Vorson BJ-5E Electric Banjo

If you are looking for a very affordable 5-string banjo that plugs in,  this Vorson BJ-5E is hard to pass over.

The magnetic pick-up is mounted inside and delivers a very useable sound at high volume. The volume and tone knobs while being handy they probably are not that useful in performance unless you get very familiar with it and how to set it for back-up and solo levels.

The banjo itself is pretty much what you would expect for the price, The construction is typical of a banjo at this price level, there are many brands and they are all pretty similar if not identical (same factory production).

It is lightly built with a small brass tone ring. The lugs are not super strong like you would have on a higher grade instrument but they are fine for this type of instrument where the head does not requre cranking up to the high tension many bluegrass players enjoy. The pick-up is the game changer here, pick-ups for banjos can set you back almost what the Vorson costs and that is the reason why I stock this instrument. It does the job.

When properly adjusted it will play well and if you are in an electric or semi acoustic line-up this banjo will work for you.

Gold Tone do make a magnetic pick-up for their banjos and the price is $369 RRP.