Comparing The Different Types of Banjos

Comparing the Different Types of Banjos

If you go to a music store looking to buy your first banjo, you might be surprised when they ask, “What type?” But just like there are many styles of guitar, bass and mandolin, so are there many types of banjos, each with a different sound and purpose.

The team at Strings and Beyond is here to give you a hand. Our overview of seven different banjo types will help beginners find the right banjo for what they want to play.

Open-Back Banjos

Also called “clawhammer banjos,” these traditional five-string banjos have an open design on the back of the body. This makes them lighter and gives the banjos a twangy sound popular for country and folk music. Open-back banjos are typically tuned G4-D3-B3-B3-D4 and have 22 frets or thereabouts.

Resonator Banjos

The most popular banjo type, resonator banjos, is an open-back banjo, except that the back is closed. This design makes the sound waves resonate more and thus produces more volume, though the banjo is heavier as a result. Resonator banjos are often called “bluegrass banjos” because they’re so associated with the genre.

Tenor Banjos

In addition to only having four strings, tenor banjos have fewer frets than a regular banjo — typically in the 17-19 range. They use perfect-fifth tuning of C3-G3-D4-A4. Some call them “Irish tenor banjos” because they’re so common in Irish folk music. They’re also preferred for Dixieland and jazz.

Six-String Banjos

Are you a guitar player who wants an easy transition to the banjo? This layout is for you — it even has the same tuning (E2-A2-D3-G3-B3-E4) as a standard acoustic or electric guitar! You can play them like a guitar while getting that classic banjo sound. Although frowned upon by traditionalists, six-string banjos have found a home in country rock and other musical styles.

Plectrum Banjos

This type of four-string banjo is designed to play using a plectrum (i.e., a pick) rather than traditional finger-picking. They use a tuning of C3-G3-B3-D4 and have the same number of frets as five-string banjos. A plectrum banjo is better for playing chords, and they’re another good option for guitarists who are transitioning. You’ll hear them in everything from bluegrass to jazz.

Banjo Ukulele

The six-string banjo isn’t the only hybrid out there. Another option is the “banjolele,” a four-string instrument with the body of a small banjo but the neck and tuning of a ukulele. They were invented in the 1910s and are still used for rock and other music.

Banjo Mandolin

Another hybrid instrument, the “banjolin” pairs a small banjo body with a mandolin neck and tuning. They have a bright sound unlike anything else on this list but are relatively rare.

Banjo Strings at Strings and Beyond

Whatever type of banjo you play, we have the right strings for them. Our discount banjo strings include five-string, tenor, six-string and even banjo mandolin strings. Browse at Strings and Beyond to find strings that make your banjo sound spectacular.