PYLE-PRO 5-String Geared Tunable Banjo with White Jade Tune Pegs & Rosewood Fretboard Polished Rich Wood Finish Maplewood Bridge Stand & Truss Rod Adjustment Tool - PBJ60

I purchased this banjo for my husband's 40th b-day. It has been a decades long wish of his to try and play banjo and I was so pleased to find this unbelievable deal for such a quality instrument! I wanted to find him something solid, with good reviews (I checked several sites), a little bit of "flair" (beautiful solid hard woods and mother of pearl fret inlays), but was also easy to learn on. So far, this banjo has fit the bill!I spent a long time researching and shopping on various sites and found this banjo to be the most reasonably priced (for the quality). Now, keep in mind it does NOT come set up or tuned (some other sites offered this option before shipping, and I'm not sure if this co. would have... I was too anxious to get it shipped quicker!). You can take it in to any local music store to have it tuned or if you are musically inclined at all, you can do what we did= I purchased a Snark tuner, also from Amazon... an incredible device!! And I got "Banjo for Dummies" (silly name, but highest rated book on many sites & is extremely thorough, so..!). Between these two "tools," my hubby has successfully set up his instrument and begun to strum. It has a nice, solid clear sound.So, two weeks out... we are both extremely satisfied. (And if he decides it's not the instrument for him, I didn't put out too much moola to feel remiss about it!). It is the perfect starter banjo... and it really is beautifully crafted. If things change, I'll update. But as of now, I highly recommend it!Oh- and as far as shipping... I only paid for standard (very reasonable) and it arrived in just a few days, well packaged, and in a presentable box.

pros:I had a friend who was obsessed with getting a banjo. I'm not sure she even had plans to play it, but just loved banjos. It was a very economical option for a banjo. I was happy to find it looked great. So even if she never plays it, it will be a lovely conversation piece she can display. By the way the box it came is hours of fun for kids.cons:It did take some set up. I used a youtube video to set the bridge up properly for her, before gifting. If you don't feel comfortable doing that, you might have to pay someone to do it for you. No case, or gig bag is included. So you'll want that too, or at least a stand. I found a cheap stand as an add on item.

Overall, I'm satisfied with this banjo. I didn't expect it to be great because of the price, but it surpassed my expectations. A couple of things worth knowing that aren't mentioned in the description: 1) The rim is layered wood (I thought it might be aluminum because of the price, so that was a pleasant surprise). 2) The tuning peg for the 5th string is a friction peg, not geared. Even still, the cost of replacing it with a geared peg is so low, it still makes this banjo worth the buy. I ordered it next-day so it didn't have a lot of time to get damaged in transit. I don't know what kind of tone ring it has, if any, because I didn't take the time to remove the head to inspect that part. The sound is good, the bridge is easy to install (I followed the instructions in Banjo for Dummies), the neck is a good width, and the strings are easy on the fingers and give a clear tone.The only complaints I have are that the frets closest to the pot have a very slight gap between them and the fret board on the 5th string side (not the other side, though); although it's not ideal, it doesn't affect the playability for now. I think with proper care, it won't be a problem. The other complaint I have is that the tuning peg for the 5th string wasn't anchored in the neck. At all. When I tried to tune the string, the peg would immediately turn back to its original position. The guy at the local acoustic musical instrument store told me to get a screwdriver and tighten the screw visible in the tuning key. When I tried that, the peg came out of the neck in my hand. I called the store again, and the same guy told me Elmer's school glue would fix that problem. I used it, and it did a fantastic job, just be sure you don't use too much or it makes a mess; and you also only want to use it on the fluted outer part because you don't want to accidentally glue the part that is supposed to turn, or you'll ruin the whole thing.Overall, I'd say this is a great instrument for anyone who is just getting into the banjo or trying it out to see if they like it. It's very inexpensive, looks great, and sounds good.

I'm extremely happy with my new Pyle banjo! I love the old fashion look of the dark wood body, neck and headstock. I took it to my local music store for professional set up. They set the bridge, tightened the head and adjusted the truss rod and the banjo looks and sounds great. This is a wonderful product for a very reasonable price. I would absolutely recommend this to friends.

This banjo came to me with a huge ding in it and in addition to that it was scratched up, regardless of the fact that it was supposedly new. The banjo itself was of poor craftsmanship and the tuner knobs could not hold the strings in tune. It also , much like the other review states, does not match the box or picture. It does NOT come with the arm rest. The packaging also had a washer rogue washer and other metal scraps floating around in it. Due to the other users experience Im not even going to mess around with trying to replace it, Im just going to return it and get a different brand. I don't normally write product reviews, but this one was so bad I just don't want anyone else to waste their time or money. This banjo is garbage, it may seem like a sweet deal but its really just a waste of your time. Expect to have to return it several times before you get one thats actually almost acceptable. The only place this item belongs in is a dumpster. It blows my mind that Amazon would back an awful product like this.