4-String vs. 5-String Banjo: Differences for Beginners

The string count sets the style: the 5-string banjo with its short drone string is the standard for bluegrass, old-time and clawhammer, and the right choice for most beginners. The 4-string banjo (tenor or plectrum) belongs to Dixieland jazz and Irish sessions, and the 6-string is a way in for guitarists. Whether the pot is open-back or has a resonator shapes volume, weight and tone: resonator for bluegrass, open-back for clawhammer, and either one works to start with.

The three banjo families at a glance

The 5-string: standard for bluegrass, old-time and clawhammer

The fifth string is shorter than the others and starts at the 5th fret, yet it sits beside the lowest string. Because it still sounds highest, you get the typical banjo tuning in which pitches do not simply ascend from string to string. The usual scale length is 26.25 inches. Most method books, tablature and online courses are written for this instrument, so if you only know that you want to play "banjo", you almost always end up on a 5-string.

The main playing styles

• Scruggs style (bluegrass): a three-finger roll with metal or plastic fingerpicks on thumb, index and middle finger. It became widely known in the mid-1940s through Earl Scruggs and drives the pace of bluegrass.
• Clawhammer or frailing (old-time): the fingernail of the index or middle finger strikes down on the melody strings, then the thumb catches the short string. It is played without fingerpicks. The technique has African American roots and suits dance tunes and song accompaniment.
• Early finger-style variants: bare fingers pluck the strings much like on a guitar. They are historically important but less common today.

Tunings on the 5-string

Bluegrass uses open G (g-D-G-B-d) almost without exception. Clawhammer has no single standard. Three tunings are common, and you can learn them in sequence because each needs only small retuning:

1. Open G (gDGBD): the easiest starting point, also used in bluegrass.
2. Sawmill or G modal (gDGCD): the second string goes from B to C, giving an open, "lonesome" sound for many ballads and fiddle tunes.
3. Double C (gCGCD): popular for fiddle tunes. With a capo at the 2nd fret it sits in D (aDADE).

Many players say the tuning is half the tune: some pieces only sound right in their original tuning. Plan for a tuner and some patience when retuning.

The 4-string: tenor and plectrum

The tenor banjo appeared in the early twentieth century as jazz took off: the fifth string was dropped because it got in the way of chords. By the 1920s it was the most widespread form. It has 17 or 19 frets and a much shorter scale than the 5-string (roughly 19.5 to 23 inches, depending on build). It is played with a pick, mostly as a rhythm chord instrument in jazz and as a melody instrument in Irish music.

Tenor in two tunings

• CGDA (standard tenor): tuned in fifths like viola and cello, an octave higher. This is the original Dixieland tuning and suits chord accompaniment.
• GDAE (Irish): like fiddle and mandolin, an octave lower than the fiddle. Because the fingering matches fiddle and mandolin, tunes and tab from the session scene transfer directly. The instrument spread in Ireland from the 1920s, and its peak in pub sessions came in the 1950s and 1960s.
• Chicago tuning (DGBE): matches the four high guitar strings, a route for guitarists who want to keep their chord shapes.

For Irish music the 17-fret tenor is the easier start and kinder to smaller hands. The 19-fret version is a little brighter and louder and is preferred by many advanced players. A resonator is often recommended for sessions, because an open-back instrument can disappear in a loud room.

Plectrum banjo

The plectrum banjo also has four strings but 22 frets and a long scale of roughly 26 to 28 inches. Its C-G-B-d tuning makes it a pure chord instrument for jazz and traditional accompaniment.

The 6-string: the guitar banjo

The 6-string has a guitar neck and guitar tuning (E-A-d-g-b-e') on a banjo pot. All chords and scales work as on a guitar. For guitarists who just want to try the banjo sound, it is the shortest path. You will not get bluegrass or clawhammer in the strict sense, though, because the short drone string is missing. Players who want to go deeper usually move to a 5-string later.

Open-back or resonator

A resonator is a wooden bowl on the back of the pot. It reflects the sound that would otherwise escape backwards and sends it forward. An open-back banjo lacks it: sound radiates in all directions, and part of it is absorbed by the player's body and clothing.

Why the difference matters for clawhammer

The shorter sustain and focused midrange of an open-back keep fast rhythmic patterns distinct. A high-sustain resonator banjo can let the notes run together. This is a matter of taste, since respected clawhammer players have used resonator banjos. Used resonator banjos are often set up for bluegrass, so for clawhammer you may need to adjust bridge height, head tension and string spacing.

