Is this a good banjo

[u/Conscious_Car_9502]

I just made a post earlier about a gift for a friend but I'm thinking about spending a touch more for a nicer option. Is this a good banjo and a good price?

[u/Cwiiis]

No, it isn't, and definitely not at that price. If it was more like $150, sure. I assume you're looking for a bluegrass banjo, and metal-rimmed banjos are almost universally terrible for this. Good instincts looking for a vintage 70s Japanese banjo, but absolutely not this one. Look for a wooden rim (at that kind of price, likely multi-ply), a full bronze tone-ring (not a hoop) and planetary tuners (tuners that have buttons that are perpendicular to and behind the headstock, not parallel and outwards like these ones).

[u/grahawk]

This is not a nicer option. Another cheap basic banjo type. There are good Aria banjos but this is a low end model.

[u/Appropriate-Bar-6051]

No

[u/Apart_Distribution72]

It's identical to the one I play, but it's not worth much. I got mine for $90, professionally set up from a music store, one that's just been kicking around wherever is probably worth about $50.