Best Banjos for Beginners at Sweetwater

Banjos have been an integral part of folk music for over 200 years, playing prominent roles in defining the sounds of Appalachian and mountain music, Irish jigs, ragtime, big band, blues, and early jazz. Since the innovations of such talented musicians as Bobby Thompson, Don Reno, Snuffy Jenkins, Pete Seeger, and Earl Scruggs, bluegrass, old-time, and folk revivals have put the banjo back into the spotlight. With so many genres, cultures, and stylistic permutations, it can take time to figure out where to start when looking to pick up the banjo. From 4-string tenor banjos and 5- and 6-string siblings to open-back and resonator designs to the tonewoods used in the banjo’s construction to so much more, many elements will factor into which instrument you choose and how you play it. Whether you lean more toward Dixieland, the Dubliners, or dynamic, contemporary folk rock, the banjo has been embraced in countless corners of the musical globe. It doesn’t matter if this is your first musical instrument or if you’re just new to the banjo; we’re here to help you find the best beginner banjo so you can get to what you’re after: the music.

Note: At Sweetwater, we know there's no such thing as 'best' when it comes to music gear. Every player and artist has unique tastes, which is what makes selecting gear so fun! The items on this list feature some of our favorite products from top manufacturers to help you start your buying journey! Explore these recommendations and dive into Sweetwater's massive collection of gear on our online store. For personalized picks and expert advice, please contact our knowledgeable Sweetwater Sales Engineers at (800) 222-4700!

Washburn Americana B8-Pack Banjo PackRecording King Dirty 30s Tenor BanjoEpiphone MB-100 First Pick 5-string Open-back BanjoIbanez B200 5-string Resonator BanjoWashburn Americana B7 5-string Open-back Banjo

Want to learn how to buy the best beginner banjo for you? Check out our Beginner Banjo Buying Advice below.

Washburn Americana B8-Pack Banjo Pack

An all-in-one, 5-string starter bundle

With craftsmanship that dates back to the late 19th century, Washburn’s luthiers pull from a rich lineage of banjos, mandolins, guitars, and more — all of which can be felt with their Americana B8-Pack banjo pack. Complete with a gig bag, some picks, an instructional book, and a pitch pipe, this product is a perfect all-arounder for those looking to dive into the 5-string with a penchant for Scruggs-style, 3-finger picking. As a resonator, this banjo is articulate, punchy, and loaded with projection, thanks to its mahogany back, Remo head, and maple bridge. Whether you’re transitioning to the 5-string or a bona fide banjo beginner, Washburn’s Americana B8-Pack is a fantastic place to start, delivering a quality instrument that is rich in heritage and has everything you need to get to pickin’!

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Recording King Dirty 30s Tenor Banjo

Heritage design for rhythmic rondos

With rich beginnings as Montgomery Ward’s house brand in the 1930s, Recording King’s workmanship has been a sought-after piece of American instrument design for nearly 100 years, blending historic design with contemporary considerations for players at every level. The Recording King Dirty 30s tenor banjo harkens back to the turn of the 20th century when these 4-string, open-back instruments were standard among Irish jigs, folk music, early jazz, Dixieland, and more. A C-shaped, satin-finished neck and Remo RK FiberSkyn head provide plenty of room for vintage-style, rhythm-oriented performances. Plus, its all-fifths CGDA tuning makes for a fantastic crossover instrument for mandolin or viola players, delivering heaps of character between its historic stylings, maple neck, and short-scale fingerboard.

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Epiphone MB-100 First Pick 5-string Open-back Banjo

Historic construction meets accommodating sonic output

Since Epiphone founder Epi Stathopoulo’s first patent was for a banjo, it should be no surprise that Epiphone has a rich history of banjo craftsmanship. The Epiphone MB-100 First Pick open-back banjo blends 5-string, bluegrass flexibility with open-back design, augmenting the plucky, rhythmic tones that define 3-finger, Scruggs-style playing. Its body and neck are made with mahogany, a wood known for being light in weight while remaining tonally solid and sonically absorptive — a forgiving quality that many beginners find helpful in solo, practice, and group settings. A premium Remo head and rosewood fingerboard round out the sonic array of the MB-100, resulting in a pickin’ machine that’s lightweight for ideal travel and never short on character.

