The Music Emporium specializes in high-end acoustic instruments, mainly banjos, mandolins, and guitars. If you’re near Lansing, Michigan, you can check out their showroom to try out some banjos yourself. At the time I’m writing this, the oldest banjo they have for sale is from 1892! The staff are very knowledgeable, and instruments get a good inspection and set-up before shipping out. Elderly also carries used instruments, and often has vintage banjos for sale. They range from entry level all the way through high-end models. Elderly InstrumentsĮlderly has been selling instruments since 1972 and has a great selection of banjos. Their return policies are usually fairly good, but you won’t get much advice from them other than “send it back.” A smaller, more specialized seller will be able to give much more detailed advice about your banjo, and may be able to help you fix small issues without having to send the whole thing back. None of these retailers set up your banjo before sending it out, so you may end up spending more on one. As mentioned above, a good set-up is very important. That being said, the lowest price isn’t always the best one. If you’re looking for an entry-level banjo like the Deering Goodtime, you’ll probably find the lowest price on one of these sites. While all four have a much wider selection of guitars and related accessories than they do banjos, they do carry most of the major factory brands. These are the four most popular online retailers for musical instruments of all stripes. Amazon, Guitar Center, Sweetwater, and Musicians Friend You may find that it’s cheaper overall to buy from a shop that will set it up than from a slightly cheaper one that won’t. If you’re comparing the prices of the same banjo at different shops, keep that figure in mind. Costs will vary, but a set-up usually runs anywhere from $50-120. The good news is that you can get it set up after the fact by bringing it to a local shop or luthier. There’s a very real possibility that no one will have actually checked out your banjo at all before you open the package. They the sit in a warehouse for a while, before being shipped to your door.
Generally speaking, mass-produced banjos don’t get much of a set up when they leave the factory.
Things get a little trickier when you’re buying from a big online retailer like Amazon. By the time a banjo goes out their doors, it will have been looked over and played by at least one expert. The people there know banjos inside and out, and will know exactly how they should play and sound. The same goes for specialty shops like Elderly Instruments or the Music Emporium.
If you buy your banjo directly from the maker, it should come set up. Action, intonation, volume, and tone are all affected by the way the banjo is set up. The most expensive banjo in the world, if set up poorly, will be a pain to play and hear. A cheap banjo that is set up well can play and sound great.
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