By iwmce
There are many things to look for in a quality banjo. One of the most important is the machine heads, as it determines the maintenance of the tuning, and also determines the tuning ease. Many Banjos at the entry-level price point of $125-$225 have open machine heads and for a 5-String Banjo, a friction 5th peg. The friction peg can be a cumbersome part. Normal tension allowed by the peg is adjusted by a phillips head screw. Too loose and the string will lose tension, too tight and the peg will be hard to turn. The way around a friction peg is to immediately upgrade to a geared/planetary 5th string peg. This is normally done at the same time as replacing the other 4 standard open geared pegs that come on banjos with a friction peg. The ROVER FRONT PORCH SERIES BANJO - RESONATOR RB-115 from extramusical.com for $299 is a good example of an intermediate level banjo at a budget price, it comes with geared planetary pegs. Making sure the banjo comes with a rim and quality tone ring is important. The ROVER FRONT PORCH SERIES BANJO - RESONATOR RB-115 has a traditional 11" multi-ply wood rim, that makes it another good choice for a musical instrument with function and artistry. The rim produces weight, notably an agreeable feature for a banjo, as the greater the weight normally translate into a better sounding instrument. The downside of the RB-115 is it's 24 brackets. 24 is minimum number of brackets for sustained quality and life, eventhough, there are 18 bracket banjos being sold. While the Rover Porch Series banjo has a rolled brass tone ring, an upgrade would be a diecast, that can always be added later. Other quality banjos that are impressive in their features with prices that are hard to beat, come from names like: Indiana Morgan Monroe Saga Recording King Gold Star The lowest prices available for these instruments, can be had, by going to www.extramusical.com
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