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Ibanez B200 5-string Resonator Banjo

High-output shredder ethos and Scruggs-style spirit

Ibanez’s rich history of high-caliber stringed instruments predates the current 6-string slingers with the fast-tempo shredders of an earlier era. Ibanez even collaborated on the signature banjo of the legendary Earl Scruggs. As a result, the Ibanez B200 5-string resonator is a banjo designed with the same DNA as the grandfather of bluegrass himself, featuring a Sapele bowl, basswood rim, and rolled-brass tone ring — all culminating in a mixture of powerful, sonorous, and articulate projection. As a testament to Ibanez’s commitment to craft and their deep banjo lineage, the rim, rosewood fingerboard, and headstock are adorned with an ornate, vine-like pattern, providing plenty of panache to complement its Remo head and tremendous sound. Physically and sonically sturdy, the B200 is perfect for those looking to dive right into the signature Scruggs stylings that wrote the book on bluegrass!

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Washburn Americana B7 5-string Open-back Banjo

Premiere playback and more than 100 years of experience

Washburn’s Americana Series of banjos is a masterclass in combining late 19th-century design heritage with contemporary craftsmanship, offering instruments that stay true to their roots. There’s no discrimination against beginners here! The Washburn Americana B7 5-string open-back banjo utilizes mahogany throughout its body, sides, and neck; this makes the B7 lightweight while still providing a solid, consistent tone that’s as sonically forgiving as it is rich. Of course, the open-back design helps, too, as it complements the naturally absorptive qualities of mahogany and the premium Remo head for 3-finger picking and plucking in the Scruggs tradition. Chrome hardware adorns the instrument, and the ebony-tipped maple bridge delivers consistent, clear tones that will make any newcomer feel right at home.

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Beginner Banjo Buying Advice

Even though the oldest banjo can be traced back to the late 18th century, nobody will accuse you of being late to the party. There’s never a bad time to start learning to play any instrument! Whether you’re leaning toward old-time, folk, Irish jigs, bluegrass, Celtic, or any other style, picking up the banjo comes with a few considerations that might factor into your approach. We’re here to help ease the transition and ensure you get the most out of your instrument!

Which Type of Banjo Should You Choose? Tenor, 5-string, or 6-string?Open-back vs. Resonator: What’s Best for You?Banjo Wood Types Compared: Maple, Mahogany, and WalnutBanjo Accessories: Need to Have and Nice to Have

Which Type of Banjo Should You Choose? Tenor, 5-string, or 6-string?

At face value, it may be tempting to think of this question as simply a matter of the number of strings. While this is technically an accurate way to differentiate the three banjo types, each one lends itself to very distinct playing styles, whether that’s about genre, melody, picking, or your role within a band.

Tenor banjos are defined by their 4-string design, shorter neck scale, and the fact that they’re typically played with a guitar-style pick. Historically descended from the nearly extinct plectrum banjo, they lack a drone string, which makes them an excellent option for playing chords and providing rhythmic support. These banjos are often used on ragtime tunes, the jazz of the early 20th century, musical theater, and some forms of Dixieland music. Those familiar with mandolin or viola tuning will find the transition smooth, as tunings used in both instruments are commonplace for the tenor banjo. (The mandolin’s G tuning was popularized by the late Barney McKenna of the Dubliners.)

