tuner, providing more accurate tuning and less slippage. The adjustable truss rod allows you to adjust the neck, ensuring it remains straight
- ♪ Mulucky Banjo Kit: The 5 string banjo kit comes with a full-size banjo x1, spare strings set x1, tuner x1, tuning wrench x2, fingerpick x4, strap x1, cleaning cloth x1, and gig bag x1, ruler x 1. We are a professional banjo supplier, If you have any questions about this banjo, please contact us
- 1. The drum head of Kmise banjolele made of polyester with great elasticity has a quick response. Equipped with superior Aquila String from Italy and high quality closed geared tuners, this banjolele can not only produce a bright and percussive tone but also be in an accurate intonation and stay in tune well.
- 2. Compared with other banjoleles, Kmise banjolele with action 3mm at the 12th fret is very comfortable for beginners to learn because players do not need to press too hard with such a low action. Preset with truss rod inside the neck, players can adjust the action with the wrench as needed. Smooth fretboard and neat fret wires also offer comfortable touch and protect hands from being scratched.
- 3. Multifunctional strap with an adjustable length from 45.6'' to 66.1'' can release the pressure of the banjolele and set hands free to play. The strap equips with two hooks can allow players not to drill a hole on the banjolele but fasten the hook on the metal frame and tie the leather belt on either headstock or strap lock.
- 4. Kmise banjolele has various playing methods. It can be in a traditional resonator style or an open back style by detaching its back. Traditional resonator style produces a mellower, softer sound while the open back style has a brighter sound. The package also comes with a piezo pickup that can connect the recording equipment for stage performance, which makes Kmise banjolele a super playable and multifunctional musical instrument.
- 5. Kmise responsible for every item we sold and do our best to offer the best shopping experience, feel free to contact us once your product has any problem.
- COMPLETE BANJO SET: Pyle brings you an all-in-one banjo set, everything you need to start playing. Comes w/ a gig bag, digital tuner, spare strings, 3 finger picks, cleaning cloth, detachable shoulder strap w/ hanger & wrench (to adjust the brackets)
- PROFESSIONAL FULL SIZE : 38.6” instrument features a tunable 5-string banjo with 24 brackets and 22 frets, equipped with a classic traditional style binding design. Features a coated and polished rich wood finish with chrome-plated hardware/accents
- HEAVY DUTY HARDWARE: This complete all-in-one standard acoustic banjo starter kit is equipped with a geared 5th string tuner and high quality remo drum head. It is handcrafted from sapele hardwood
- ADJUSTABLE TRUSS ROD: Features adjustable truss rod & pearl color tuner pegs w/ additional 5th geared tuner side-peg. Adjust the truss rod can balance the tension caused by strings/climate change, set up perfect string height to meet different needs
- SAPELE WOOD: Features a rich and polished Sapele wood resonator, high-density man-made wood fingerboard, and remo milky skin banjo top, it is designed to sound as good as it looks. Includes maplewood bridge stand and truss rod adjustment tool
- Frets--18pcs copper fretwire-exquisite material,resistance to abrasion and embroider,good sound.
- Tuners--Chrome Geared Closed Tuning Pegs can make sure strings and tones stable.
- Fretboard--Rosewood fingerboard-hard material,corrosion resistance,comfortable touch.
- Strings--Pre-strung with Premium Aquila String Made In Italy,guarantee of quality.
- Special Design Dots--it is unique that with flower shape abalone dots.very beautiful.
- ♪【Portable Size】 - The 23 inch banjolele is perfect for musical travel. Lightweight, suitable for parties, courses, etc. The mini banjo is easy to use, very suitable for beginners, and economical
- ♪ 【Polyester Drum Skin】 - The drumskin of Mulucky banjolele is made of polyester that has great elasticity to respond quickly, equipped with premium Aquila strings from Italy and a high-quality closed-gear tuner, this banjo not only delivers bright, punchy sound but is a well-tuned and well-kept.
- ♪ 【Comfort in Hand】- The 3mm motion at the 12th fret is very comfortable when pressed. Adjusting the truss rod can better balance the tension caused by the strings or climate change, and set the perfect string height to meet different needs
- ♪ 【Premium Sapele】- The Sapele xylophone body with beautiful wood grain is hard, not easy to warp or corrode, making the banjo durable. The anti-corrosion chrome-plated pegs can stand the test of time, and the 15:1 transmission ratio ensures string pitch
- ♪ 【Warranty Service】 - We are a professional banjo uke supplier, committed to the spirit of music and supplying competitive instruments. If you have any dissatisfaction with this banjolele, please contact us for a full refund or a replacement it
- ♫ The Kmise 5 string banjo uses a high-quality drumhead that can produce a pleasant sound. The player can beat the drumhead panel when plucking the string to come percussion with a beautiful melody
- ♫ The lacquered removable back cover makes the entire banjo more advanced and beautiful. Just open the gorgeous sapele back cover to get a cleaner sound; with the resonator the sound is fuller.
