Buying Guide | Banjo
Open-back or resonator, five strings or four, and what is worth spending, from the people who set them up in Mildura.
By the team at The SoundTrap, Mildura | Updated October 2026 | ~7 min read
The short answer For most first-time players, a five-string banjo. If you mostly want to play at home, folk, old-time or clawhammer style, an open-back is lighter and mellower, and the J.Reynolds JBJ185 at $399 is where we would start you. If bluegrass with finger picks is the goal, get a resonator: the J.Reynolds JBJ305 at $519.
Why banjo is a better first instrument than people think
A five-string banjo is usually tuned to an open G chord. Strum the open strings and you are already playing something that sounds right. Add a couple of simple shapes and you have the three chords that carry most folk and bluegrass songs. That early win matters. The short fifth string, the one that starts partway up the neck, is the drone that gives the banjo its sound, and you will be using it from the first week.
Open-back or resonator? (The decision that matters)
| Open-back | Resonator | |
|---|---|---|
| Sound | Warmer, rounder, quieter | Louder, brighter, projects forward |
| Weight | Lighter | Heavier, the wooden back plate adds weight |
| Played | Clawhammer and frailing with bare fingers, old-time, folk song accompaniment | Three-finger Scruggs style with picks, bluegrass, playing with a band |
| Best if | You are playing at home or singing along | You want to be heard over a guitar and a fiddle |
Not sure? Think about the music you want to play. If it is bluegrass with a band at full tilt, resonator. If it is a porch, a few songs and nobody else for company, open-back. Both play the same notes, and what you learn carries across.
Five-string or four-string?
The five-string is the folk and bluegrass banjo, and it is what this guide is about. The four-string tenor banjo belongs to a different tradition: Irish sessions and trad jazz. Irish tenors are usually tuned GDAE, the same notes as a fiddle or mandolin an octave down, so fiddle tunes transfer directly. We do not have tenor banjos on the floor right now, but we can get them in from our suppliers. Ring us and ask.
Our picks
Best first open-back
J.Reynolds JBJ185 Open-Back 5-String
$399.00
Open-back | sapele rim | Remo Weatherking head | 18 brackets
A proper five-string with a Remo head and a matte sunburst finish that does not show every fingerprint. Light enough to play for an hour on the couch. This is the one for clawhammer, old-time, and anyone who wants to find out if banjo is for them without a big outlay.
Best first resonator
J.Reynolds JBJ305 Resonator 5-String
$519.00
Resonator | 30 brackets | sapele pot | Remo Weatherking head
The affordable way into a full bluegrass banjo. Thirty brackets hold the head evenly tight, and the sapele resonator throws the sound forward. If you are learning three-finger rolls, start here.
Everything in the box
Bryden SBJ1PK 5-String Banjo Pack
$449.00
Resonator | 24 brackets | tuner, bag, strap, picks and spare strings included
A mahogany resonator banjo with everything a beginner needs in one go: a Snark clip-on tuner, a carry bag, a strap, Dunlop thumb and finger picks, and a spare set of strings. A sensible gift, because nothing is missing on the day.
The one you can plug in
Bryden SBJ560E Electric Hybrid Mountain Banjo
$599.00
Solid spruce body | internal head | humbucker with volume and tone
A banjo for guitarists and gigging players. It plays acoustically, and it also has a height-adjustable humbucker, so it plugs straight into an amp or a PA without a microphone. The body is shaped to sit comfortably on your leg when you play seated.
The step-up open-back
Deering Goodtime Deco Open-Back 5-String
$1,249.00
Made by Deering in San Diego, California | three-ply maple rim | maple neck
Deering is one of the best-known banjo makers in the world, and the Goodtime series is their way in. A three-ply violin-grade maple rim, a hard rock maple neck, and Art Deco hardwood inlays with an engraved peghead. A banjo to keep, not to outgrow.
The step-up resonator
Deering Goodtime Two Resonator 5-String
$1,759.00
Made in the USA by Deering | resonator | natural blonde maple, satin finish
The bluegrass version of the Goodtime. The resonator gives it more volume than the open-back, which is what you want once you are playing with other people. Around 6 lb, so pair it with a good padded strap.
What else you actually need
| Item | Do you need it? | Where |
|---|---|---|
| A tuner | Yes. Banjo heads move with temperature and humidity. A clip-on tuner lives on the peghead. | Included in the Bryden pack, or ask in store |
| A strap | Yes, especially for a resonator. A padded one makes a real difference after half an hour. | Banjo straps and accessories |
| Picks | For three-finger bluegrass, a thumb pick and two finger picks. Clawhammer players use bare fingers. | In store |
| Spare strings | Worth having. The thin fifth string is the usual casualty. | Banjo strings, including Deering's own sets |
| A capo | Later, once you are playing in keys other than G. | Banjo capos |
Common questions
Is banjo hard to learn?
Less than its reputation. The open G tuning means the open strings already make a chord, and simple rolls sound good early. The rolls take patience, but the first month is more fun than most people expect.
I play guitar. How much carries over?
Quite a lot. Three of the five-string banjo's strings are tuned to the same notes as a guitar's D, G and B strings, so plenty of chord shapes move straight across. The fifth string and the right-hand rolls are the new part.
Do I need a resonator for bluegrass?
If you will be playing with a band, it helps: it is the sound and volume the music expects. If you are learning at home, an open-back will teach you the same rolls and is easier on the shoulder.
Is a Deering worth the extra?
For a player who knows they are keeping going, yes. A good starter banjo will take you a long way. A Deering gives you fit, finish and a tone you will not outgrow as you improve.
Come and try before you buy
We are a real music shop at 121 Langtree Avenue, Mildura. The banjos above are in the shop, and you are welcome to play them before you decide. Not in town? We ship Australia-wide and are happy to talk it through on (03) 5023 3662.
The SoundTrap | Independent music & pro audio, Mildura VIC, since 1987 | thesoundtrap.com.au
Written by people who set up instruments for a living. Prices and stock current at October 2026, check the product page for live pricing.