This is a great ‘starter pack’ for the banjo. I haven’t ever played a stringed instrument before but am finding the DVD instructions easy to use. The banjo seems like decent enough quality for the beginner. The pack doesn’t come with finger picks so you might want to order them separately (they’re cheap). I’m having lots of fun with the banjo and DVD!

I’ve been playing the guitar (casually) for over five years, and as a big fan of bluegrass music, decided to purchase one of the cheapest banjos I could find. I figured if I got the hang of the technique (such as finger rolls) and found myself still practicing it in six months, I would upgrade to a better (and more expensive) banjo. So, I went ahead and purchased the Rogue Travel Banjo.

The banjo arrived in need of some tweaking. Nothing too difficult. First, the bridge does not come installed– the user will have to tune the strings down until they are loose and manually insert the bridge (you can find where to place the bridge online). Also, the neck on my product was slanted, but just gripping the neck where it connects to the body and giving it a little twist straightens it out no problem. I also had to tighten the nuts on the tuning pegs.

After getting the banjo in proper order (any good music shop should know how to do so, and any great music shop will do it at no cost since it’s only a few minutes of work), it works great. It’s got a nice sound to it, and although I haven’t compared it with any expensive banjos since I’ve owned it (but I’ve been around them), I feel it is certainly worth every dollar you pay for it.

If you need help with your banjo, do a search for “banjo hangout” and visit the forums. Members are very friendly and will be able to help you tweak the instrument to get it sounding optimal and help you place the bridge properly.

The DVD makes it easy to tune to if you don’t have a tuner. I also found the chord book helpful (and the DVD comes with a tiny book inside with tablature to a few relatively easy songs).

Advertised as a starter kit, and that’s exactly what it is. A bare bones banjo, a book with DVD that tells the preliminary things like how to hold it, tune it, basic rolls and chords, and two finger picks. The bag is even handy.

Nothing fancy, but it doesn’t need to be. I was pleased.