Many banjos feature resonators to increase volume, making the instrument louder in noisy environments.
Six string banjos produce an irresistibly twangy sound. You can play them just like a guitar by strumming with either flatpicks or fingerstyle, or using just low strings for Dixieland style sounds.
The Neck
A six string banjo tuned like a guitar (E,A,D,G,B) makes for an excellent instrument to finger pick or chord on. Lighter than its five string counterpart, its shorter neck also provides greater comfort to many players.
If you are coming from playing guitar, purchasing a banjo with a radiused fingerboard should make the transition more comfortable. This feature enables your fingers to remain in their natural positions on the strings and makes chords easier to play; additionally it makes flatpicking much more exciting!
Another important consideration when playing banjo is whether or not to opt for a resonator-type instrument or “backless”. While resonators reduce volume and sustain slightly, they can still provide useful strumming techniques similar to guitar.
Be wary when adjusting the angle of a cheap banjo’s neck; too much pressure could break it. Also, many cheap banjos feature bridges not situated precisely at their intended height; this can affect sound and playback quality dramatically; for best results take your banjo to an experienced technician for evaluation and adjustments.
The Heads
The banjo head (where the string crosses over it) is commonly known as the “pot.” There are various types of heads for banjo players to use; their terminology varies. One that features tuners on it may be known as a peg head while those without them may be called slotted heads.
The most commonly seen banjo head is made of white frosted plastic; however, other options exist such as goat skin or calf skin that can greatly change its tone.
As with acoustic guitars, most six string banjos feature steel strings: either phosphor bronze or nickel wound – though their type can be changed according to your playing style and the type of banjo chosen.
Some banjos feature resonator or openback models which enable players to play both acoustically or in noisy environments with ease, creating an overall fuller sound from your banjo.
Most often, a new banjo with all its bells and whistles will serve its owner well; however, depending on your musical goals or playing technique, a stripped down version may be better suited. For instance, it might be beneficial if you’re coming from guitar playing to alleviate musculoskeletal issues related to extended guitar sessions.
The Hardware
Once your six string is assembled, it may require some initial setup work in order to sound decently – this page aims to assist in making this experience enjoyable and versatile!
As your first step, it’s important to identify whether your banjo has a bowing neck. To do so, remove or detach the resonator (some banjos come without one). Next, locate an adjustment screw (usually long bolt-looking things) on its head and loosen it using the hex wrench that came with your instrument if there is one attached to a bracket attached to your resonator via unscrewing triangular piece of plastic; if no such screw exists then your banjo could bow further; alternatively you may need lighter strings to reduce pressure on its neck enough and pull it back a little.
Check the coordinator rods – those long, bolt-like things on either side of the neck that serve two functions by keeping the pot from flexing and holding down the neck with just the right amount of stability – tight but not overtightened; if they become overtightened, loosening strings, tightening coordinator rods slightly and tuning once again should usually solve that problem.
The Pickup
Assuming you don’t want an open-back banjo without drone strings, to add thickness to your sound you’ll likely need to fret or deaden two strings on a six string banjo in order to stop them ringing – many Dixieland styles require this, while bluegrass banjo rolls or barre chords high up the neck may necessitate muteding these lower strings so they don’t interfere with playing higher string notes.
Modern banjos feature guitar-style steel-string guitar necks with radiused necks that take metal guitar strings, making them easy to play. This allows a guitarist to explore 6-string banjo without learning an entirely different fingerboard layout; Deering makes “Good Time” 6-string banjos which are ideal for this purpose, as well as providing standard guitar-sized necks for those already familiar with them.
This type of guitar-banjo hybrid instrument can be an excellent way for those without much time to devote to learning an entirely new instrument to add something different and unique to their playing. Furthermore, its presence will make you more welcomed at jam sessions that tend to favor standard guitarists!