Taking the resonator off

On many models the resonator unscrews, and the banjo then sounds closer to an open-back. Check whether the flange (the ring that holds the tension hooks) stays on the pot. If the hook hardware is anchored to the flange, the resonator cannot simply come off. The reverse does not work: an open-back cannot be turned into a resonator banjo, so a removable resonator offers a little more flexibility if your style is still open.

Other tone factors

• Tone ring: steel sounds very bright and dry, brass a little warmer, bell bronze darker. Wooden rings (such as grenadilla) sound darker with less sustain.
• Rim wood: mahogany gives shorter sustain, maple and walnut longer and brighter sound.
• Coordinator rods: budget models have one, better ones two, which keeps the pot round and stable.
• Amplifying: a pickup can be fitted to almost any banjo, so an open-back is no obstacle for gigs.

What should a beginner buy?

1. You want clawhammer or old-time: a 5-string open-back. It is lighter, cheaper and fits the style.
2. You want bluegrass: a 5-string with resonator, fingerpicks and a band setting where you need to be heard.
3. You do not know yet: a 5-string with a removable resonator, or simply the one you like. Many players advise playing whatever is handy and convenient for the first year. Any 5-string can play any style, the question is only how close to the ideal it sounds.
4. You want Irish sessions: a 4-string tenor in GDAE, preferably with 17 frets and a resonator.
5. You come from guitar and want to sample the sound: a 6-string, or a tenor in Chicago tuning (DGBE) if you want just four strings.

More important than any construction is the setup. A banjo that has not been set up properly buzzes and will not hold tune, which quickly frustrates beginners. Look for sellers who offer a setup, and for at least one truss rod so the neck can be adjusted. For tuners, planetary geared types with clean action are what you want; cheap ones slip. The tension hardware on the pot matters more than the tuners, because it is hard to replace.

New prices for beginner and mid-range banjos in the US

Prices vary by retailer and over time, so treat them as guidelines (as of Oct. 2026):

• Entry level, up to about $500: Gold Tone AC-1 (open-back, light) around $315, Gold Tone CC-50 around $475, Deering Goodtime (open-back, made in the USA) around $600. Older listings show it lower, so check the current price. Resonator beginners such as the Recording King RK-R20 sit around $500.
• Mid-range, about $700 to $900: Gold Tone CC-50RP (convertible resonator) around $700, CC-100R around $800, HM-25 with scooped fingerboard around $900, plus beginner packages around $700.
• Beyond that: handmade banjos cost considerably more. Forum advice for beginners clusters around $400 to $600 as a sensible budget.

Prices for tenor, plectrum and 6-string banjos in the US are not reliably documented, so get a current quote. Used banjos often sell at around 75 percent of the new price, and the checklist for them is in buying a used banjo.

Accessories you actually need

• Tuner: a clip-on tuner is essential, especially with changing tunings.
• Capo: needed for the keys in clawhammer and for bluegrass accompaniment.
• Fingerpicks: a must for bluegrass, not needed for clawhammer.
• Picks: for tenor and plectrum banjo; large nylon picks of roughly 46 to 60 mm are used on tenor. Buy several, they tend to vanish.
• Strap: a wide padded strap eases the shoulder, especially with a heavy resonator banjo.
• Gig bag or case: a hard case protects better.
• Spare strings: medium sets such as 10-12-16-23-10 are common for the 5-string.

Myths and mix-ups

• "Bluegrass needs a resonator and clawhammer needs an open-back": a rule of thumb, not a law. Any 5-string can play any style; the tone only gets closer to or further from the ideal.
• "A resonator is just louder": it also changes response, sustain and weight, and the tone is brighter and more percussive.
• "A 4-string is easier to learn": it has fewer strings but a different repertoire and tuning. If you want clawhammer or bluegrass, it will not get you there.
• "Expensive means better": a proper setup does more than the next price step, since many cheap instruments buzz only because of poor setup.
• "A 6-string is half a banjo": it is its own instrument with its own sound, just not meant for clawhammer or bluegrass.

Typical wrong buys

• A 4-string bought while learning bluegrass or clawhammer material, or a 5-string for Irish sessions.
• A heavy resonator banjo for long standing sessions or travel.
• A 19-fret tenor for small hands without having held it.
• A budget banjo without a truss rod that cannot be adjusted.
• A 6-string guitar banjo when clawhammer or bluegrass was the goal: the short drone string is missing.

Checklist before you buy

1. Which style do you want to play, and which tuning goes with it?
2. Open-back or resonator, and can you carry the weight?
3. Is the instrument set up, with a truss rod and clean tuners?
4. Will you play with other instruments where volume matters?
5. Have you budgeted for a tuner, capo, fingerpicks or pick, strap and bag?