If you want to begin learning clawhammer style banjo playing, the open back banjo would make an excellent first instrument. These have no back and are generally lighter than their counterparts like resonator banjos.
Resonator banjos sound brighter and twangier, yet are unnecessary for traditional or mountain music. Simply remove the resonator to significantly dampen its sound output.
Build Quality
A banjo must be of good construction if you wish to play it effectively, though a cheaper model may still sound nice and fulfill its intended use. A low-end banjo may still provide adequate sound, though you may be limited in what you can accomplish with it.
An open back banjo typically produces softer and smoother sounding music due to not being trapped inside of a resonator – since its sound will escape through its back side instead.
Resonators can still be added to open back banjos for added tone and volume, or simply practicing without disturbing others in your dorm room. Detaching it usually only requires unscrewing two screws (more like bolts) that hold it on, taking under one minute in most cases to take it off completely and making practice much quieter, even with someone sleeping nearby.
Head and Tone Ring
Bluegrass terminology defines anything that sits atop of a banjo head rim to alter its tone as a tone ring. This may range from simple brass rod bent into circles to cast metal designs like Gibson archtop, pyramid and flathead rings or Whyte Laydie Tubaphone Mastertone Rims which feature ball bearings to add complexity.
Peghead Nation instructor Bill Evans discusses and shows the differences between one hump and two hump tone rings and how they affect banjo’s sound.
Quality banjos feature non-resonant adjustable tailpieces to set the appropriate tension on their heads and strings, helping avoid too much loose or too tight strings that could potentially cause issues with sound production and tuning. This feature can help ensure optimal playing experience and prevent strings from becoming overly loose or tight and creating problems with sound production and tuning.
Strings
If you want more volume and brightness from your open back banjo, consider changing its string gauge. Lighter gauge strings tend to be easier for players and typically produce brighter sounds; heavier gauge strings require additional force when picking, but provide richer tones with increased depth.
Before making changes to the string gauge of your new banjo, we advise experimenting with a light to medium gauge set. It’s important to remember that open back banjo strings pair and sound differently than those found on a resonator banjo; depending on how hard or softly you pick, either melodies or harmony pairs of strings will become audible.
Some open back banjos feature an easily removable resonator flange, making it quick and simple to add or remove different sounds for experimentation purposes. If yours does, installing or detaching it takes just minutes – making this an invaluable feature when exploring different sounds!
Case
No matter whether you are an established player or just beginning, protecting your banjo from damage should always be top of mind. A quality, padded case can protect it from backseat transport as well as environmental factors like dust.
A deluxe hard shell banjo case with a flattop design provides ample room to safely and plushly store your banjo and accessories, including extra strings, capos, and tuners. Additionally, this model comes equipped with a rear accessory compartment.
Superior musical instrument cases continue the Saga tradition of high quality, durability and value for beginners on a tight budget. Each feature and material selection has been carefully considered to ensure optimal protection for your banjo.