Ordered a couple picks and strap today as I think once I get comfortable w/ the instrument I’ll look to get a better banjo.
Or as my wife might say, “let’s make sure you are serious about this hobby first.” 
Strap and picks :)
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Ugh! I got hit with that when I was 9 or 10 years old. My grandparents bought me a cheapo Sears guitar and said “learn to play that one and we’ll get you a better one.”
That guitar wasn’t playable, even by experienced musicians, but we didn’t know that. They said “Well it’s a good thing we didn’t spend a lot of money” when I finally gave up trying to play it. It’s a big reason I got in to banjo.
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Yea, we give each other heck as she’s had a “few” hobbies that didn’t last. What is more of a shame is you would think in Bristol, TN (Birthplace of country music) there would be more acoustic stores around here, but there doesn’t seem to be anything beside Morrell Music, and I haven’t approached them as far as leasing/renting, etc.
So when I retired a bought myself a Stelling Banjo. My wife was none too happy that I had spent so much on my second banjo when I already had one. When I pointed out that a set of golf clubs and a years membership to the local golf club would cost twice as much as my two banjos together she never raised the subject again.
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I am that way myself. I spend a little to dip my toe in the water and then spend more on good stuff if I stick with it. My interests tend to change a lot so I hate to invest too much until I am sure it will “stick”. I have learned and relearned the basics of the guitar probably 6 or so times throughout my life and never went past basic chords and notes. When I was little, I played piano for a short while. Drums when I was a teenager for a few years, never really good at it though. A friend traded me a belt sander for a cheap mandolin a few years ago. I learned a couple of basic songs from tab, but that was all it ever amounted to. So naturally, I was skeptical that I would stick with the banjo. I ordered a Jameson from Amazon for $150 after reading the reviews that it was pretty decent for the money and “playable”. I told myself if I was still playing banjo in 6 months, I would invest in a better one. After changing out the springs and adjusting the action, the Jameson was playable, although would buzz sometimes. I then tried a $500 banjo and saw what I was missing. So in less than 2 months, I upgraded to a Goodtime Artisan. I got the open back because it was less money and I did not think I would be playing Bluegrass. However, after seeing how the neck weight throws off the balance, I ordered the resonator upgrade kit. So after $1000, I have a banjo I enjoy playing that sounds great. One of these days I will upgrade again and get one with a tone ring. I tell myself that will have to wait till I am playing in front of other people on a regular basis. So far I have only done that once. I have spent more on other hobbies for sure. And I get to enjoy this one pretty much whenever I want. 
I don’t regret buying the Jameson that sits in the case for now. Eventually, I plan on installing a pickup in it and getting an amp and pedals to make some strange banjo music. LOL
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@Mark_Rocka isn’t it ironic that people think the cheaper instruments will get you inspired to play. I’d rather have a more expensive one and know that it plays and sounds good, instead of one that you have to retune every 10 mins. That’s how it was with the first cheapy banjo I bought, it was so difficult to learn on, which is frustrating. I should have just bought a good one from the beginning and then hopefully i would have been happier.
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I learned bad habits that were heard t o get rid of form learning on cheap badly set up instruments.
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Cheap doesent always mean poor quality though. I bought the Recording King Dirty 30’s single “0” guitar for my 8 and 5 yr old kids. I am very impressed with the instrument and they are amazing me with how they are progressing in just two weeks. My 5 yr old can fret the notes just fine. If I had to bet, I would say my parents probably spent the same or more on my basic fender acoustic when I was a kid and it never played nearly that well.
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Someone a while back here said they believe we’re entering a new golden age of instruments. I totally agree with that. The amount of bang you can get for your picking buck these days is unparalleled. Back in the 80s, cheap was cheap. Today, cheap is very playable, and in the case of Recording Kings, cheap can be downright impressive.
If we’d had the kind of quality back then we have in today’s beginner instruments, I might have never picked up the banjo.
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Look what I found on YouTube!
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Exactly! Even a Chinese made Wal-Mart toy is more playable than a 1981 Sears guitar. 
It’s a great time to be alive!
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“Ladies and Gentleman, there is a blue light special in the Toys Aisle 12” Please stop by.
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I played one of these, and for single note solos it works ok. It doesn’t tune enough for chords, but advanced salt creek didn’t sound too bad (using the three inch diameter pick that came with it!) Also, zero fret leaves the action playable (ish)
Thank you so much @Jake got my strap and picks, well on my way now to being more comfortable.
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I doubt I would still be playing if I had to continue on the first Banjo I had .
Was lucky enough to get this from Ben and Jake:
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My first banjo teacher recorded his entire album on an RB250 back in the 80s. It sounds phenomenal! You got yourself a banjo for life, there, Steve.
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Ya lucky so and so. That’s an awesome banjar! 
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