Dependent upon your budget and dedication to learning the banjo, resonator banjos may be worth exploring as they produce louder tones than open-back models and are the preferred instrument of bluegrass players.
Resonator banjos can be modified by taking off their resonator or installing simple bridge mutes, to reduce volume. They’re also capable of handling higher tension steel strings.
Scales
No matter if you choose an open or resonator banjo, its setup must be of top-quality for optimal playback. Most importantly, the neck must fit your hand comfortably while playing in tune with the head, bridge and coordinator rod; tuning pegs must also be sealed and geared to ensure durability and ease of use – beginners often assume blame when having difficulty with banjo playing themselves, when in actuality their instrument might simply not be up to par!
Scale length should also be taken into consideration by beginners when purchasing their banjo, with 25-1/2″ scale banjos being more appropriate as they offer easier learning and reduced string breakage.
Tone rings and mylar heads also play an essential part in shaping the sound of your banjo. Wood tone rings such as those found on Goodtime Hartford models tend to produce a warmer sound than metal ones, while bluegrass players tend to favor frosted heads while clawhammer players favor calf skin ones.
Open-back
Resonator banjos are often the choice of bluegrass players as they project sound with ease and produce bright, twangy tones. Beginners, however, may benefit more by starting off on an open-back banjo and stuffing the resonator (the screws hold it on easily enough).
Open-back banjos tend to weigh less and cost less than their resonator counterparts, producing a smoother tone that may better suit folk music. Furthermore, open-back models tend to be quieter so as to not disrupt other people or neighbors while playing.
Beginners looking to add depth and dimension to their banjo sound can further reduce its twang by cutting a second Mylar head and installing it atop of the resonator. This will dampen some of the harsher string sounds when strumming and is easy, inexpensive and reversible.
Resonator
Resonator Banjos feature a larger sound chamber (known as the “pot”) which projects more volume to an audience and makes for easier playing at louder volumes compared with open-back instruments. They make an excellent choice for bluegrass music as well as beginners wanting a louder experience than open back instruments can provide.
Resonsator banjos feature tone rings to modify their sound; metal tones rings may create an ear-piercingly harsh tone while wooden ones, such as those found on Deering Goodtime Hartford models from Deering Goodtime, tend to create a much mellower and rounded sound. Banjo heads also vary in timbre; bluegrass players tend to favor frosted heads while jazz musicians opt for mylar heads.
Consider both your musical tastes and budget when purchasing a banjo. Open-back banjos tend to be less costly and have a softer, smoother sound that works well in traditional music genres; while resonator banjos boast brighter, livelier tones ideal for bluegrass or other energetic genres.
Accessories
No matter which banjo you select – be it open-back or resonator – make sure that both its neck and action feel comfortable for maximum enjoyment and satisfaction. Beginners often blame themselves when their playing falters due to an inferior instrument like Greg Deering Goodtime that is poorly made or set-up, rather than simply not playing well enough themselves. You will get much greater enjoyment out of an investment of high-quality instrument like that one.
Resonator banjos make the banjo louder for live performances, which make them particularly suitable for bluegrass music and faster genres such as clawhammer and Scruggs styles. Although more expensive than open-back models, their additional sound volume may make up for it in terms of musical expression.
Tenor banjos can be an ideal tool for many types of music, from old-time, jazz and bluegrass to Irish/Celtic and other forms. Sweetwater offers the Goodtime Two 19-fret Tenor as a versatile option that easily transcends genre and can be tuned with standard tuning, GDAE (like an octave mandolin), Irish/Celtic tunings as well as other modes of tunings for maximum versatility.