What’s My Banjo Worth?
Get a Free, No-Obligation Valuation
From one of the most experienced dealers in the country.
Whether you’ve got a vintage Gibson gathering dust in the closet or a professional-grade instrument you’ve outgrown, we’d love to hear from you.
Geoff Hohwald has been buying and selling banjos for over 45 years. He’s seen thousands of instruments — from rare prewar Mastertones to modern workhorses — and he’ll give you an honest assessment of what yours is worth.
How It Works
Fill Out the Form
Tell us about your banjo — make, model, condition, and any history you know.
Send Photos
Include a few clear photos. We’ll tell you which angles help most.
Get Your Valuation
We’ll get back to you within a few days with an honest assessment.
If you decide to sell, we offer fair prices and make the process easy.
If you’re just curious, that’s fine too — no pressure, no obligation.
Understanding Banjo Values
There’s no single “value” for a banjo — the number depends on why you’re asking.
Insurance Value
What it would cost to replace your banjo if it were lost or stolen. This is typically 20% higher than market value to account for the time and effort of finding a comparable instrument.
Retail Value
What a dealer like Banjo Warehouse or Elderly Instruments would sell it for. This price reflects professional setup, cleaning, verification that all parts are original and functioning, and a return policy for the buyer.
Private Sale Value
What you might realistically get selling it yourself on Facebook, Reverb, or Craigslist. This is typically lower than retail because buyers take on more risk without a dealer’s inspection and guarantee.
Dealer Purchase Price
What a dealer would pay you. This is the lowest number because the dealer needs room for setup, cleaning, overhead, and profit — typically 40-60% of retail value depending on the instrument.
When you request a valuation, let us know why you’re asking and we’ll give you the right number for your situation.
Why Sell to Banjo Warehouse?
45+ Years of Experience
Geoff knows the market inside and out.
Fair, Transparent Pricing
No lowball offers. We’ll explain how we arrived at our number.
We Handle Shipping
We’ll walk you through packing and arrange pickup if needed.
Fast Payment
Once we receive and inspect your banjo, payment is quick.
Your Banjo Goes to a Good Home
We match instruments with players who’ll appreciate them.
What Happens to Your Banjo
Every instrument we buy gets the full treatment from Tara, our repair-and-restoration tech. She cleans, inspects, and sets up each banjo to play its best before it goes to its new home.
Tara’s Restoration Process
- ✓ Complete disassembly and deep cleaning
- ✓ Hardware inspection and replacement if needed
- ✓ Fret leveling and neck adjustment
- ✓ Head tensioning and bridge setup
- ✓ Final playability check and string install
Your banjo won’t just be resold — it’ll be restored and matched with a player who’ll appreciate it.
Supporting Our Community
When you sell to Banjo Warehouse, you’re supporting a small family business that gives back. We’re proud to support:
WYSO Public Radio & Novaphonic.FM
Home to some of the best bluegrass programming in southwest Ohio
Sterling Bluegrass Jamboree
Keeping live, family-friendly bluegrass music (and great pie) thriving every weekend
Industrial Strength Bluegrass Festival
Celebrating the bluegrass legacy in the Miami Valley and putting on some of the best festivals in the country
Clifton Opera House
A historic weekly bluegrass venue keeping traditional music alive
Meadowdale Career Technology Center Music Club
Donating instruments to help continue the rich legacy of music in Dayton
Tecumseh Land Trust
Protecting the farmland and natural areas in our region that inspires the music we play
Request a Free Valuation
Tell us about your banjo and we’ll get back to you within a few days.
By submitting this form, you may opt in to receive occasional emails from Banjo Warehouse about new arrivals, special offers, and banjo news. We typically send 2-3 emails per year — no spam, just banjos. You can unsubscribe at any time.
What We’re Looking For
We buy five-string flathead and archtop banjos. Here are some brands we’re especially interested in:
Pre-War & Vintage American
Pre-war Gibson, Recording King, Kalamazoo, Studio King conversions, ODE, Baldwin, Stanleytone, Rich & Taylor, Flatiron, Imperial, Deering, Tennessee, Wildwood, Salstrom, Strom, Woodsong, Rock, Vega, Wynn, Stewmac
Modern Makers
Yates, Huber, Neat, Heartland (Robin Smith), Mullins, Davis, Crafters of Tennessee, Nechville, Capek, Prucha, Lemon, Grundy, D.P. Hopkins, Hawthorne, Huss & Dalton, Bellbird, Shelby, Ceres, Sullivan
Gibson, Fender, Stelling, Deering, OME, Gretsch, Washburn, Epiphone
All eras
Vintage Japanese
Alvarez, GTR, Aria, Premier, Bradley, Gold Star, Iida, Tokai, Ibanez, Saga, Kasuga, Penco, Ventura, Emperador, Taka, Dorado
Quality Production Brands
Gold Tone, Recording King, Morgan Monroe, Flint Hill, Sigma, other Chinese and Korean made banjos
Custom & Parts Banjos
High-quality parts and copy banjos, estate collections
Don’t see your brand listed? Reach out anyway — we’re always interested in quality instruments.
Banjo Warehouse · Yellow Springs, Ohio
Buying, selling, and setting up banjos since 1980.
Question: How long does it take to get a valuation?
Answer: We typically respond within a few business days.
FAQ 2
Question: Do you buy banjos that need repairs?
Answer: Yes. Our repair-and-restoration tech Tara can handle most issues.
FAQ 3
Question: How does payment work?
Answer: Once we receive and inspect your banjo, we send payment quickly via check or PayPal.
FAQ 4
Question: Do I have to ship my banjo first?
Answer: No. We provide a valuation based on your photos and description before you commit to anything.
FAQ 5
Question: What if I just want to know what my banjo is worth?
Answer: That’s fine — our valuations are free with no obligation to sell.