Resonator banjos are widely utilized in Bluegrass music, yet they also fit comfortably within amplified country and folk styles.
Deciding to buy a resonator should depend on your preferred music style. This Stelling Dirty 30s Tenor Resonator banjo boasts quality components like its steam-bent maple rim, fast ebony fretboard and Gotoh planetary tuners – which you won’t find on competing beginner instruments.
What is a Resonator Banjo?
Resonator plates on the back of banjos amplify its sound and add a distinctive bright tone, making these instruments popular choices in bluegrass music due to their louder and twangier sound compared to open-back banjos.
Metal resonators add weight and cost more, but are ideal if you are playing bluegrass with friends in a band or looking to start one yourself.
As you begin learning to play banjo, a banjo without resonator may be more suitable. Removing one takes just minutes on most models; adding a mute on your bridge further dampens sound to make practicing easier without upsetting neighbors in dorm buildings down the hall.
How Does a Resonator Banjo Sound?
Resonators enhance the sound of banjos by projecting it outward, amplifying it and making them louder for audiences to experience live performance. Bluegrass players tend to favor them.
Acoustic guitars are the ideal instrument to bring out when looking to make music with friends or family, offering the versatility needed to cover virtually every musical genre.
Are You Wanting to Add Resonators to Your Open-Back Banjo? Doing so is simple – all that is needed is purchasing and attaching the Resonator Flange on to the bracket that holds tension hooks on your banjo.
Resonator banjos sound different, yet all work the same way. String vibrations vibrate a wooden bridge which then causes membrane tightness stretching over an internal metal pot-like shell to vibrate; this vibration then travels through the rim and produces sound; this is called Helmholtz resonance; however, height of rim does not influence fundamental frequencies which cause membrane vibration and ultimately sound production.
What is the Difference Between an Open-Back Banjo and a Resonator Banjo?
Many newcomers to banjo don’t understand what a resonator is or why some banjos come equipped with them versus not. Furthermore, many may not know that banjos with resonators can actually be used both for clawhammer picking and bluegrass music.
The difference between open back and resonator banjos lies in their sound and volume production. Since an open-back banjo does not contain a resonator, sound waves from its strings absorb into player clothing and bodies instead, which reduces overall volume compared to their counterpart. Therefore, open back banjos may be better suited for clawhammer and traditional music genres that prefer subdued sounds; on the contrary, resonator models project sound further and louder, making them suitable for bluegrass music genres where loud, bright pronounced sounds are preferred.
Which Banjo is Right for Me?
If you want to add an additional dimension to your tone, resonator banjos could be just the ticket. They feature louder, snappier and twangier tone than open-back banjos – making them great tools for cutting through the mix in bands or ensembles.
Your choice of tone wood for your banjo can have a dramatic impact on its sound. Maple provides a bright, sharp tone while mahogany adds warmth and balance.
This Recording King Resonator Banjo is an incredible value for anyone just beginning in banjos. Although it requires setup when purchased, with proper care it has the potential to rival instruments costing much more. Furthermore, its removable resonator means you can switch easily between open-back banjo and closed-back mode for softer songs – what more could anyone want?