Best banjo accessories according to redditors

I use a Kyser Banjo capo! It's lasted me years and fits pretty nicely since it's made for an instrument with a similar sized neck to a ukulele.

This is the one: http://www.amazon.com/Kyser-Banjo-Mand-Capo-Blk/dp/B0002CZVWS
And here it is sitting on my Koyama tenor: https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/s720x720/547985_3524614034716_1344819432_n.jpg

Hope that helps!

I'm not overly familiar with deering bags, head good things about their banjos though. I went with a Crossrock bag when I bought my banjo, and have been happy with it.

https://www.amazon.com/Crossrock-CRSG106BJBG-Padded-Resonator-Backpack/dp/B0779Z4T76/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=crossrock+banjo&qid=1568127748&s=musical-instruments&sr=1-4

I don't use a resonator, so it is a little big in places, but it has good storage an solid straps. Less that $30 too. They also make hard cases, but those get expensive.

Don't be put off by all there rack snobs.

I have panniers I use on my winter bike, and my town bike. They're great!

But in the summer I like to move fast so I'm on a carbon road bike with no rack.

So I have one of these:

https://www.modernbike.com/axiom-flip-flop-lx-seatpost-rear-rack

I put a bag designed to sit on top of the rack on, and just use the quick release to take the whole thing into the office with me. Can't find the bag I use, but it's somethign like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Banjo-Brothers-Rack-Top-Bag/dp/B00P0084XU

I have room for rolled up dress pants, belt, a neatly folded shirt, socks, underwear, shampoo, small towel, repair kit, spare tube, pump, rain gear, arm warmers/knee warmers and my lunch.

I keep my shoes at work.

As a bonus, it acts as a rear fender so when it rains I get wet feet from the front wheel spray on hitting the down tube, but the rest of me only gets as wet as the stuff falling from the sky makes me.

I've been using a rack like this for years. I used to use this one:

https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5016-417/Rear-Seat-Post-Rack-PR-3

But I had three break off at the weld at the clamp end. The one I linked above uses a bolt to connect the rack to the clamp and it's been bomber. I bunny hop down 8'' drops with a loaded bag and it's no problem.

The only thing I had to do was swap the carbon seat post for a steel one, the carbon frame is doing great even with all the abuse I hurl at it.

And it's about 1000 times better than having a bag on my back, personally I can't stand riding with a pack on.

Go for the rack and don't look back!

Take your pick. The conventional wisdom for traditional Irish music would say to get yourself a 17 fret tenor banjo.

However, Irish Traditional can be played on a 5 string blue grass banjo using three finger picking (Scruggs style). A guy named Tom Hanaway even wrote an instructional book about it.

So its up to you. I will say that the Hanaway book is good, but there is a TON more material available for the 4 string Irish tenor then there is for the 5 string (speaking only of Irish Traditional music here).

I love this one, for how quick and easy it is to add/remove: Kyser Quick-Change Capo for banjos, ukuleles, and mandolins - Black

Fifth String Banjo Capo

Kind of expensive for a piece of metal, but I wouldn't use anything else. Fast switching, stays in tune up the neck, and zero damage or installation for the fretboard.

I use it all the time and am happy with it.

I just bought my first Uke(soprano) a few months ago and did a lot of research looking for just the right type of look and quality for a good price. I ended up settling on the Kala-SEM Exotic Mahogany

http://www.amazon.com/Kala-Exotic-Mahogany-Soprano-Ukulele/dp/B003M4S670

It looks beautiful, sounds great, isn't too expensive, and is great to first learn the instrument. I also purchased the Gig Bag just for travel purposes and I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend also getting this Kyser Capo for Uke/Banjo

http://www.amazon.com/Kyser-Banjo-Mand-Capo-Blk/dp/B0002CZVWS/ref=pd_sim_MI_12?ie=UTF8&refRID=0TRJSEMRJA3F6GXY9QXA

It will fit the instrument, and all ukes, perfectly and is a tremendous asset when learning songs in a different key that you don't yet have the capability of doing absurd fingerings for. No matter what you settle on, trust me, get that capo and it will be the best purchase. Best of luck to you on your learning!

Edit: Forget to mention the Kala will also come with Aquila strings already on it, so you save the money there. After about a week of playing it quite a lot every day to let them settle it stays in tune great now

I have a baritone ukulele and use this capo. It is large enough to cover the four strings but not too large that it weighs down the neck.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002CZVWS/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1526878683&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=Mandolin+capo&dpPl=1&dpID=41E8hwOD6VL&ref=plSrch

I've never encountered distance limitations, not within the already-accepted distance limitations of CAT5.

If you are just checking unshielded phone lines, any tool will do the job. If you are also looking to check ethernet, you may need one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/Eclipse-Tools-900-244-ProsKit-Adapter/dp/B00OSLCZ6O/

If the other end of the cable is plugged into a live switch, you won't get any tone over the wire when you are sending a tone down a pair (typically the blue pair). This adapter lets you instead connect your tone generator to two different unpaired wires, which lets you tone properly.

