Although more music enthusiasts will usually focus on guitar due to its spread and availability, banjo still retains a lot of its popularity even to this day. Whether you're just starting your musical journey or switching to this fine instrument, it's not that hard to find a good banjo for beginners.
However, you'll need to go through a thorough learning process, as well as accomodating to this instrument. And, of course, one of the most important things to think of is finding the right set of strings for your needs. Whether you're a complete beginner or a somewhat experienced beginner or an intermediate beginner banjo player looking for the best strings around, we've decided to help you out by bringing out the list of the best banjo strings that you can find on the market these days.
Contents
D'Addario EJ60
Of course, D'Addario can't be avoided when there's talk of any type of strings. If we're talking about banjos, their EJ60 string set is a safe choice. These nickel-plated strings come in different gauges and ensure a pronounced resonance and projection, no matter the type of banjo that you're using. Aside from a bright tone, they'll also provide you with a very smooth feel in your performance.
GHS Strings PF145
GHS is another one of the famous string brands, especially known for their great electric guitar strings. Looking into the banjo stuff, the PF145 set is a great example. These stainless steel strings come with a medium-light gauge and will provide you with both a great tone and an amazing feel. On top of this, the strings also come with extra-large loop ends.
D'Addario XT
Knowing how great D'Addario stuff is, it was impossible not to include yet another string set in this list. Here we have their XT banjo strings that come in a few different gauges. But what makes them really special and slightly more expensive compared to average strings is that they have a prolonged lifespan. This is due to the special design and treatment, which also contributes to a great feel in performance.
Martin Vega Banjo V700
While everyone remembers Martin for their awesome acoustic guitars, they also have some awesome guitar and banjo strings in their vast arsenal of products. For instance, we have their Vega Banjo V700 strings that offer quite a boost to the instrument's projection, as well as a great dynamic response. As far as the tone color goes, we have a nice accent to the mids, making them a great choice for those banjo lead sections.
Aquila New Nylgut AQ-1B
Aquila's arsenal is filled with awesome strings for all different kinds of instruments. In case you need something great for banjos, then the Nylgut AQ-1B set is a viable choice here. Of course, this is a synthetic material, which makes the tone completely unique compared to regular steel strings that are the most common. It's the closest thing that you'll get to the old school tone of gut strings. What's more, this material absorbs way less moisture compared to others, making it reliable in terms of tuning stability and the overall long life span. They might be a bit more expensive, but they're worth every penny.
Elixir Nickel-Plated Polyweb Banjo Strings
For many years now, Elixir have been building their reputation for making some of the most durable and reliable strings on the market. Aside from electric and acoustic guitar strings, we have pretty interesting banjo string sets that retain these same qualities. The nickel-plated Polyweb set brings the best out of your banjo, all while keeping the tone fresh for quite a long time, even with heavier use. But aside from the company's reliable coating, the strings add that "crispiness" to the sound and the more pronounced attack, all while not sounding too bright.
Dunlop DJN0920
Lastly, we would like to take a closer look at one of the Dunlop string sets. Of course, mostly known for their electric and acoustic guitar strings, you'll find the same qualities in their collection of banjo strings. The set that we're looking into here is their DJN920. These light-gauge strings provide players with a very articulate and controlled tone. Additionally, they have quite a balanced feel in every area of the neck, making them very comfortable and easy to play. You'll also get a noticeably longer lifespan with them and they will serve you for quite a while. These are, without a doubt, some of the best banjo strings that you can find.
Conclusion
All the compiled best banjo strings above will help you to improve your playing experience, whether you are just a beginner or a somewhat experienced player. Each set of strings has its own unique tone, choosing which one completely depends on your personal style and tonal preferences. By investing in high-quality strings you can elevate the banjo's sound impactful and ensure you enjoy every moment of your musical journey.