When will my Friendly Banjo ship?
Every Friendly Banjo is made to order in our small, family-owned workshop in Massachusetts. When you place your order, your banjo is quite literally a board of maple, a Remo drum, and a handful of parts. With craftsmanship and intention, we turn those materials into a Friendly Banjo made especially for you.

Before it leaves the shop, several members of our team inspect each banjo for playability, durability, and tone. From the day you order to the day it ships takes up to 3 weeks. After that, orders within the continental U.S. typically arrive in 2–5 business days, and orders to Alaska and Hawaii in 5–7. International orders usually arrive in 6–10 business days, though customs can sometimes add a few extra days.

What’s the best age for a Friendly Banjo?
We designed the Friendly Banjo and our color-coded “Do Re Mi” learning system for children ages 4 to 8 and the grown-ups who support their musical journey. Still, we don’t think age is the limit. Curiosity is. Everyone from toddlers to great-grandparents can find something meaningful in time spent with a Friendly Banjo.

Is there a left-handed model?
No special model needed! The Friendly Banjo is symmetrical in both shape and string layout, so it works for righties and lefties alike. Left-handed players don’t need to restring it. A quick retune is all it takes. This mattered a lot to our founder, Zack, who’s left-handed himself. For a step-by-step guide to switching from “righty” to “lefty” visit our online tuner.

Do you ship outside the U.S.?
Absolutely! We love sending Friendly Banjos all over the world. International shipping rates are calculated at checkout, and we ship Canadian and overseas orders by USPS.

Heads up: your local customs office may charge import duties or taxes when your banjo arrives. These are the buyer’s responsibility.

What’s covered under the 1-year warranty?
Each Friendly Banjo comes with a 1-year warranty against defects in materials and workmanship, starting from the date your banjo ships. The warranty covers the original purchaser. Friendly Banjos will repair or replace a defective banjo at no charge, at our discretion. The warranty doesn’t cover damage from misuse, abuse, neglect, alteration, or repairs by anyone other than our workshop.

To start a claim, contact us through our contact form with your order number and a photo or description of the issue. We will cover shipping the banjo to us. We ship repaired banjos back by UPS Ground or USPS Priority Mail, usually within 1–2 weeks of receiving them.

What’s your cancellation policy?
To cancel, contact us through our contact form as soon as possible. Because every Friendly Banjo is made to order, we may have already started building yours. If your banjo hasn’t shipped yet, we’ll refund your payment minus an 8% processing fee. Once your order ships, it falls under our return policy.

What’s your return policy?
We accept returns within 10 days of delivery. To start a return, contact us through our contact form. Returned banjos must be in like-new condition. Returns are subject to a 12% return and processing fee, and you’re responsible for return shipping. Once your banjo arrives back at our shop and passes inspection, we’ll process your refund within 5 business days.

What if my banjo arrives damaged?
We’re so sorry! Contact us right away through our contact form, and include photos of the banjo and the box. Please save all the packing materials, since the carrier may need them for a claim. We’ll take it from there and make it right.

How do I care for my Friendly Banjo?
Friendly Banjos are built to be played, so they can handle eager hands, enthusiastic strumming, and the occasional tumble off the couch. Still, a Friendly Banjo isn’t a toy. It’s a real instrument, and a little care will keep it sounding its best for years.

• Keep it dry. Water can warp the wood and damage the drum head, so keep your banjo away from spills, rain, and bath time.

• Bring it inside. Don’t leave your banjo outdoors overnight or in a hot or cold car. Big swings in temperature and humidity are hard on wood and strings.

• Give it a home. When it’s not being played, store it somewhere safe and off the floor, away from heaters, air vents, and direct sunlight.

Treat your Friendly Banjo like the real instrument it is, and it’ll be ready to play whenever inspiration strikes.