Resonator Banjos project their sound outward, making them louder and brighter than open-back banjos – ideal for musicians looking to stand out in a band setting.
But if you prefer practicing quietly, simply remove the resonator – this option is especially handy for college students living in dorm rooms!
Sound
Resonator banjos tend to produce louder and brighter sounds than open-back banjos; without one of these devices in place, a larger portion of your banjo’s volume leaves it and is absorbed by you or your body instead. This makes open-back instruments quieter and softer (some might say “warmer”).
Resonator banjos differ from open-back ones in that their tone rings encase a portion of the sound chamber and direct its sound directly toward an audience, which makes resonators popular among musicians who specialize in bluegrass music.
Resonator depth can have an immense effect on the tone and sustain of your banjo, producing darker, “hollow” sounds while shallower ones can produce lively responses. The reason for this lies within simple physics – heavier objects (like banjos with deeper resonators) will vibrate longer than lighter instruments with shallower ones.
Comfort
Many newcomers to banjo don’t understand why certain 5-string banjos feature resonators while others don’t, nor that selecting one type can limit them to playing certain musical styles such as clawhammer or bluegrass music (such as clawhammer vs bluegrass).
Without a resonator, the sound chamber rests against your body, absorbing some of its sound into clothing and the player’s body and thus decreasing banjo volume and brightness. By placing one inside, this sound can be reflected back out through the banjo’s speaker system and increased in both volume and brightness.
The Dirty 30s Resonator Banjo features a closed-back maple body and premium hardware for bold foundational tones suitable for country, bluegrass, Americana and more. A comfortable maple neck and Revebond fingerboard make picking mountain melodies or chord strums effortless; making this banjo ideal for beginners as well as experienced pickers alike. Each Deering Goodtime banjo also comes backed with a six-year warranty to provide peace of mind in knowing your new banjo will serve you for many years!
Volume
Finding a Resonator or Open Back banjo with the appropriate volume is of utmost importance when making your selection, especially if you intend on joining other musicians for jam sessions and bands. 5-string Resonator banjos typically produce brighter and livelier tones compared to their open back counterparts.
An Open-Back banjo produces sound that is absorbed by both player and instrument body, leading to it sounding somewhat quieter than its Resonator counterpart. Still, many players can find an ideal balance between loud and mellow banjo sounds depending on their level of skill or desired genre of music they wish to perform.
The Deering Goodtime 2 5 String Banjo offers an ideal balance between volume and mellowness, featuring its exclusive Goodtime Special Tone Ring engineered to produce powerful yet clear tone. Furthermore, it weighs less and is more cost-effective than competing resonator banjos currently on the market.
Value
When selling your banjo on the market, not just its playability is of equal importance; also consider what repairs will be necessary – clamping and gluing broken necks or replacing rusted hardware may incur extra expenses.
Major restoration will reduce its value to prospective buyers, as will an instrument with damaged heads, fretboards or pots.
Sometime around WWII, manufacturers realized that musicians who played resonator banjos often needed to remove their resonators for maintenance or quiet practice, making this task easier. To aid this process they introduced “resonator flanges”, which fastened more or less permanently to the pot while hiding any gaps behind it.
Gold Tone’s best-selling resonator model, the Gold Tone OB-250 is an outstanding example. Boasting curly maple binding on its resonator body and GT-Master planetary tuners along with custom Hearts & Flowers peghead inlays adorned with hearts & Flowers designs, the OB-250 makes a reliable yet budget-conscious choice.