What's a good banjolele/tenor banjo choice for a beginner?

• I have been thinking about getting a banjolele, or possibly a tenor banjo, and I am looking for suggestions. I am beginner-level. I remember half a dozen chords on my old electric guitar, and it has been years since I was practicing regularly. But we recently got our toddler a $20 ukulele to bang on, and I think 4 strings look easier to learn on than six. While I could just get another low-end ukulele for my own use, something about the banjo-ish sound is more appealing to me. I guess my banjolele fascination started about a year ago, after listening to "Thank you, Jeeves". Getting our son the ukulele has kicked that up a notch. I have looked about a bit on and off, lurking on banjohangout, ebay, and various musical instrument sites. I have not yet gotten to the point of plunking down cash for something, because (a) I'm still not sure, and (b) most everything I see seems pretty pricey, especially compared to more normal style ukuleles. I can easily justify spending up to $100, no problem. Between 100 and 200, I start getting a little more cautious -- is this something I am really going to get that much enjoyment from? Anything more than $200, and I'm going to have to wait for my birthday to roll around before I could spend that sort of cash. I have even thought about trying to make my own, but we live in a small apartment, with a young child. I don't really have space or tools to work on one right now. I have also noticed banjoleles seem to be more expensive than 4-string tenor banjos (probably due to scarcity?), and I know that a tenor banjo can be tuned ukulele-style, so I was considering that as a possible substitute. I am a big guy, with large hands, so a bigger fretboard might also push me in that direction. Another concern is I don't want anything too loud - like Bertie, I do have neighbors. I believe open backed instruments are less loud than ones with resonators? So any suggestions on which way I should go, and where I should look? Either online, or near Hoboken, NJ (which means NYC area). Any particular brands to look for, or avoid? New instrument, or vintage? While I like the idea of owning a 1920/30s era instrument, I do know vintage instruments often have peg tuners, which are tougher to use, and that shorter scale instruments are harder to keep in tune, so modern may be preferable. Or should I postpone my dreams of banjo/banjolele, and just get a tenor or baritone uke? I see on Amazon I can pick a decently rated one of those up for under $100. I could learn on that, and if I make sufficient progress, then later spend the bigger bucks on a banjo uke or tenor banjo. The skills should translate directly, correct?

• Answer:

  I have both a tenor banjo (tuned like a uke) and a banjolele and I never ever play the tenor, and can't get enough of the banjolele. The Tenor is super-heavy and louder and harsher than I want it to be. The banjolele is small and light and nimble and just comfortable. I'm six three and my hands are proportionately sized. Now, for sure, the individual instruments matter as much as anything. Maybe my tenor is just a POS and my banjolele is a peach. I don't know. And, of course, the tenor is steel string and the banjolele is nylon. But I am fairly confident saying that the benefits of the banjolele outweigh the benefits of the tenor banjo tuned like a uke. The tenor banjo is a lovely instrument, but I think it has evolved to be played like a tenor banjo, and not like a ukulele. The banjolele, although a strange hybrid, fills a satisfying little evolutionary inlet. I've played a few Dixies, those weird all-metal ones, and they are great. I've played a few no-name banjoleles and they varied wildly. I'd stay away from the very cheap tambourine style banjoleles - they are untuneable, in my experience. I have an Elkhardt Banjo-ette, and it is terrific. I got mine on eBay for around $100, I've spent maybe $20 on a series of new bridges. I intend to replace the pegs with peghead planetary gears (I even http://ask.metafilter.com/117509/Tiptoe-through-the-Tuners about it) . It's my favorite instrument.