Top 10 Best Banjo Brands

Banjo is a musical instrument with a long history, several hundred years. There are many brands that have taken the time to make good banjos, among them, 10 are arguably the most famous!

1. Deering Banjo

First, we have Deering. The banjo trees produced by this company are considered "works of art". They are handcrafted by the Deering family. Greg Deering fell in love with woodworking as a child and started this musical instrument manufacturing company with his wife in 1975.

Today, the company is still run by the family and passed on to their daughter. For nearly 50 years in the business, they have "revolutionized" banjo playing and have become a trusted name for quality products.

Among the many Deering banjo players, it is worth noting the frontman of the popular folk band Mumford & Sons, Winston Marshall. Together, these two artists performed and organized banjo giveaways, helping to popularize the instrument among music lovers.

One of the series signed by the manufacturer is Deering Goodtime. These models are said to be suitable for beginners, it is quite light in weight, so it is also suitable for touring or traveling.

2. Gold Tone Banjo

Gold Tone is a newer banjo brand that started appearing in 1993 when Robyn and Wayne Rogers built their first banjo band in Florida. Both are passionate folk artisans, so they understand and care deeply about the quality of their products.

One of their founding ideas was to provide quality musical instruments without the hefty price tag. Gold Tone gets its ingredients from partner factories in China and Korea. Other raw parts come from Canada, Australia, Africa, Indonesia and Germany.

This is one of the best banjo brands because they have spent a long time researching and investing to produce high quality musical instruments.

And if you want a clear, affordable banjo, the CC-100R Resonator model is the perfect choice.

3. Oscar Schmidt Banjo

A longstanding banjo brand, Oscar Schmidt began making musical instruments in 1871. Their factories stretched from Europe to New Jersey, and their string instruments began to make a significant influence in the United States. rural areas of America. Cost-effective banjos and itinerant sellers brought them to hard-to-find areas, so Oscar Schmidt is a hallmark of country musicians.

Their high-quality banjo is still handcrafted in the USA and is known for its impressive sound. Many of their models, for example the OB5 5-string banjo are great for beginners.

4. Recording King Banjo

Recording King is the next name in the list of the best banjo manufacturers in the world. Although only produced on a family scale in the early days, the company later made drastic changes and the instruments they produced became popular since the 1930s.

The brand is known for its handcrafted instruments, and many industry experts say that the sound quality of the Recording King banjo is truly impressive and hard to imitate.

Today, Recording King still maintains the orientation of producing modern banjo instruments with a classic design. If you love classical rock or folk music, consider some of their Dirty 30s collections.

5. Clareen Banjo

Unlike many other banjo brands, Clareen is not based in the US. This family-run company started operations in 1979 in Ireland and is a major European producer of banjos.

Clareen only focuses on banjos and mandolins, and tenor banjos are their forte. Their banjos tenor offers guitars that promote quick and simple play with four strings, which is considered the Irish style of music.

Their original banjo designs were guitars that could be customized to the player's preferences. Clareen is dedicated to providing the best playing experience for each individual. For this reason, they also offer a three-year warranty on their devices and lifetime maintenance.

6. Huber Banjo

Founder Steve Huber first fell in love with bluegrass and banjos as a teenager. He decided to make banjo after his love for music became so great that he became obsessed with the classical banjo sound before the war.

For him and many other artists, these flat-head banjos sound more resonant and fast. Through much tinkering with design and metalworking, Huber achieved his goal. Soon, his banjos began to gain popularity.

16 years in the business, Huber banjos have quickly become recognized for their unique sound that combines modern materials with media production methods. Among the guitars produced by this company are also many banjo sentences that players can customize to their sound preferences.

7. Nechville Banjo

Next, we have Nechville, an instrument brand that prides itself on creating innovations for the banjo.

It all started in the 1980s when Tom Nechville was determined to find a way to tune the banjo head evenly and quickly. From this idea, a guitar named Heli-Mount was born and patented. The thought of something new to the banjo has made Nechville one of the best banjo brands. They added an adjustable neck and a sleek wooden handrail.

8. Ome Banjo

Ome is another family-owned banjo production company that's been around since the 1960s. With quality first, instruments produced by Ome are preferred by artists from bluegrass to jazz musicians. select.

Experts say that the quality of the banjo produced by the company is good in part because of the materials. Dried maple and mahogany are the main materials for the production of its banjo. Besides, the company also uses walnut and rosewood. And of course, with handmade products, the patience of artisans is also a factor that helps create their one-of-a-kind guitars.

Some of Ome's banjo models are also inlaid with mother-of-pearl or metal accessories, which enhances the aesthetic. Each Ome banjo comes with a limited lifetime warranty and hard travel carrying case.

9. Fender Banjo

Fender is one of the famous names in musical instrument manufacturing in the US since the 40s. Its banjo has 5 strings, a thin neck that allows players to perform many different styles.

Fender banjo is ideal and suitable for players of the classic style. The instrument is also said to contain pride in the company's California roots.

10. Ibanez Banjo

Japanese music brand Ibanez distributes products worldwide. Hoshino Gakki started with the production of musical instruments in the 1930s and these products began to be widely distributed in the 50s.

When many people think of Ibanez, they only think of the guitar, but they don't know that the banjo is also a famous instrument manufactured by the company. The company even partnered with Earl Scruggs, an influential figure in bluegrass music.

Ibanez banjos are well made and of durable quality. Many of their banjos are intricately crafted with delicate inlays on the frets and handcrafted metal details. When you hold an Ibanez banjos in your hand, you'll find people admiring your instrument.