The banjo has a unique sound that is recognizable by many people; especially if you’re from North America. Banjos form a quintessential part of the musical realm of Americana, most notably in styles of country and bluegrass music. Electric banjos are a relative newcomer to the scene. They have brought the banjo out of its traditional arena and expanded the potential of the instrument.
Folk groups with a more global appeal are starting to use it with great success, as are some pop and rock bands. As the appeal and potential of the banjo have expanded, so has the need to electrify the instrument and harness its potential to a wider audience.
Let’s look at some electric banjos on the market.
 | 1. Our Top Pick Electric Banjo – Vangoa VBJ-4E Acoustic-electric 5-String Banjo An electro-acoustic instrument with a removable resonator, a mahogany body, and walnut neck. Comes with a starter pack that includes everything you need to begin. | Buy on Amazon |
 | 2. Best Budget Beginners Electric Banjo – Vangoa 5 String Banjo 26 Inch An affordable, travel friendly banjo with a removable resonator and a mahogany body. Comes with an attachable pickup. | Buy on Amazon |
 | 3. Best Open-Back Electric Banjo – Ortega Guitars Raven Series 5-String Open Back Acoustic-Electric Banjo An open-back, eye-catching electric banjo with an inbuilt piezo pickup. | Buy on Amazon |
 | 4. Best Electric Banjo With Humbuckers – Gold Tone EB-5 Electric Banjo w/Gig Bag, Tuner An electric banjo with stacked humbuckers. Built with a Canadian maple neck and a mahogany body. | Buy on Amazon |
 | 5. Best 6 String Electric Banjo – Luna Moonbird 6-String Acoustic/Electric Banjo A modernist cross-over instrument suited for guitar players who want a quick dose of banjo for their compositions. Good build quality and unique visual design. | Buy on Amazon |
 | 6. Most Travel-Friendly Electric Banjo – Mulucky 5 String Banjo Mini – 28 Inch Travel Banjo A compact and lightweight 5 string banjo with an attachable pickup and a removable resonator. | Buy on Amazon |
Best electric banjo Reviewed
Our Top Pick Electric Banjo Vangoa VBJ-4E Acoustic-electric 5-String Banjo
The Vangoa VBJ-4E is a fantastic option if you’re looking for a quality instrument that won’t break the bank. This is a great starter instrument into the world of the banjo, as the instrument itself is so versatile. If you’re starting and are not quite sure what style of banjo you want to play, this could be a good choice.
With the option of removing the resonator and using the pickups, this instrument gives you so many different ways to sound. There’s also an adjustable truss rod so you can adjust the string height for your playing needs.
The back is mahogany and the neck is walnut. The width of the neck is pretty thin, which will suit beginners as it makes fretting and fingering somewhat easier. It could prove too thin for more advanced players accustomed to thicker necks, so keep this in mind if you’re already experienced with banjos.
Pros
- Electro-acoustic instrument.
- A removable resonator provides excellent versatility.
- The starter pack has everything a beginner could need to get going.
- Mahogany body and walnut neck.
Cons
- Quality is questionable.
- Could be outgrown by the musician quickly.
Best Budget Beginners Electric Banjo – Vangoa 5 String Banjo 26 Inch
The portable size of Vangoa’s 5 string banjo makes it a perfect instrument for taking with you when you travel. There’s a detachable resonator on the back so you can mold your tone. The resonator on will produce a bright tone, whilst removing it gives you a softer, more mellow tone.
The action is 3mm at the 12th fret and there’s an adjustable truss rod so you can a dapt to different climatic conditions such as heat and humidity that may affect the string tension. The chrome pegs are anti-corrosive and reportedly keep the instrument in tune well.
It has a mahogany body which gives it a warm tone. The 12 steel brackets keep the tension of the head nicely, allowing you to achieve a good percussive tone when you need to. There’s also a bracket wrench to tighten or loosen the head when you need to.
Pros
- Starter pack has everything you need to begin.
- Mahogany body.
- Removable resonator to change your tone.
- Attachable pickup.
Cons
Requires quite a bit of setup out of the box.
