What is the BEST, Affordable Mastertone Style Bluegrass Banjo Today?

Let us introduce you to the Gold Tone Twanger! For Decades a variety of instrument manufacturers have attempted to capture the magic of the Pre World War 2 Gibson Mastertone Banjos.  Many have taken it a step further and attempted to produce an affordable version of these magnificent “Pre War” Banjos.  Some have succeeded. The […]

What is the Best 5 string Banjo under $1000? Why?

With certainty the Recording King Banjos are the best banjos that can be acquired for under $1000.  And they have some models like the RKR85 Elite that are beyond exceptional and only a few hundred dollars more. The Recording King Banjos come from the brilliant mind of Greg Rich.  He came into Gibson in the […]

Should I Refinish my Banjo?

One of the most common questions I get is “should I refinish my Banjo?” There are differing opinions but there are also realities to banjo finish.   The new coat of finish will absolutely make the banjo look better but it can also kill the harmonious sound that banjo once produced.  The science behind tone and […]

How to Use a Metronome with 5 string banjo

How To Use A Metronome The metronome will help you increase speed and play with the correct timing, particularly when learning new breaks or solos. You may want to have your banjo and a metronome handy. As you read through this, if you have had any of the following experiences, a metronome can help: 1. […]

Playing 5 string Banjo Clearly Above The 18th Fret

I discovered the challenge of getting clear notes above the 18th fret when recording and having muted notes, the wrong notes and even no notes just the percussive sound of the string hitting the next higher fret. One thing that affects the sound is the challenge of getting the left hand fingers between the frets […]

Classical Teaching Method vs. Folk Teaching Method

There have been two main types of music instruction methods over the years – the Classical Method and the Folk Method. I. The Classical Method has been used for hundreds of years in Colleges and Universities and is used today to teach piano and orchestral instruments such as violin, trumpet, flight, clarinet, etc. Millions of […]

Why is a Greg Rich era Gibson Banjo superior to other eras of Gibson production?

Greg Rich was hired by Gibson to improve the existing banjos starting in 1987 to revive a slumping quality that had taken over their banjo design. Basically Gibson stopped making banjos in the late 30″s even though you see banjos sold by Gibson into the 40’s. The early 40’s Gibsons were made up of existing […]