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Your cart is empty.4.7 out of 5 stars
- #9,067 in Musical Instruments (See Top 100 in Musical Instruments)
- #8 in Banjos (Musical Instruments)
The banjo is known for its iconic, classically Americana sound, producing rich melodies and songs that instantly transport the listener to fields of Kentucky bluegrass. For a student, beginning musician, an intermediate banjo player, or even an advanced musician, this is an excellent banjo to strum on. This beautiful, well-crafted 5-string banjo from Jameson Guitars is a must-have for anyone interested in playing folk, country, clawhammer, bluegrass, and similar eclectic types of rock music. It is a stunning, 5-string banjo with 24 chrome-plated brackets. It features a closed solid back mahogany resonator and is crafted with a 5-ply maple and mahogany shell and mahogany neck. Additionally, it has a 5/8-inch maple ebony bridge and a purpleheart fretboard, which add to its pleasant acoustic sound and tone. It has a high-end Remo head, an adjustable truss rod, a chrome armrest, and a hinged tailpiece. A geared 5th tuner side peg is an added benefit, offering an upgrade over standard banjos that only have four and use friction tuners. Included with the banjo is a deluxe 15mm gig bag to keep your instrument safe when carrying or in transport. It is designed with a carry handle, backpack shoulder straps, and a storage pocket for added convenience.
Eli
Reviewed in Mexico on November 17, 2022
Excelente para principiantes. Sólo con cuerdas un poco frágiles. Estaría genial si viniera con un strap.
Margot Ramsey
Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2020
I'm a complete beginner who decided on a whim that I should learn to play bluegrass banjo. I got this banjo five days ago, have played it every day, and just love it so far. It has a nice sound and seems to stay in tune well. It doesn't look or feel like a cheap instrument. It's substantial with a nice finish, classy enough to leave out in my living room as part of a particular kind of decor. It also arrived securely packaged, which is lucky -- the outer box it came in looked like it had had a difficult journey, but the banjo itself was in fine shape. Of course, after five days I can't speak to its durability, but honestly I feel like for the price of a few evenings out in the city this banjo is well worth it as a way to get a feel for the instrument. If I play it enough that it breaks, I'll know I can justify an upgrade.UPDATE: I happily played this banjo every day for about three months before I got antsy and bought a fancier one (Recording King RK-20 Songster). Now that I have a point of comparison, I can say that the RK, which includes a tone ring, has a lovely, loud, ringing sound, with a richness the Jameson lacks. The RK is clearly a nicer instrument, and it's my new favorite. But you know what? I still play and love the Jameson too. It continues to stay in tune really well and sound good. And it's lighter than the RK, so easier to travel with or just take out to pick on the patio. In sum, you can get more banjo for more money, and it might make sense to do that if you're ready to commit. But I still think this banjo is a great deal for the price, and having two banjos rules, so even after upgrading I plan to get good use out of it.
Andrew
Reviewed in Canada on September 18, 2019
Banjo is great! Sounds good, and for the price it couldn't be better. I've tried other low budget banjos and had to return them for such low quality. Had almost given up until I saw this one. Great first banjo!
Angel TRujillo
Reviewed in Mexico on March 24, 2019
Excelente
L. Bullock
Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2015
I have to add my voice to the others praising this banjo. Of course, this is just a first impression. Things like instruments will either live up to the initial rush or not. This banjo arrived pretty much set up perfectly except for tuning, which I did not expect anyway. Out of the box it took about five minutes to tune (using a Snark, which I recommend) and since I am not a beginner (or a professional) I was able to pick out a tune almost immediately. All strings will take a while to settle in, and this is no exception. But after an initial "break in" period, it seems to hold tune well. Intonation up the neck is good as well. This has been a bane of my experience with inexpensive banjos. Glad to see it doesn't seem to be an issue here. I would recommend this banjo to anyone just starting out, or who wants to add a banjo "voice" to an existing repertoire without having to invest in a five hundred and up banjo. The geared fifth string works well and I am glad to have it, having dealt with friction tuners in the past. I'll be back to update this as I experience this instrument more. UPDATE: It's eight months or so later. I still like this banjo and I'm learning a lot. I'm also learning that better banjos ARE worth the money. I played a really pricey banjo (an ODE) and wow, is there ever a difference. So, this one is good to learn on, but if you have a chance to play a really good banjo, that may spoil ya. UPDATE: I still think this banjo is excellent, although I wouldn't put light gauge strings on it. I did put some LGS on it and it changed the tone completely. Light gauge also tended to buzz as well. I'll be going back to medium gauge, which is what I'm sure the banjo came with, they just felt more substantial. Of course LGS will be easier to "choke" and bend, but you'll pay in terms of tone and that buzzing. Anyway, the banjo is fine. But I'm getting the itch for a more upscale one already. UPDATE: As I expected I have outgrown this (I was guitar player for many years, finger-picking so the rolls came more easily it seems. I'm no prodigy by any means, but I've advanced to intermediate more quickly than some) and am buying a Huber Workhorse or equivalent soon. I will relegate this banjo to the "clawhammer" style that I'm going to tackle next. Oh, one thing. This banjo DOES NOT have a tone ring so it will NEVER sound as good as a banjo with one, unless you like a duller sound. (Some people do, for clawhammer and the like.) FURTHER UPDATE: Forget what I said about a duller sound for clawhammer. That was foolish. Get a decent banjo for both. I still stand by this as a good beginner banjo, but if you have a real love for the banjo you'll quickly outgrow it.
DJ
Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2012
Liked:* High-quality look (beautiful polished wood back and neck)* Good sound* Holds tuning well* Lowest priced, best value real banjo on Internet and in stores* Shipped by UPS with no damage, arrived in perfect condition from several states away* 5-stringed (don't get the 4 string, because eventually you'll want the 5 string anyways, and it's easy enough to play it as if it were a 4-string without the high drone 5th string because it's set slightly lower than the plane of the other four)* Resonator or closed-back design is louder, better than open-backed banjos, very loud, strong sound* I found it straightforward to learn basic skills with my guitar background(it's string tunings and configuration are different, but techniques are similar)* Not too heavy (some banjos I've picked up felt like a sack of bricks)* Comes with chord chart printed on a piece of paper, a tuning guide with a piano for reference (for most common G-tuning or gDGBD), a diagram of the banjo parts, and a little tool* Neck and string spacing is not to narrow, it's standardDisliked:* Some frets may be a slightly off (I tuned it, but fretting the 5th fret produces a noticeably sharp note that my tuner confirms), or perhaps the bridge is misplaced by a millimeter or two on mine, but I'm not experienced enough to precisely place it for accurate notes-playing all the way up the neck. However, this is not a big deal as you only notice if you have a good ear for pitches, and for the price it's to be expected.* The tuning peg for the highest drone string that's halfway up the neck is really hard to turn, and doesn't turn smoothly like the other 4 tuners on the head.Conclusion:* Buy it. If you want a low-priced, good-quality banjo to start learning and continue playing for years, this is a good find.* I'm very happy with my banjo, and I don't foresee any repairs needed, and I don't expect to feel the need to upgrade to a pricier instrument.* I d also recommend buying a banjo strap, finger picks, a clip-on tuner for guitars/banjos, and possibly a beginner banjo book to get started.
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