Best Open-Back Electric Banjo- Ortega Guitars Raven Series 5-String Open Back Acoustic-Electric Banjo
Ortega has recently launched their first foray into the world of banjo making. The lineincludes two series, the Flacon, and the Raven. The former is more focused on bringing tradition into new territory. The jet-black appearance of the latter brings a modern edge to the table.
The Ortega Raven Series has a mahogany neck and rim and a rosewood fretboard. There are 24 brackets and a remo ebony head, and a built-in passive piezo pickup system. It also comes with a gig bag.
Pros
- Eye-catching appearance.
- Built-in piezo pickup.
- Open back design.
- Straddles modernity and tradition.
Cons
- Expensive.
Best Electric Banjo With Humbuckers Gold Tone EB-5 Electric Banjo w/Gig Bag, Tuner
If you’re looking for that elusive marriage between quality and price on your electric banjo, then this could be it. The stacked humbuckers have been improved from previous models and reportedly give little feedback.
The neck is high-quality Canadian maple and the body has a beautiful natural wood finish to it. There’s also a bone nut and a handy stand, which is a nice touch. The head is a custom-made remo.
One issue people have noted with this model is its weight distribution. The instrument is heavy, weighing in at 27 pounds. The neck is heavier than the body so it tends to tip forward which isn’t always ideal.
Pros
- Stacked humbuckers.
- Mahogany body.
- High-quality Canadian maple neck.
Cons
- Neck heavy.
- Very heavy, weighing in at 27 pounds.
Best 6 String Electric Banjo – Luna Moonbird 6-String Acoustic/Electric Banjo
The Luna Moonbird 6-string acoustic-electric banjo is a superb choice for guitar players looking to immediately add some banjo vibes to their music without the steep learning curve. It comes with the traditional 25-1/2″ scale of the guitar with the traditional resonator of the banjo.
It is an instrument that will likely appeal to modernists looking for a banjo. The flip side of this is it might have many purists squirming uncomfortably, but you can’t please everyone all at once. The body and neck are mahogany, and the fretboard is black walnut.
Pros
- Tuned like a guitar for any easy transition for guitarists.
- Attractive black satin finished with moon birds.
- Mahogany body and black walnut fretboard.
- Single humbucker pickup.
- Appealing to modernists and those who like to experiment.
Cons
- May offend any banjo purists out there.
Most Travel-Friendly Electric Banjo – Mulucky 5 String Banjo Mini – 28 Inch Travel Banjo
Weighing in at just 4 pounds and with being a mere 28 inches long, the Mulucky 5 string banjo is a great travel companion. There’s a removable resonator to give you control of your sound. It’s also useful if you’re not quite sure what your preferred style of playing is yet as it gives you both options.
There’s also a truss rod to help counter the tendency of wood to change in different climatic conditions. The construction is all sapele and the geared 5th tuner provides a classic tone at a very affordable price.
Also included is a beginners pack with everything you need to start learning the banjo, including a strap, pickup, tuner, cleaning cloth, wrench, finger picks, plectrums and spare strings.
Pros
- Great for travel.
- Removable resonator.
- Geared 5th tuner gives a classic tone.
- Affordable price.
Cons
- Some issues with quality control have been raised.
Electric Banjo Buying Guide
What Is An Electric Banjo?
An electric banjo is a banjo with a built-in preamp where you can adjust the sound and tone of the instrument. Electric banjos contain inbuilt pickups, like electric guitars, to capture the exact resonance of the strings.
Electric banjos are also sometimes referred to as hybrid or electro-acoustic banjos. The latter can refer to banjos who’s construction still mimics the traditional style of banjo whilst also including a built-in preamp. There are even some manufacturers making instruments that are moving away from traditional banjo construction and look more like electric guitars than banjos.
The American country musician Buck Trent is the man credited with the creation of the electric banjo in the 1960s. Nowadays you can find them used by musicians for live performances and recording. They can be readily plugged into computers, amplifiers, and other equipment.
Why Choose An Electric Banjo Over An Acoustic One?