- ♫ This banjo has a polished chrome installed armrest to provide comfort while playing.The sturdy, padded nylon gig bag holds the instrument security, allowing you to take your beloved banjo with you on trips
- ♫ The okoume wood neck and sapele wood back combine to produce a beautiful and very distinct tone characteristic as well as looking great.
- ♫ Comes with storage bag, banjo shoulder strap, extra strings, digital clip-on tuner, polishing cloth,allen wrench to adjust truss rod if needed,and quality metal finger picks.If you have any question about your banjo,please contact kmise for a quick resolution.
- 【Open Back Design】This banjo ukulele is AKLOT first banjolele, opened back with deep rim pump the sound forward toward your audience, which makes the banjo sounds bright.
- 【Remo Fiberskyn Drumhead】This banjolele has a warm, round tone and described as “plunky” or with an Appalachian mountain kind of sound.
- 【Advanced Tuner Machine】Employed 15:1 geared tuner to make sure you can tune your banjolele more accurate and keep in tune.
- 【Adjustable Action】Two-way truss rod allows you customize your own action, Carefully sanded frets with low hard maple fingerboard, makes you play this banjolele comfortably.
- 【Package Included】This banjolele package comes with a 2-year warranty, any problem with your banjo ukulele just feel free contact us, we guarantee you a perfect solution
- ♪ Remo Head: This banjo kit is flawlessly designed with a Remo head, made by the world-renown Remo drum company. The crisp white, frosted head delivers bright sound and clarity. The head is secured with 24 chrome-plated brackets
- ♪ Traditional Style: This 5-string banjo is perfect for any style of play with its guitar-style headstock and neck combined with a tambourine-shaped body. Whether you’re playing mellow country tunes, folk, bluegrass, clawhammer-style, even rock, you’ll get a great response and sound from this right-handed banjo
- ♪ High-Quality Craftsmanship: Mulucky's banjo features a maple neck and hardwood fretboard with finely manicured, smooth seated frets. The body is crafted from maple with a high-gloss finish. The closed-back resonator can be easily removed, allowing this banjo to be played open back. Designed with a 5-ply maple and mahogany shell, a 5-ply maple rim, 15:1 ratio geared tuners with high-quality tuning pegs, an adjustable hinged tailpiece, and chrome-plated armrest.
- ♪ Geared 5th Tuner and Adjustable Truss Rod: This 5-string banjo also includes a geared 5th string tuner, typically found on more expensive banjos. The geared 5th tuner is an upgrade over the common friction tuner, providing more accurate tuning and less slippage. The adjustable truss rod allows you to adjust the neck, ensuring it remains straight.
- ♪ Mulucky Banjo Kit: The 5 string banjo kit comes with a full-size banjo x1, spare strings set x1, tuner x1, tuning wrench x2, fingerpick x1, strap x1, cleaning cloth x1, and gig bag x1. We are a professional banjo supplier, If you have any questions about this banjo, please contact us
- 🪕FABULOUS SOUND: The bridge of 5 string banjo is made of maple, which has a more stable structure and makes the tone more layered. The tuner knob adopts the fully enclosed design for better airtightness and a better locking sound effect.
- 🪕FANTASTIC HAND-FEELING: The two ends of the cupronickel fret of banjo kit for beginners adopt a special chamfering and grinding process, which makes the line smoother and the touch smoother. This banjo has no requirements on the user's experience and place of use.
- 🪕PREMIUM MATERIAL: Made of high-quality imitation sheepskin, this top can withstand the temperature and humidity changes in different climates, which better maintains the tightness of the piano skin and emit a warmer and rounder sound.
- 🪕PRETTERY APPEARANCE: This banjo strings 5 string set is composed of a premium mahogany neck and a Sapele body with a natural grain that is beautiful. The design of the headstock not only is elegant and noble but also the arc is smooth and integrated with its body.
- 🪕EASY TO CARR: With dual adjustable shoulder straps and extra handles, this portable bag with padding supports you to carry as a backpack using the shoulder straps or take it directly in your hand with the side handle, protecting the instrument from unexpected scratches.
- PREMIUM QUALITY - The rich wood and high-gloss finish are accented with white jade machine head tuner key pegs and chrome-plated hardware. Crafted with mahogany neck, back, and side, plus a rosewood fingerboard and Maple Wood bridge
- FABULOUS TONE - Brings you all the classic tones of a traditional 5 string banjo. Perfect for country, folk, bluegrass, and even some modern rock. It's designed to sound as good as it looks
- GEARED 5TH TUNER - Important for both tuning and playability. A premium feature usually found only on more expensive banjos this geared 5th tuner is an important upgrade over the common friction tuner
- LIGHTWEIGHT - Full scale & lightweight ideal for traveling, camping, hiking, taking to the beach. Whether you are pro, a weekend warrior, a hobbyist or a beginner: Start playing your favorite songs right away
- CLASSIC TRADITIONAL STYLE - Styled after the innovative models of the early 20th century, these new/old banjos are true players that exude undeniably providing a vibrant singing banjo tone in any situation
- Advanced Tuner: Closed gear tuning pegs,contains oil, so it would not rust so easy.Finer and more stable tuning also ensures the banjo ukulele has the best intonation and stays in tune longer.
