I saw Keith Urban playing a 6 string banjo, or Ganjo, a while back which peaked my interest. Same tuning as a guitar, but sounds like a banjo, making it an easy jump. The answer is yes and no. A Banjo doesn't resonate or sustain like a guitar, so the notes are literally there for a moment and gone, but here's where your finger picking needs to pick it up.
For my first foray into the Banjo market Harley Benton have done it again with a superbly made 'budget' instrument. Previous Harley Benton purchases have included a Resonator electro-acoustic and electro-acoustic Mandolin which have both been excellent which prompted the purchase of another instrument by this brand. The HBJ-26 is fitted with a proper remo head, and is beautifully finished with chrome wear, and supplied with an adjustment tool for tuning the head. The finish on the wood is exceptional and the fitted Banjo back makes for comfortable playing with it nestled up against you. That said, 3 thumb screws can be removed and the back can be taken off leaving you with a backless banjo should the desire take you.
Out of the box the Banjo played beautifully and has prompted some re-workings of some of my old songs and added extra textures in the recording studio. Listen to a lot of Nashville influenced records and more often than not it's a 6 string banjo in the background.
At a price as low as this it is a great instrument to add to the collection.
