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This particular page was created 17/11/2003 and last updated 17/05/2005
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| | Data:- Body shape: Round
- Top: Skin
- Back: Open or resonator
- Bridge: Floating
- Frets: Fixed
- Strings: 6
- Courses: 6 ( 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1)
- Scale: 584 - 620 mm
The guitar-banjo is also called banjo-guitar or banjitar. It has six strings and is usually tuned just like a guitar. The instrument has always been struggling with a bad reputation. Many "banjo purists" claim it isn't a real banjo at all but just a bastardized guitar (ignoring the fact that many great banjoists including Johnny St. Cyr - perhaps the greatest ever jazz banjoist - used such an instrument).Of course, since you're a performing musician you shouldn't bother with that kind of attitude. What matters to you is how well the tool fits the job you're doing! So how about it? The guitar-banjo's main advantages are: - It's got the right tone for celtic music.
- It's got enough range for even the most wide-spanning fidle tunes.
- It's easy to learn for somebody more used to a guitar.
- It's easy to find an instrument (easier than to find a tenor banjo that is).
The main disadvantages:- It can be hard to break out of guitar technique and treat it as a banjo. (OTOH you may no want to. Celtic "harp style" guitar technique sounds fabulous on a guitar-banjo!)
- Many celtic/irish tunes don't lie well on the fretboard of a guitar-tuned instrument.
- Chords tend to sound muddy unless you are careful.
- It's hard to find a good instrument.
I'd say the guitar-banjo is mostly suited for somebody who primarily plays the guitar. If Irish banjo playing is your main dish, you're better off with a tenor instead.
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