Review: Rogue Starter/Travel Banjo (synthetic rim model)
The Rogue Starter/Travel banjo is a product of an interesting company called Saga. Their specialty is inexpensive, but nice instruments under the logos of old-time brands like Regal. The Rogue brand covers more standard instruments like guitars and banjos (the Regal brand covers resonators, etc).
What makes this particular model interesting is that it is a revival of an old type of Kay banjo that used a bakelite rim, and to this day is considered one of the few decent beginner banjos.
The history of beginner (and intermediate) banjos hasn't been a glorious one. The banjo is a simple instrument, and if it was manufactured on the same scale as guitars, the top-of-the-line ones would cost maybe 800.00.
Unfortunately, the opposite is true. The types of inexpensive banjos varied, with the most common being the aluminum-rimmed type (the ones with square teeth along the edge, taking the place of the flange). Those were actually OK for the price, particularly for bluegrass models which had to be very loud. (I'm having to oversimplify a bit, as bluegrass banjos are another category separate from the type I'm reviewing).
Offsetting the economy of aluminum was a list of faults that included metallic sound, overly thin necks, cheap metal tailpieces (which affect the sound), cheap frets, lousy intonation, and lousy tuning pegs on guitar-style headstocks (to this day, still the mark of a cheaper banjo).
I should note that guitar headstocks are nothing to be embarrassed about. It's a fact that guitar-style pegs work just as well, but the old downward pegs are just more traditional and allow easier tuning changes during some bluegrass songs.
It's not that companies wanted to make lousy beginner banjos. It's just that making one in the 200.00-300.00 range was difficult, even for the Japanese and Koreans.
The best beginner banjos tended to be the “open back” type, without the sound chamber (resonator) attached. Simpler, and the sound was different. Most used these for folk and mountain music, which needed a lighter, more “plunkier” sound.
One of the best of these was the old Kay bakelite, which instead of a wood rim, used one of the then-new synthetics. It did chip easily, but oddly enough, it was a superior material to aluminum and cheaper wood rims (or pots). To this day, a Kay bakelite banjo is very collectible.
The Rogue is a refined version. It uses a more modern plastic synthetic, which is more crack and chip-resistant and has better metal hardware. Obviously, the rim is less prone to warping due to moisture, etc.
The sound is similar. Using light gauge strings, the sound is feathery light and has a nice plunky tone. Tighten up the head, and the sound will sharpen a bit, and still keep that quality. It's also very light and easy to hold, and thus very easy to play. Children and small men and women will find this a perfect fit.
Like most cheapies, intonation is the main flaw. If the action is set right on this one (for a banjo, a bit on the high side) then you'll have a good tone up to around the 12th fret, which isn't bad. As you go higher up some notes are good, some are a bit off. When you get good enough to be able to adjust your bridge, you can minimize intonation problems later, but it won't ever be as good as a 1200.00 model.
I should also note, that for old-time banjo styles like clawhammer, you'll rarely need to go racing up the neck anyway.
For around 160.00 you get a banjo highly suitable for learning, which will sound as good later as you learn to play better. It's eminently suitable for mountain styles like clawhammer or frailing style (whose practitioners prefer cheap banjos) and for use later on as a travel type. If the dealer is an honest one, then you'll get the free gig bag also, and it's a nice one.
A few years ago, the Deering Goodtime banjo made the beginner category competitive again and still is a standard at around 320.00. However, the competition has caught up, and Epiphone, Fender, Rogue, Washburn, and others have very good, and often cheaper offerings.
If your need is a banjo with a nice sound suitable for solo work and learning, that will double as a travel banjo later on, the Rogue is as good as you'll find. With its revival of the old Kay bakelite style banjo, heck, it's even got some snob value.
- Al Handa
2006
Note: This review first appeared on the ePinions.com site in 2006. This and other reviews were short takes that accompanied the link to a business that sold the guitar. As a rule, the guitar had to be at least examined and played by the reviewer (and ideally owned). In my case, a severe case of GAS made it possible to have at least owned the reviewed instrument for a short while. I'm reprinting these as having another source on a guitar never hurts, even if the reviews aren't definitive. Other than minor corrections, these short takes are unchanged from the original text. I figure that it might be helpful to keep the older perspective.
Podcast Episode 3 now live on Spotify and Apple.
https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/alhanda/episodes/On-The-Road-With-Al--Ivy-Episode-3-e2k5k0q
Topics:
The Godfather by Mario Puzo, Three Musketeers by Dumas, and the Robin Hood myth.
Some thoughts on Travels With Charley by John Steinbeck, On The Road by Kerouac Scroll Version, and The Road by Jack London.
Music:
My Dog Dreams And Becomes A Mermaid Techno Mix, Sunday's Moon and Nigel Raga by Handa-McGraw International.
Taylor's Blues by Mark McGraw
Also by Al Handa:
