FAQs
When will my Friendly Banjo arrive?
Unlike mass-produced instruments, your Friendly Banjo is handcrafted just for you. From the moment you place your order, your banjo is made one at a time in a solar-powered workshop using locally grown maple and almost exclusively American-made parts. This hands-on process, from crafting to a final thorough inspection, takes time—up to two weeks—but it ensures you receive a one-of-a-kind, high-quality instrument built for a lifetime of playing
What’s the best age for a Friendly Banjo?
The Friendly Banjo and our color-coded “Do Re Mi” learning system were designed with children ages three to seven in mind, along with the adults who support their musical journey. With that said, we like to think Friendly Banjos aren’t limited by age, but by a willingness to explore and discover something new. Anyone—from a newborn to their great grandparent—can take away something meaningful from spending time with a Friendly Banjo.
Is there a left-handed model?
Technically, there isn't a left-handed OR a right-handed model. The Friendly Banjo, in both shape and string order, is essentially symmetrical, making it accessible for both right- and left-handed players. You don't have to change the strings dependent on your dominant hand! As a left-handed person, this was a key consideration for Zack, the founder of Friendly Banjos. Learn more about changing the tuning from righty to lefty on our Tools page.
Do Friendly Banjos give back to the community?
Every Friendly Banjo is made start to finish in Massachusetts, supporting local makers and regional suppliers. Additionally, a portion of each sale is donated to JAarts in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, to honor and help preserve the traditional roots of banjo making, where the instrument first began to take shape centuries ago. The entire process reflects our values—supporting real American people, not corporations, at as many steps along the way as we can, and helping to honor and share the Afro-Caribbean and African American history of the banjo.
What makes Friendly Banjos unique?
Friendly Banjos have three strings, while banjoleles and ukuleles have four. This not only simplifies tuning your Friendly Banjo but also we features an intuitive string order that makes it much more approachable for beginner players. Just follow the colors on your middle and then bottom strings to play your first scale. Unlike ukuleles, banjoleles, and even guitars, Friendly Banjos are designed to be played in an "open tuning," which means the open strings, when strummed, are already tuned to form your first chord.
What are the benefits and limitations of open tuning?
Open tuning simplifies playing by limiting notes to those in the tuned key, effectively eliminating "wrong notes" in the colored areas. This makes it beginner-friendly, but it also means you can’t play every chord on the Friendly Banjo right away. In advanced lessons, we’ll cover alternate tuning techniques for playing in different keys.
What’s covered under the 1-year warranty?
Each Friendly Banjo comes with a one-year warranty against defects in materials and workmanship, starting from the date of manufacture. This warranty is valid for the original purchaser and covers repairs or replacements at Friendly Banjos' discretion. The warranty is void if the banjo is damaged due to misuse, abuse, neglect, alteration, or repair by anyone other than our own production facility.
Any products found to be defective within the period will be repaired or replaced by Friendly Banjos without charge. Generally repairs are shipped within 1-2 weeks of receipt by UPS ground or USPS priority mail unless otherwise specified.
What’s your cancellation policy?
Because every Friendly Banjo is made to order, we may have already begun building yours by the time you request a cancellation. If your banjo has not yet shipped, we’ll refund your payment minus an 8% processing fee. If your order has already shipped, it falls under our return policy.
What’s your return policy?
We accept returns for up to 10 days after your order ships. Please notify us using our contact form. Returns are subject to a 12% return and processing fee, and you’ll be responsible for return shipping. Items must be in like-new condition.
Once your banjo arrives back at our shop and passes inspection, we’ll process your refund within 5 business days.
If your banjo arrives damaged during shipping, notify the carrier immediately, save all packing materials, and contact us so we can make it right.