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Pros:
- Great price
- Lightweight
- Great for traveling
- Mellow sound
- Gig bag is pretty sturdy and durable
Cons:
- Instructional DVD is pretty basic
- There is a bit of a buzz on strings
Maybe you spend too much time imagining yourself in a rocking chair, in the middle of nowhere as you recreate the dueling scene from Deliverance. Maybe you have never even heard of the damn film. In either case, you have spent quite a bit of time thinking about getting yourself into banjos. First of all, congrats on an excellent choice that not as many people make nowadays. Second of all, congrats because if you are a beginner with zero knowledge and very little money for an instrument, there has never been a better time for you. Like with any other instrument, manufacturers have been really focusing on offering inexpensive package deals that include banjos and some of the basic accessories that any novice will need.
Build
Even if you are very serious about your music career and know that banjo is the way to go, maybe you should first test the waters with cheaper models. While there are a lot (and I mean A LOT) of starter packs out there that are pretty cheap, they are usually cheap in quality as well. So when you decide to buy an affordable banjo you have to take into account that it comes at a cost. With the Rogue Travel Starter banjo, fortunately, the edges that had to be cut, were not too dramatic. So you still get a good quality, comfortable instrument that is easy and intuitive to play. With 18 brackets, a high-quality head, and an open-back design, this starter banjo provides an excellent experience. If you are a traveler or don’t have the best experience handling instruments, this model is going to be a lifesaver. Apart from being beginner-friendly, it is lightweight and durable so you can travel as much as you want without worrying about dragging a heavy instrument or ruining it because it might be too flimsy.
Hardware & Bundle
When it comes to hardware, what you get with this banjo is pretty basic but that is to be expected from such a low-cost instrument. The tuning machines are good quality and while you do need to tune quite a bit in the beginning, it is definitely not a permanent issue and after a few weeks or even days, you will be fine. If you have never had any experience with banjos, setting up the bridge might be a bit scary but, fortunately even the most inexperienced player will have an easy time with this bridge. Apart from that, you get a padded gig bag, banjo case chord book with multiple fingerings, and an instructional DVD. I am very skeptical of most package deals because let’s be honest, you can get a lot more info from YouTube videos than from a DVD.
Rogue Banjo Sound
Open back banjos are the best for old time and frailing styles. This banjo offers mellow, sweet sound and compared to banjos with resonators, this one probably lacks in projection but so do most open back banjos. Overall, the clear tone is on this starter banjo was surprised because I just did not expect this quality from this price.
Conclusion
Being on a budget is never easy, especially when it comes to banjo budget. There are so many amazing, stunning banjos but unfortunately, most of them cost well over $300. BUT fortunately, we live in pretty nice times when you can get something like Rogue Learn the Banjo Starter Pack for 2-3 times less price but still get an instrument that sounds good, feels good and lasts long.
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