5-String Banjos

5-string banjos are classic American banjos with a short fifth string, tuned with a peg at the fifth fret, that provides a steady high note as you play. They are used for bluegrass, country and folk and are usually tuned to open G. Here you will find 5-string banjos from SX, Pasadena, Ortega and Ibanez – resonator models with a wooden bowl at the back, as well as open-back banjos. Most have a 670 mm scale length and 22 frets, and there are left-handed models too.

Resonator or open-back banjo?

A resonator banjo has a wooden bowl at the back that reflects the sound forwards. Its loud, clear sound makes it a choice for bluegrass players who use the three-finger technique in the style of Earl Scruggs. These models include SX BJ555 and BJ565 with an 11-inch Remo Fiberskyn head, Pasadena 01BJ001 with a mahogany body and Ibanez B200 with a mahogany resonator.

An open-back banjo has no bowl at the back, is lighter and sounds softer and quieter. It suits old-time music and the clawhammer technique, where you strike the strings with downward strokes of a finger and add the note of the fifth string with your thumb. SX BJ305TK Kit uses this construction.

What should you look for when choosing a 5-string banjo?

• Scale length – 670 mm is standard for a 5-string banjo, and fretting feels natural to guitarists.
• Head – most models have a Remo head that holds its tuning even when the weather changes; SX BJ555 and BJ565 have Remo Fiberskyn, while Ortega OBJ550W has a Remo Renaissance head.
• Left-handed playing – SX BJ455 Vintage Sunburst and Ortega OBJE400TCO-L are models for left-handed players.
• Included accessories – SX BJ305TK Kit comes with a gig bag, picks, strap and tuner; SX BJ505, BJ565, Ortega OBJ450 and OBJ550W come with a gig bag.
• Strings – Ortega OBJ550W has D'Addario J60 strings; you will find replacement sets in the Strings for Banjo category.

If a model does not include a gig bag, choose one from the Gigbags for Banjo category.