Choosing an electric banjo has one main benefit; you’re able to transcend the limitations of a purely acoustic instrument. A banjo with pickups allows you to adjust your sound by running it through a PA, mixer, an amplifier, or any effects.
You may think that, as banjos tend to be pretty loud acoustically, then what’s the point of electrifying them? Adding pickups to your banjo expands its potential. It gives you the option of running it through any kind of effects, preamps, pedals, or mixers. By modifying all your sonic parameters you can achieve exactly the kind of sound you want, and even some you didn’t know you wanted.
It also makes it easier to play with other musicians as you get your levels just right; something which often proves difficult with an acoustic instrument. You’ll find it easier to adapt to venues of different sizes if you’re gigging or jamming with friends.
Also, acoustic banjos are better suited for either solo playing or performing to small crowds. Many electric banjos are also electro-acoustic, meaning you can play them plugged or unplugged. This makes them a good option for the budget-conscious, as it leaves both options open to you, without having to buy two separate instruments.
Which Electric Banjo To Choose; 4 Or 5 String?
Whether you choose a 4 or 5 string electric banjo will depend on the kind of music you want to play. You can often find 4 string electric banjos in tenor and plectrum versions. 5 string electric banjos are much like their acoustic predecessors.
4 String Electric Banjos
You can find many 4 string electric banjos in viola tuning (CGDA) Chicago tuning (GDBE) or violin/mandolin tuning (GDAE.)
Tenor 4 string electric banjos are typically used for picking a melody, whilst plectrum electric banjos are suited for strumming with a pick (plectrum.) They’re common in country music, traditional Irish music, and even jazz.
The banjolele is a popular crossover instrument, merging the banjo and the ukulele into an easy to play and versatile instrument.
5 String Electric Banjo
The extra 5th string on 5 string banjos starts at the 5th fret. 5 strings typically employ open G tuning.
Some manufacturers are even making 6 string electric banjos now. These are tuned like a standard guitar. These offer an easy way for guitarists looking to add some banjo flavor to their playing without having to learn a new instrument. Whilst they aren’t very common and not nearly as popular as the 4 or 5 string version, some musicians do use them.
Be sure to check out our banjo capo guide for help choosing the right capo for your new instrument!
What Are The Different Knobs On An Electric Banjo?
Much like on an electric guitar, an electric banjo may have a knob or switch to choose which pickup to use. The other knobs will be for volume and tone control. The volume knob will affect the pickups whilst the master knob is in charge of the tone.
Electric banjos give the player greater control over tone than an acoustic instrument ever could. The downside of this is they can tend to lose a bit of that feisty and punchy character so characteristic on the banjo when the sound is digitized as opposed to acoustic.
What Materials Are Usually Used To Make Electric Banjos?
Whilst acoustic banjos are usually made out of good quality woods, electric banjos are increasingly made out of hard plastics as well as wood. This gives buyers a lot more options. Composite materials are also slowly becoming more popular.
Due to the more freedom makers have when manufacturing electric banjos, buyers have more things to consider. The more modern flavor of the electric banjo means there are more things to consider. The options are far more plentiful regarding build and aesthetics preferred by acoustic players.
To Sum Up
The banjo has been a popular instrument in the realm of Americana for over a century. It’s been popular in genres such as country, bluegrass, and the like for about as long. Recently interest in the instrument has surged. All this is doing wonders for the popularity of the banjo.
Recently artists in different genres are bringing the banjo further into the mainstream. As this has happened, there’s been an increasing need to expand the reach of this traditional acoustic instrument. Electric instruments can be more easily controlled and have the sound molded into the mix to better suit playing with different bands and in different size venues.
It also gives you the option of experimenting with your sound and even running your banjo through whatever effects and pedals you may have. Our Top Pick Electric Banjo, the Vangoa VBJ-4E Acoustic-electric 5-String Banjo gives you the best of both worlds; the tradition and feel of an acoustic banjo with the added experimentation and sonic possibilities of an electric instrument.
The removable resonator is also a boon for whoever is not quite sure about their playing style yet and wants to be able to experiment for themselves.
Last update on 2023-04-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
