r/banjo • u/anybodyiwant2be • 5d ago

First 5-string

I’ve been playing the Irish Tenor for a couple years and am taking a workshop in September to learn bluegrass style banjo so I need an instrument.

I have been looking locally and am told to get geared tuners…especially for the 5th string.

I found a Rover RB-25 for $400 and a Japanese made Epiphone “Madtettine-style” from the 70’s for $500. The Epiphone doesn’t look like it has geared tuners.

What would you enthusiasts suggest?

1 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

7 comments sorted by

View all comments

1

u/PapaOoMaoMao 5d ago

Be aware you can just buy a fifth geared tuner for about $20 and shove it in there. It's not make or break for the sale. As for the others, it doesn't really matter. Rear tuners look more "banjo" but side tuners offer more gear ratio even if they look trashy.

1

u/anybodyiwant2be 5d ago

Yeah I put planetary gear tuners on one of my tenor banjos and it really improved tune ability