If names like Earl Scruggs, Pete Seeger, Snuffy Jenkins, or Don Reno mean anything to you, then there’s a good chance that the 5-string banjo will sing your tune. Whether you’re focused on the clawhammer or frailing style of play found in old-time music, or you’ve set your sights on the 3-finger methods pioneered by Scruggs and Jenkins in bluegrass, 5-string banjos are going to be the most common option for the archetypal banjo sound. The presence of the drone string broadly defines the 5-string sound, with a wide array of tunings that include Open G, Double C, Sawmill, and more. Notably, because the fifth string is shorter than the rest, banjos feature what is known as “reentrant tuning,” a technical term that means the pitch of each string doesn’t move from lowest to highest. Despite the seemingly endless number of tuning choices, a 5-string banjo is prevalent in plenty of contemporary works, giving you ample options for sounds from historic to modern.

Even though 6-string banjos are sometimes referred to as “banjo guitars,” they were invented in England by William Temlett in the mid-1800s and marketed as “zither banjos.” Since then, the 6-string banjo has developed many permutations, including a modernized bluegrass banjo that adds a bass string below the drone string of a typical 5-string arrangement. On the other hand, banjo guitars are essentially bluegrass banjo bodies with the neck of a 6-string guitar. While both iterations are commonplace, they lend themselves to very different types of music! In particular, banjo guitars have found homes with the likes of Django Reinhardt, Reverend Gary Davis, Rod Stewart, Joe Satriani, Doc Watson, and more.

Open-back vs. Resonator: What’s Best for You?

Open-back and resonator designs have rich histories in the banjo tradition, but choosing between the two is a matter of dedication to playing style, musical direction, and creative opportunities. As someone new to the instrument, it can’t be overstated how valuable it is to know what you’d like to get out of your banjo-playing experience.

Open-back banjos, as the name suggests, have no rear enclosure. The open back will produce softer sounds, mainly because your clothing absorbs it. This isn’t bad, but if you were interested in playing some Scruggs-style bluegrass, then you might find the reduction in volume, twang, and articulation a setback. With that in mind, this also means that open-back banjos are much more forgiving, adding a degree of flexibility that would be just as welcome to newer players as it would be when playing with a band. The mellow nature of their output makes them a fantastic choice for rhythm and support roles, with clawhammer playing being a common choice — especially in mountain music genres that don’t see banjos competing with other instruments in volume.

Resonator banjos, on the other hand, are a bluegrass player’s typical choice as they produce the bright, twangy character often associated with the style. The presence of the “pot” on the back (the rear enclosure) generates far more projection, resonance, and clarity, making them ideal for fingerpicking and lead roles. Of course, this also means that mistakes are more noticeable, and the pot adds considerable weight. Resonator banjos are often a little pricier due to the increased number of parts and materials used, but that shouldn’t influence your decision. A resonator banjo arguably has much greater flexibility for a new player, especially if you’re unsure where you’ll go with the instrument. They favor using fingerpicks, but it’s hardly an “either/or” decision when comparing picking styles and banjo designs.

Banjo Wood Types Compared: Maple, Mahogany, and Walnut

As stringed instrument players know, the wood type dramatically influences the overall sonic profile. Drummers understand that the woods used in drums have a substantial impact on the resulting character of their sound. With banjos, you’re getting a bit of both worlds, as the rhythmic support they provide — from old-time to bluegrass styles — is integral to their use, regardless of playing style.

Maple is a bright, punchy tonewood, imbuing banjo sounds with plenty of weight, sustain, and dynamic range. Voicings are usually distinctive and articulate. Mahogany sits on the other end of the spectrum. Known for being the softest tropical tonewood, it’s lighter and much more absorbent. While this doesn’t mean “muddy,” its natural compression characteristics are a bit more forgiving for beginners as they remain warm in tone with less sensitive dynamics. Walnut sits right in the middle of the two — but not in a compromising way. When used correctly, walnut delivers the depth and force characteristics of mahogany but keeps the shimmering clarity of the uppers typically attributed to maple. Given its range, debate abounds over why walnut isn’t widely used. Still, a typical response would suggest that heritage is king, as many legends fall to the maple or mahogany sides. With walnut being historically less common, this situation becomes a “chicken and egg” problem, but what matters the most is the sound you seek. Walnut’s flexibility is fantastic, but the crisp articulation of maple and the warmer depths of mahogany each have a place in the pantheon of banjo performances.

