Best Deal on 5-String Openback Banjos, Specializing in American-made Banjos
5-String Openback Banjos are typically played in the clawhammer style. Clawhammer (also called traditional or folk) style banjo playing is much more mellow than bluegrass. Players pick with only two fingers, usually the thumb and index finger. Clawhammer is most often played on an openback banjo. The sound is absorbed by clothing, which produces a softer sound (compared to a bluegrass banjo with a resonator). Banjo.com carries a wide selection of open-back banjo models in stock, every day.
Our best-selling openback banjo is easily the Deering Goodtime Openback followed by the 12” rim Deering Goodtime Americana. These are well built, American-made banjos, that won’t break the bank. If you are looking to upgrade from the Goodtime series, be sure to check out our selection of Vega banjos. The Vega Little Wonder and Vega Old Tyme Wonder are extremely popular banjos with a classic look and exceptional sound. Within the Deering professional line up, the Deering Sierra Openback and Deering Eagle 2 Openback are really popular. Owner Barry Waldrep is particularly fond of the Deering Clawgrass – wow, what a banjo! Other banjo models that stand out, the Nechville Atlas and the Bishline Oakie. This might be a hard choice!
Made in USAMade in America. Easy to play! Durable and easy to maintain! The Goodtime banjo produces a vibrant ringing tone from its natural finished violin grade maple rim. At only 4 pounds, the weight makes it ideal for both children and adults to play and to travel with conveniently.
Made in USA
The Deering Goodtime banjo produces a vibrant ringing tone from its natural finished violin grade maple rim. Easy to play! Durable and easy to maintain! At only 4 pounds, the weight makes it ideal for both children and adults to play and to travel with conveniently.
Made in USAThe Goodtime Americana Deco banjo, with its 12” rim, unveils a fresh design inspired by the American Art Deco era from the 1920s, marked by an elegant hardwood inlay pattern and detailed peghead carvings.
Made in USA
The Deering Goodtime Americana is the first 5-string banjo from Deering to be fitted with their new Grand 12" rim, giving this banjo a stronger bass response and warmer tone. The fullness and warmth of the larger rim is further enhanced by the addition of a 12" Renaissance banjo head which beautifully complements the instrument both visually and sonically.
The Deering Goodtime Americana is the first 5-string banjo from Deering to be fitted with their new Grand 12″ rim, giving this banjo a stronger bass response and warmer tone. The fullness and warmth of the larger rim is further enhanced by the addition of a 12″ Renaissance banjo head which beautifully complements the instrument both visually and sonically.
Made in USA
The stunning new Artisan Goodtime Jr. is four inches shorter than the Artisan Goodtime making it ideal to travel with. Durable and easy to maintain, this banjo is also perfect for children.
Made in USA
The stunning new Artisan Goodtime banjo embodies Greg Deering's lifelong vision for the Deering Banjo Company - to make the best sounding, best playing, best looking, and best value U.S.A. made banjo that he possibly could. It is a never ending quest that Deering pursues every single day.
Lightweight enough to travel with, convenient enough to keep by your easy chair at home, the Goodtime Artisan is great for hours of practice with a neck that is both comfortable to play and accurate to fret.
For decades Gold Tone has offered quality banjos for beginner to pros. Playability, tone and quality designs are a trademark. The CB-100 was created to meet the demands of the modern old-time player.
Made in USA
Finally! A banjo that can be played at any volume. The new Goodtime Acoustic Electric banjo features the factory installed Kavanjo banjo head pickup system.
The Maple Mountain 150 exemplifies Gold Tone's mission: to give you the best instrument for your money. The MM-150 was our first openback banjo and it still offers features found on many higher-priced banjos for less than you'd expect to pay.
Once a staple in early twentieth century banjo orchestras and clubs, the cello banjo disappeared by 1930. Gold Tone has brought it back, collaborating with string wizard Marcy Marxer to develop the CEB-4 cello banjo.
The mighty CEB-5's fourteen-inch pot (the largest banjo pot in production today by any maker) with a custom Remo Renaissance head and custom-designed high-tension wound nylon strings on a custom bridge pushes out gut-rumbling lowdown banjo mojo.
Made in USAThis is our version of the Vega Whyte Laydie banjo from the turn of the century. The Pisgah Laydie is definitely a show stopper in any banjo setting!
Made in USAClassic Look with classic tone: The Woodchuck is the most affordable handmade open back banjo on the market today.
Made in USAThe Possum, which features a persimmon tone ring, gives a warm rich tone without being overpowering.
Made in USAThe Pisgah Appalachian is all you need if you are looking for a quality, step-up banjo!
Made in USAThe Pisgah Dobson is perfect for those looking for a lighter-weight banjo with good sustain and projection.
Made in USAThe Rambler Dobson is the first affordable, sustainable, hand-made spun-over rim banjo on the market!
Made in USA
This is an open back claw hammer model. It is very tastefully built with simple but elegant appointments. Raw brass hardware, two ply maple rim and Dobson style tone ring, curved finger board scoop, black tuning machine buttons and wooden arm rest.
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Made in USA
Deering's newest professional grade openback 5-string banjo. The Eagle II™ banjo is a whole new breed of banjo. It features the ground breaking, patent pending Twenty-Ten™ Tone Ring which is a completely original Deering design that gives the banjo an extremely clear tone.
Made in USA
Take the weight of the world off your shoulders. The Atlas is ultra light (around six pounds), sounds great and is a joy to play. Its design was a Nechville-Sagmoen collaboration and echos the Ashborn Banjos of the 1860s. Modern Nechville innovations make the Atlas the most advanced traditional openback to date.
Made in USASimilar to the Rambler Dobson but with a few upgrades. Available in walnut or cherry, this banjo comes with an aged copper or brass rim in 11" or 12".
Made in USAA tribute to the original Vega Little Wonder banjos, the Pisgah Wonder harkens to the golden age of banjo building.
Made in USAThis is our version of the legendary Vega Tubaphone banjo from the turn of the century. A very close representation with some modern improvements, this banjo will stand out in any crowd.
Made in USAThis is our version of the Vega Whyte Laydie banjo from the turn of the century. The Pisgah Laydie is definitely a show stopper in any banjo setting!
Made in USAThe Dobson Professional features our new slotted headstock design and is available in stained curly maple.
Banjo.com carries one of the largest selections of open-back banjos anywhere. We are banjo players and can answer any banjo buying questions. Once you find the perfect open-back banjo, head over to our parts & accessories section of our store and stock up on banjo picks and banjos strings. Protect your new open-back banjo with a banjo case or bag. We also carry banjo tools and other banjo care and maintenance items. Have questions about open-back banjos? Call us at 678-488-BANJO or use our contact form.