5-String Banjo for Left-Handed Players

Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2002 16:52:13 -0700
Subject: Re: Left Hand Banjo

I am looking for a left handed banjo but am not wanting to spend a ton
of money...I would like something made in the U.S. if possible.

Do you have any recommendations??

Thanks...

Cory Roberts

Greetings Cory,

Stelling banjos have a left-handed option without any add-on cost...however, they also are expensive. I'm not sure what price range you were looking at...

The best value going today, for left-handed banjos, with pro features, would be the Gold Tone line...they are made in Korea...and hand assembled in the US. Their left-handed option is only an additional 85.00 on average...

Date: Tue, 11 Jun 2002 22:16:12 -0400

Mickey,

Greetings Max,

Glad to assist if I can:

I read a good deal of your recommendations and I think it's great you offer your knowledge. So maybe you can help me.

I have been playing the guitar for about 20 some years. I'm not great but many consider me good. I'd like to take up the banjo.

Good move. Overall, very relative to the guitar...other than tuning and slightly different mechanics on the right hand.

I am a bit spoiled from the quality of guitar I play--I have a custom built left handed Taylor 912 cut away. Very enjoyable to play.

Most definitely!

So as I look for a banjo---note it needs to be left handed. I want one that is well built, sounds good, and has a good fret board and stays in tune. And it needs to be left handed. I'm not against paying some $$ money for it but want to be somewhat conservative since I've never played one before. What do you recommend and what do you have in stock that would suit my tastes?

We usually have a hard time keeping a left-handed banjo in stock...Currently, we have a left-handed Gold Tone White Ladye in stock...I believe it to be the best open-back available within this price range. This banjo makes for great versatility...I have a Wildwood open-back with which I play many styles on...including a little bluegrass. Be aware, the open-back is considered more of a traditional banjo as opposed to a bluegrass banjo...even though some bluegrass sounds fine on an open-back, they're rarely seen within a bluegrass setting. Therefore, if you're hoping to pursue bluegrass with your new banjo, I'd have to recommend a resonator-type 5-string...such as Gibson, Deering, Stelling or Gold Tone makes...

The above comments are for a 5 string banjo. Also--how about a four string. What considerations would I have to make to convert it to a left handed model?

No problem converting any 4-string to left-handed...however, keep in mind, a 4-string banjo would be limited to ragtime, celtic or fiddle-tune styles...it wouldn't work within a bluegrass setting. Be aware, we also have 6-string banjos which will allow you to translate everything you already know without having to learn a new fingerboard language.

What do you recommend under these circumstances.

A lot would depend on the genre of music you hope to pursue:
For Bluegrass: you'll want a resonator model...reasonably priced models, that are of decent quality, include Gold Tone and Morgan Monroe.
For Old-Time Styles, Classical, Standards, Clawhammer, and general versatility: you'll want an open-back 5-string banjo...
For Ragtime, New Orleans, Celtic, or Fiddle Styles: you'll want to look into a 4-string banjo...either plectrum (longer neck) or tenor (shorter neck)...
For a general banjo sound, without having to re-learn the guitar fretboard: try a 6-string banjo...

Hope the above helps somehow...Mickey

Thanks for your help.
Max B Erwine