- No Hand Scratching: Neatly fret wire + smoothly fingerboard , comfortably to play with the banjo ukulele
- Lower Action: Press easily,no buzzing,best for beginner to banjo ukulele practicing
- Bone Nut & Saddle: Well wear-resistance,perfectly vibration transmission,make the banjo ukulele has a full sound
- Two Styles Available:it can not only be a resonator type but also an open back type by detaching its back. Resonator type produces a mellower, softer sound while the open back type more bright
- 11″ Frosted Top High Crown Head
- Blonde Slender Rock Maple Neck
- 3-ply Violin Grade Goodtime Maple Rim
- 22 Pressed In Nickel Silver Frets
- Includes a Gig bag
- Composite rim open back
- Zero-glide nut system
- Includes Gig Bag
- Gold Tone 12-point set-up
How to choose a good banjos
Does the idea of finding a fantastic banjos make you anxious? When it comes to purchasing this product, specifically when deciding which model to select, has your head been spinning between options? You are not alone if that is the case. We are aware of the pressure involved in the purchasing process!
Your presence here indicates that you are interested in banjos. Before choosing which product would be the best for your needs after being inundated with information, locate a reliable source with genuine selections. You can get that information from a variety of sources, including buying guides and rating websites, word-of-mouth recommendations from friends and family, online discussion forums where users can share their own experiences, product reviews that can be found all over the internet, and YouTube channels. You can only get the right product through exhaustive analysis. But you realize that’s not always simple. In order to ease your concerns, we have taken the time to develop a list of the top banjos products available right now. You might be wondering how we came up with the list. How was this buying guide developed?
First, we used our algorithms to gather as much reliable data as we could about these products. To verify all the data gathered, we used both artificial intelligence and a lot of algorithms.
Then, our experts used criteria that are recognized in the business to evaluate them according to their quality to price ratio, allowing us to choose the top banjos on the market right now!
The selection of the goods is not arbitrary. Before creating a list, we take into account a number of factors. Below are some of the criteria discussed:
Brand Value: What happens if you choose a dubious brand just because it appears to be a good deal? So the likelihood of receiving a product with a short shelf life increases. That is due to the fact that well-known brands have a reputation to uphold, while others do not. Top banjos brands strive to provide some distinctive traits that set them apart from the competition. So, hopefully one or more of the items on our list will be perfect for you.
Features: Useful features are all you need, not tons of them. We consider the important aspects and select the top banjos based on those.
Specifications: Numbers always help you measure the quality of a product in a quantitative way. We try to find products with higher specifications, but with the right balance.
Quality: A product’s quality may always be quantified with the aid of numbers. We look for goods with better standards that strike the proper balance. The best quality product that gets highly appreciated and recommended by experienced users.
Customer ratings: Would it be accurate to suggest that the banjos were used by hundreds of customers before you? Superior ratings indicate that many customers had better service.
Customer Reviews: Like ratings, provide you with accurate and reliable information about the product from genuine customers. Customer ratings are very important to all of us because they contain accurate and reliable information about the customer service we received from several hundred customers.
Seller Rank: This is very intriguing! Not only do you need a good banjos, you also need a product with rising sales that is trendy. It accomplishes two goals. First, the expanding user base proves the quality of the product. Second, given that number, producers must be able to offer greater quality and after-sales support.
Value: You get what you pay for, they say, so consider the value. Cheap isn’t always good and expensive isn’t always bad. However, that does not imply that spending a lot of money on a product that is flashy but underwhelming is a good idea. Before adding them to the list, we make an effort to evaluate how much value you can get for your money from your banjos.
Durability: Durability and reliability are closely related concepts. You will benefit from a strong and long-lasting banjos for months and years to come.
Product availability: Products come and go, and new ones replace the old ones. Most likely, a few new features and required changes were made. What use is it to use a supposedly good product if the maker no longer supports it? We make an effort to highlight products that are current and offered by one or more trustworthy sellers, if not more.
Negative Reviews: Yes, we do take that into account as well! The goods with the majority of bad reviews are filtered out and disregarded when we choose the best-rated one on the market.
These are the standards by which we selected our banjos. Do we end our process there? Hell no. The most crucial fact about us that you should be aware of is that we regularly update our website with current and pertinent information. We have one more layer of filtration since we place the greatest importance on reader satisfaction. Please let us know if any product included here is incorrect, irrelevant, subpar, or simply out of date. We always value your opinions, and we’ll work hard to make any necessary corrections to our list in response to them.
Why should you believe us?
There are now thousands of possibilities for these products on Amazon, but choosing the best one can be difficult and time-consuming. And what banjos should you purchase in 2022?
This guide is the result of more than 10 years of experience in researching, testing and writing about many topics. Each member of our team is an authority in their area. We read every article we could find online and every consumer review on every retail website for seven hours. Additionally, we discovered a ton of websites that offered helpful resources, including buying tips and thorough information on banjos.
