Tanglewood TWB18M5 Union 5 String Maple Resonator Banjo, Natural Gloss

Five strings, maple all through, made to ring out

Play bluegrass, country or folk? The Tanglewood TWB18M5 gives you a five string banjo built from maple. The Union series banjo has a maple resonator, a maple neck and a natural gloss finish, and it is aimed at players who want a bright, punchy sound that carries.

Maple tone

Maple is known for a sharp, clear note with long sustain, and that suits fast picking. Each string in a roll stays distinct instead of blurring into the next. The resonator sends the sound outwards, which helps when you are playing with a fiddle or guitar. The Remo Mate Ivory head rounds off the edge and adds a bit of depth, so the tone stays pleasant over a long session.

Built to play

The fingerboard is engineered wood, a smooth and stable surface that handles frequent fingerpicking and strumming. The neck is maple, and the bridge is maple with an ebony tip. The sturdy construction should serve you well at home or on stage.

Looks

The natural gloss finish shows the maple grain and gives the banjo a clean, classic appearance.

Styles it suits

The five string layout is the standard for bluegrass, with its rolling fingerstyle patterns, and it works for clawhammer and country picking too. The punch of maple helps the banjo stay audible against louder instruments, which matters in a jam. If you have outgrown a basic banjo, the clearer tone and firmer build here give you more to work with.

• Five string layout
• Maple resonator and neck
• Remo Mate Ivory head
• Engineered wood fingerboard

For the same build with four strings, see the TWB18M4. For a six string version that guitarists can pick up easily, see the TWB18M6. Prefer a mellower mahogany voice? Compare the TUB5. The TWB18M5 costs £399, with free UK delivery.