Banjo Accessories: Need to Have and Nice to Have 

Like any instrument, your banjo will benefit from plenty of extra gear and must-haves along the way. When it comes to strings, no single answer will satisfy everyone. Apart from the obvious choice of ensuring that the pack of strings you buy matches the number of strings on your banjo, the two most common considerations are string gauge and string materials. We’ll walk through some critical considerations, but it’s just as significant to keep in mind that much of the character and sound of a banjo is found in its construction, materials, tonewoods, and, of course, you, the player.

Deciding on the string gauge will be a matter of preference combined with picking style and musical taste. If that sounds like a cop-out, what mean is that, like tonewoods, different gauges are conducive to different types of playing. Lighter gauge strings are more forgiving on the fingers, especially for new players adjusting to the pressure needed to play various chords or fingering methods. They also have the benefit of being generally brighter while putting less strain on the neck of your instrument. Conversely, this can make the strings more prone to breaking, and while they offer clarity, they lack depth. If you want to play a rhythm-driven supporting role or plan on hanging around the lower registers, then light gauges might work against you.

Heavier gauges yield more robust, powerful tones than their lighter counterparts. They carry their weight in each note — sonorous and solid — which is great for live performances. The greater volume comes naturally and means that microphones don’t need to be turned up as loud, which reduces the likelihood of feedback. Players often agree that heavier gauge strings let them dig into each note — a point of flexibility in voicing not as easily afforded to lighter gauges. While their warmth and heft can serve many purposes, it does prevent them from sounding as crisp in the upper registers. That isn’t to say they aren’t articulate, but they’re structurally predisposed to be “darker” overall.

Note: Some banjos are designed for lighter gauge strings and may be subject to damage from the higher tensions required by heavier gauges.

What about the coating and composition of the strings? The most common are nickel-plated steel, stainless steel, and phosphor bronze. If you’re looking for consistently bright, smooth tones, then nickel-plated steel strings are the ticket. Stainless steel, by comparison, is just as articulate, but it is a bit more balanced and doesn’t lean too exclusively bright. They have incredibly high corrosion resistance, making them an excellent all-arounder with plenty of range. On a 5-string banjo, you typically find phosphor bronze used on the wound string, with warmth and heft that is perfect for anchoring its tonal qualities.

When it comes to coating, you’re primarily paying for preservation. Polymer coatings help to reduce corrosion further, extending the lifespan and reducing the frequency with which strings need to be changed. An age-old debate among most players of stringed instruments is whether or not the coating affects the tone. To our knowledge, the jury is still out on this one. Again, with so many design, construction, and playing factors influencing your banjo’s overall output, it’s essential to find what’s most comfortable to you and conducive to your playing — sonically and physically.

Because banjo tunings can vary across different styles, genres, and string counts, having an easily accessible tuner is essential — especially if you’re exploring other playing techniques. While picks tend to be another point of personal preference, we have it on good authority from our resident banjo experts that those interested in 3-finger, Scruggs-style playing should use metal finger picks to accompany the thumb pick. Capos are another great accessory, but your mileage will vary. Some tunings are less conducive for using capos than others, and for 5-string players, the shortened length of the fifth string can pose a challenge for effectively using a capo. Of course, challenges foster creativity, so maybe that’s just what you’d like! Tenor and 6-string banjo players will likely receive the benefits of using a capo more often than 5-string players will.

You’ll also want to invest in some educational materials. YouTube videos and free online content can be helpful, but we recommend a structured course, like the Earl Scruggs and the 5-String Banjo Method Book by Hal Leonard, to turbo-charge your banjo skills!

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Shop Banjos at Sweetwater Today!

So, what are you waiting for? There’s never been a better time to buy your first banjo. Shop for the best beginner banjos at Sweetwater, and, as always, you can reach out to your Sales Engineer at (800) 222-4700 if you have any questions or need help!

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