Best Vintage 5 String Banjo (2026): 5 Picks Compared

Updated Nov 4, 2026 · By Jonah Mercer · Ranked from listed specifications · How we rank

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The Vangoa leads this list for 5-string players: a resonator back, a Remo head and a full beginner kit in the box. If you want an acoustic-electric banjo, the ADM is the pick, since it is the only one here with EQ.

The picks at a glance

#	Pick	Product
1	Best Overall	Vangoa Banjo 5 String Full Size Banjos	Check on Amazon
2	Runner-Up	Kmise Banjo 5 String Banjos	Check on Amazon
3	Also Great	ADM Banjo 5 String Full Size Acoustic	Check on Amazon
4	Also Great	Kmise Banjo	Check on Amazon
5	Also Great	Ktaxon 5 String Banjo	Check on Amazon

Which one should you buy?

Beginners who want a full kit with bag and tuner: Vangoa Banjo 5 String Full Size Banjos See pick 1More picks: Best Banjo for Beginners
Beginners who want a 38 inch banjo with a case: Kmise Banjo 5 String Banjos See pick 2
Intermediate players who want an acoustic-electric banjo with EQ: ADM Banjo 5 String Full Size Acoustic See pick 3More picks: Best Acoustic Electric Banjo
Beginners who want a geared 5th tuner: Kmise Banjo See pick 4
Beginners who want a padded bag with backpack straps: Ktaxon 5 String Banjo See pick 5

Want the full range? Best Banjo ranks the top banjos for every buyer, or browse all 24 guides.

The 5 picks, ranked

1Best Overall

Vangoa Banjo 5 String Full Size Banjos

Resonator back
Case or gig bag included
Strings: 5

9.8Spec score View on Amazon

It earns Best Overall with a resonator back, a Remo head and a full beginner kit in the box.

Who it suits

Beginners who want a full kit with bag and tuner
Players who want a mahogany banjo with a Remo head

Skip it if

You want a wine finish on the banjo
You want an open-back banjo without a resonator

The kit holds a banjo with a Remo head, a mahogany neck, sides and back, and a truss rod for string height. The box adds a bag, a tuner, a strap, strings and picks for a beginner setup. It weighs 6.2 lb at 38 inches, with a closed resonator back.

2Runner-Up

Kmise Banjo 5 String Banjos

Resonator back
Case or gig bag included
Strings: 5
6-month warranty stated

9.8Spec score View on Amazon

It holds Runner-Up with a removable resonator back cover, a 9.9 lb build and a full accessory kit.

Who it suits

Beginners who want a 38 inch banjo with a case
Players who want a removable resonator back cover

Skip it if

You want a wine finish on the banjo
You want a banjo under 9.9 lb

The kit holds a 38 inch banjo with a removable sapele back cover and a resonator for open or closed back play. An okoume neck pairs with a polished chrome armrest, and the box adds a gig bag, a strap, extra strings, a tuner and finger picks. It weighs 9.9 lb and carries a 6-month warranty.

3Also Great

ADM Banjo 5 String Full Size Acoustic

Resonator back
Case or gig bag included
Strings: 5
1-year warranty stated

9.7Spec score View on Amazon

It holds Also Great as an acoustic-electric banjo with EQ, a Remo head and geared 5th pegs.

Who it suits

Intermediate players who want an acoustic-electric banjo with EQ
Beginners who want online lessons in the kit

Skip it if

You want a wine finish on the banjo
You want a banjo under 8 lb

The kit holds an acoustic-electric banjo with a Remo head, a black walnut fingerboard and bridge, and sapele sides and back. A hidden piezo and EQ let it plug into an amplifier, and geared 5th pegs tune the 5th string. The box adds a bag, a tuner, a strap, strings, picks and a hanger, plus a one-month lesson. It weighs 8 lb and carries a 1-year warranty.

4Also Great

Kmise Banjo

Resonator back
Case or gig bag included
Strings: 5
2-year warranty stated

9.6Spec score View on Amazon

It holds Also Great with a geared 5th tuner, a Remo head and a 2-year warranty.

