Recording King Banjos
Recording King builds high quality banjos, including 5-string bluegrass and openback banjos. Greg Rich, of Gibson banjo fame, was instrumental in the design of some of the first Recording King bluegrass banjos. The style and design of Recording King Banjos is similar to some of the premier pre war Gibson Banjos. A few of these models include a cast brass tone ring for a powerful sound. They’re excellent banjos at very reasonable price points.
For the full background on Recording King and its Greg Rich designs, see our Recording King banjo guide.
Choosing between brands? Read our Gold Tone vs Recording King comparison.
Out of stock on the model you want? Browse comparable value banjos under $1,000.
Recording King's flagship pre-war tribute: a one-piece mahogany resonator, Mastertone-style bell-brass tone ring and Flying Eagle pearl inlay, with a vintage hardshell case included.
Recording King's flagship pre-war tribute in the classic Hearts and Flowers pattern: a one-piece mahogany resonator, Mastertone-style bell-brass tone ring and pearl inlay, with a vintage hardshell case included.
An open-back old-time banjo with a steam-bent maple rim and a scooped padauk fretboard built for clawhammer players who want room to work up the neck.
A mahogany resonator banjo built in the same workshops as the Madison and Elite lines, with a rolled brass tone ring and hex-stamped flange for vintage bluegrass tone at an accessible price.
A Madison-series resonator banjo with the same 3-ply steam-bent maple rim as the best-selling RK-ELITE-75, plus a pre-war-style bell brass cast tone ring and one-piece flange.
A Madison-series resonator banjo sharing the R35's pre-war-style bell brass tone ring and one-piece flange, with mahogany throughout for a warmer, deeper voice.
Recording King's entry point into closed-back bluegrass tone: a maple resonator banjo with Revebond fretboard and Presto-style tailpiece, built for singer-songwriters and first-time five-string players.
A no-fuss open-back five-string with a mahogany neck and traditional rolled brass tone ring, built for warm, dry old-time and clawhammer playing.