Was looking for a starter banjo for my 23 year old son who is a musician and kind of a snob when it comes to his collection of stringed instruments. The Vangoa banjo was the perfect thing. The description on their page is spot-on so be confident in how the instrument is described there. First of all, it is a beautiful looking instrument (I wish I had thought to take pictures of it when my son was home—sorry—the photos on Amazon are accurate and the instrument is even more beautiful in person!). It has a rounded, polished, wooden back which is removable if you like a more open sound for certain styles of music (this feature was not at all common in some of the more expensive banjos I looked at). It has pearl-like pegs, an ebony neck and the body itself is very solid with added aesthetic details that contribute to its expensive look. Another added bonus for the price is the ability to plug this banjo into an amp. It also comes with a bag full of goodies—tuner, picks, strings, a strap and more. I was very impressed by customer service. I got a note right away from the company asking if I was happy with the instrument and the email contained some extra manuals and instructions they thought might be helpful. I get the feeling that if there was any problem they would help correct it as soon as possible. We are not banjo experts but we are a musical family and recognize rich tone and a quality instrument. There was no buzzing, nothing tinny or awkward about the sound and after 2 weeks of playing it, my son reports back that he is obsessed and absolutely loves it. He says it is easy to tune and play, It remains in-tune and it is a fine, solid, great—looking banjo. Bonus: you absolutely cannot beat the price. Very satisfied customers here!
Vangoa 5 String Banjo Open Back Full Size, Clawhammer Banjo Beginner Kit with Frosted Remo Head, Maple Banjo with Geared 5th
4.6 | 287 ratings
Price: 167.95
Last update: 12-23-2024
About this item
[Lightweighted Portable] This Open-back banjo offers a mellower sound and is easier to play and carry aside for the lighter body, it perfectly meets the needs of clawhammer and old-time music players, gently pluck the string, bring out the pleasing melody
[The Most Popular Remo Head] Trusted by every major banjo manufacturer worldwide, the frosted banjo head brings a crisp dry tone without too much sustain providing great clarity and note distinction. 24 Chrome-plated brackets ensure a better tension distribution on the head for more accurate and precise tuning
[Beautiful Design with Premium Material] Maple fretboard blends in perfectly with Maple body, external quality combined with inherent grace, even on the craftsmanship of back edge, making the open back banjo smoothy and durable, easier to play
[Considerate Design] Adjustable coordinator rod on the head and truss rod on the neck, making adjustment easier for you. Fret dots on the neck side helps you find chord locations quickly. 15:1 ratio tuning peg design enhanced durability by anti-dust, erosion-resistant sealed design, help you to hold tune firmly
[Beginner-friendly Kit] Beginner Banjo kit comes with everything you need to start, just focus on your learning, play right out of box. Vangoa Banjo set offers a 2-year warranty and life-long sincere after-sales service, you could rest assured that you will receive our best assistance
[The Most Popular Remo Head] Trusted by every major banjo manufacturer worldwide, the frosted banjo head brings a crisp dry tone without too much sustain providing great clarity and note distinction. 24 Chrome-plated brackets ensure a better tension distribution on the head for more accurate and precise tuning
[Beautiful Design with Premium Material] Maple fretboard blends in perfectly with Maple body, external quality combined with inherent grace, even on the craftsmanship of back edge, making the open back banjo smoothy and durable, easier to play
[Considerate Design] Adjustable coordinator rod on the head and truss rod on the neck, making adjustment easier for you. Fret dots on the neck side helps you find chord locations quickly. 15:1 ratio tuning peg design enhanced durability by anti-dust, erosion-resistant sealed design, help you to hold tune firmly
[Beginner-friendly Kit] Beginner Banjo kit comes with everything you need to start, just focus on your learning, play right out of box. Vangoa Banjo set offers a 2-year warranty and life-long sincere after-sales service, you could rest assured that you will receive our best assistance
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Vangoa 5 String Banjo Open Back Full Size, Clawhammer Banjo Beginner Kit with Frosted Remo Head, Maple Banjo with Geared 5th Tuner, Natural
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Top reviews from the United States
tmalPerfect Purchase
Banjo Great banjo for beginner/knock around
Banjo
Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2024
2. The position of the 5th string tuner -this I really can't do anything about but could be fixed at the manufacturer with no cost the problem with the position is I use my thumb for a C chord and when playing with the capo on the 2nd fret ( in key of A, very popular) I cannot fret the 4th fret on the D string with my thumb see picture the blonde fret board is the Vangoa the darker one is my Deering Sierra it should line up with the 4th fret. 3. The L bracket for the tailpiece that attaches to the coordinator rod this hole needs to be redrilled to lower the L bracket so the tailpiece sits firmly on the retention hoop see picture. 4. The tuners - they stay in tune but if you are sharp you have to down tune close to a half a step then tune up from there. The cheapest planetary tuners on the market for the 4 tuners on the headstock would be better than what is on there and if you want to upgrade the hole will be drilled for the right size and you won't have 8 tiny screw holes in your headstock ( I am doing this anyway). I bought this as a project doing these simple things wound make this banjo alot more attractive to more experienced players. Even with these issues still a extremely great deal.
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JasonCGreat banjo for the price
K. ChoquetteSurprisingly good Instrument for the price.
KinetiK LabsGreat value for beginners
KinetiK Labs
Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2021
Comes with everything you need to setup your instrument and get playing.
The head on mine was already pretty evenly tightened, I only made a couple of 1/4 turns near the tail piece after removing the resonator.
The 5th tuner is closed and geared, but the 4 main are open back geared, so be careful to keep them cleaned over the years.
I haven't tried the pickup or 1/4 inch output yet, letting the strings stretch before checking the truss rod, which needs minor adjusting to resolve some 1st fret buzzing.
Overall I would say great value for sure. Its not a Deering Goodtime, but I think the action is good and the sound is crisp and loud with the resonator.
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Cesar Peraza