I bought this one on Amazon and it works great. TSA threw it around pretty hard on my way to work last time. Tore the vinyl in a couple of places and I had to tighten one of the tuners when I got here but the banjo itself survived fine. If you ever check it with your luggage, remember to slack the strings. I gate check it whenever possible, too.

I think this is a good cheap option if amplification/volume are your main priorities. A magnetic pickup is a good route for volume/feedback issues. This one can slide around so you can find the sweet spot. It won't be as authentic as a mic/piezo but it'll give you more volume and feedback protection.

https://www.amazon.com/Gold-Tone-Sliding-Magnetic-Pickup/dp/B005GX5WTK

Tuners are replaceable if they suck. That head is probably decent. The tone ring can change the sound appreciably, so if you strum it a bit try to ignore the probably old strings and get a vibe of what the body is giving you. Other than that that is a pretty good deal for a banjo it looks like somebody cared about enough to install brass.

To be frank though, if this is your first banjo I'm going to hard sell you on a good gig bag like: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004W1PQ66/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_vjBDyb5YC2M46

It's legit more important that you play often and everywhere than what you play on for a good long while. Bring sandwiches.

I like then Vega style ones on my Goodtimes. They fit ok right out of the bag, but a small notch ground in the right place (in the middle, so it can seat fully over the middle hook), they fit even better. Takes about 10 seconds with a dremel and a grinding burr.

Golden Gate P-101 Vega Style Armrest - Nickel-Plated Brass https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00724YG0M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_XpblzbKTJZ0Z8

Not a strange question at all. One of my banjo students has a nickel allergy as well. She bought a Bishline banjo. Rob Bishline was kind enough to make her a beautiful wood armrest. It sounds like hers isn't as severe as yours though, as she has no problem with the other parts.

It is a big pain in the butt. There are a lot of metal parts on a banjo, and for most banjos, they are typically nickel plated. However, there are chrome-plated banjos. So you can get some chrome-plated banjo parts. You can also get gold-plated banjo parts as well, since there are gold-plated banjos.

Of course, it gets a little pricey when you're just buying the parts. And gold-plated banjos tend to be on the pricier side. Chrome-plated banjos can be found for more reasonable prices, but you'll have to dig.

Your best be is to be careful with your banjo now, You can wear wrist bands or, if you're not too self conscious, cut out a sock to wear on the portion of your arm that comes in contact with your banjo.

When you're ready to upgrade, make sure you do some research and find an appropriate chrome or gold plated banjo to buy.

If wear is the issue, an alternative idea might be to try some long life strings. Like the coated elixir ones:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Elixir-Banjo-Ultra-Thin-Polyweb-Coating/dp/B0002E1NXC/ref=sr_1_8?keywords=banjo+strings&qid=1569073040&sr=8-8

More expensive upfront, but I get 9 months to a year out of a set on the acoustic I play daily

Lorises caught by poachers have their teeth clipped before being put on the the black market for Just over $30 each.

http://www.amazon.com/National-Large-Black-Thumb-Pick-Finger-Guitar/dp/B00HCLFFFA/ref=cm_wl_huc_item

For writing blues songs for the lorises...

No problem, if you're in the market for a case this one fits perfectly and is pretty good quality for the price. Happy picking!

You know, I thought there was but can't find it.

This looks like a good alternative though:

https://www.amazon.com/Guardian-CG-010-JO-Featherweight-Case-Banjo/dp/B0061YY8Z2/ref=sr_1_48?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1485365533&sr=1-48&keywords=banjo+case

Or if you also deal with RJ45 jacks, they have a banjo for that: https://www.amazon.com/Eclipse-Tools-900-244-ProsKit-Adapter/dp/B00OSLCZ6O/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=rj45+banjo&qid=1567130992&s=hi&sr=1-1
I've not used this one, but it's the first one that came up when i searched for rj45 banjo. You can still plug in a 4 pin or 6 pin cord into it and it'll still work... pin 4 and 5 is still the center pair for tip/ring for line 1, etc

I use this wall hanger. It's only $10.00, and it'll keep your banjo accessible, but out of harms way. Just make sure you mount it to a stud.

Better luck with the next one.

I like the Martin mediums. $2.95 free shipping on amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Martin-V730-Banjo-Strings-Medium/dp/B0002D0K9Q/ref=lh_ni_t?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1CHMHRY5MHDJD

If you're a beginner, I'd suggest using light strings. Simply for the fact that they are easier to fret/bend. Since you like brighter sounds, you'll probably end up on light strings anyway. Heavier strings trade this ease of play (which since you come from guitar is probably negligible) for a slightly darker sound.

But, strings are like $5 a pack so try a lot and see what feels right for you. Get 3-4 different types and play one for a week, switch, play for a week, switch, etc. and see which you like best. If you don't cut/pop the strings during the experimental time, you can keep the strings you don't end up on for spares. I, personally, like GHS J.D. Crowe Signature Studio.