Who it suits

Beginners who want a geared 5th tuner
Players who want a 2-year warranty on the banjo

Skip it if

You want a brown finish on the banjo
You want a banjo under 10.5 lb

The kit holds a 38 inch banjo with a Remo head, a mahogany neck, sides and back, and a geared 5th tuner. A polished chrome armrest sits with a thicker bag, a tuner, a strap, strings and picks. It weighs 10.5 lb and carries a 2-year warranty.

5Also Great

Ktaxon 5 String Banjo

Resonator back not stated in the listing
Case or gig bag included
Strings: 5
1 year warranty stated

9.0Spec score View on Amazon

It holds Also Great with a mahogany neck, a sapele back and a padded bag with backpack straps.

Who it suits

Beginners who want a padded bag with backpack straps
Players who want a mahogany neck and sapele back

Skip it if

You want a wine finish on the banjo
You want a Remo head on the banjo

The banjo has a mahogany neck and sapele body, a maple bridge and an imitation sheepskin head. Cupronickel fret ends are chamfered and polished along the fingerboard, and the tuners sit fully enclosed. A padded bag with dual shoulder straps carries it as a backpack or by hand. It carries a 1 year warranty.

Side by side

Product	Resonator back	Brackets	Case or gig bag included	Strings	Weight	Warranty
Vangoa Banjo 5 String Full Size Banjos	Yes	Not stated	Yes	5	6.2 lb	Not stated
Kmise Banjo 5 String Banjos	Yes	Not stated	Yes	5	9.9 lb	6-month
ADM Banjo 5 String Full Size Acoustic	Yes	Not stated	Yes	5	8 lb	1-year
Kmise Banjo	Yes	Not stated	Yes	5	10.5 lb	2-year
Ktaxon 5 String Banjo	Not stated	Not stated	Yes	5	Not stated	1 year

How we ranked these banjos

Every pick ranks in Amazon's best-seller list for its category and has a listing with real specifications. The order mixes two things: how each model compares on the specs below (higher share of the best value in this group scores more), and how widely it is bought. The spec score runs from 9.0 to 9.8 and only compares these picks with each other. A spec the listing does not state is left out and the other specs are re-weighted; a listing with fewer than 2 stated specs is scored at half. We do not test gear in person. Full method.

Resonator back weight 2
Brackets weight 1
Case or gig bag included weight 1

Buying advice: vintage 5 string banjo

Resonator back or open back

A resonator back closes the back of the banjo and sends the sound forward, while an open back leaves the back open. The Vangoa, both Kmise banjos and the ADM each have a resonator back. The Kmise banjo with the removable cover also plays open, and the Ktaxon has a closed sapele back.

Check weight and size before buying

Every banjo here is 38 inches and 5 strings, so weight and kit contents decide between them. The Vangoa weighs 6.2 lb, the ADM weighs 8 lb, and the Kmise banjos weigh 9.9 lb and 10.5 lb. Compare the kit contents too: the Vangoa, both Kmise banjos and the ADM kits each add a tuner, a strap and picks, and the Ktaxon comes with a padded bag.

Warranty and lessons in the box

Warranty terms differ across this list. The Kmise banjos carry 6-month and 2-year terms, and the ADM and the Ktaxon carry 1-year terms. The ADM also adds a one-month lesson, so compare warranty and lessons before buying.

Frequently asked questions

Are these banjos full size 5-string banjos?

Yes. Each banjo here has 5 strings and a 38 inch size, with resonator backs on the Vangoa, both Kmise banjos and the ADM.

Which banjo here plugs into an amplifier?

The ADM plugs into an amplifier with EQ and a hidden piezo, for volume control on stage. Its geared 5th pegs tune the 5th string, and its kit adds a bag, a tuner and a one-month lesson.

What comes in the box with these banjos?

Each kit includes a bag, and the Vangoa, both Kmise banjos and the ADM kits each add a tuner, a strap, strings and picks. The Ktaxon comes with a padded bag with dual shoulder straps.