17 Gifts Banjo Players Actually Want

The best gifts for banjo players are the things they reach for every time they pick up the banjo: a good set of picks, a mute for quiet practice, a clip-on tuner, a comfortable strap, fresh strings, and, the big one, lessons. Below are 17 gift ideas we'd be happy to unwrap ourselves, from stocking stuffers to a first banjo.

We banjo players are a unique group. Often considered the most intelligent and sophisticated people in our social circles, we can be intimidating to shop for. Have no fear. As banjo teachers, we've tried this gear, and we'll tell you what each gift is for and who it suits.

One question to answer before you shop: does your banjo player play bluegrass (three fingers, with picks) or clawhammer (a downstroke with the back of the fingernail, usually no picks)? It changes a couple of the gifts below. If you're not sure, our guide to the difference between bluegrass and clawhammer banjo will help you tell.

Banjo Stocking Stuffers from Banjo Mountain

Let's start with the less expensive gifts, and two of our own.

Cup of BanJOE Mug

Banjo and a hot cup of coffee, first thing in the morning. It's a sturdy, glossy 11 oz ceramic mug that's dishwasher and microwave safe, and the pun does the talking. Ideal for the player who practices before work.

Banjo Mountain Copper Vacuum Bottle

A 22 oz vacuum-insulated bottle with the Banjo Mountain logo, in five colors. It keeps water cold for long jams and hikes, and it doesn't sweat on the case. Built for the player who never really puts the banjo down.

The Gift Every Bluegrass Player Uses: Good Picks

ProPik Heritage Fingerpicks + Super-Tone Thumbpick

Picks are the most personal piece of gear a bluegrass player owns, and most beginners are still using whatever came with their banjo. A real set of picks is an upgrade they'll hear right away.

Our flagship pick is the ProPik Heritage fingerpick. It's built to the exact dimensions of the 1950s National picks Earl Scruggs used to record "Pike County Breakdown" with Lester Flatt and the Foggy Mountain Boys. Each blade is hand-buffed and angled back for a played-in feel and less drag on the strings, and today's pros like Wes Corbett and Chris Pandolfi play them. They're made of nickel and sold one pick at a time, so buy two: ProPik matches a pair for the index and middle finger. Add the ProPik Super-Tone thumbpick, ProPik's premium thumbpick, made from a rigid aerospace plastic for a focused tone and comfortable fit.

Fit tip: the Heritage comes in one size, and like most metal picks, the wrap can be gently bent to fit the finger. Wondering about metals? We compared them in Should I Use Nickel or Steel Banjo Picks? Clawhammer players usually don't wear picks, so skip this one for them.

Gift: A Banjo Mute for Quiet Practice

The banjo can be loud. Not having a mute can be a roadblock to consistent practice, because family members are not always sympathetic to practice. 😭 A mute quiets the banjo drastically, so your loved one can practice whenever they want: early morning, late night, or while the baby sleeps.

Mike's Banjo Mute (our favorite)

Our favorite mute. The parts are cut, polished and assembled by hand, and each one is tested before it ships. It fits 5-string banjos with a flat-top bridge and comes with a storage bag. It's the mute we recommend most.

Gold Tone Ultimate Banjo Mute

This handy little mute slides onto the bridge to quiet the banjo. It's an easy, inexpensive purchase. Not quite as good as Mike's Banjo Mute in our humble opinion, but it works well.

Deering Banjo Mute

Anyone who reads our blog knows we're big fans of Deering. Their solid brass mute is made in the USA, fits 4-, 5- and 6-string banjos, and slides onto the bridge without getting in the way of the picking hand. If you want to support an excellent family-owned company, look no further.

Want the details on how each type of mute changes the sound? We break it down in Banjo Mutes Explained: 3 Easy Ways to Quiet Your Banjo.

Gift: A Banjo Tuner

We won't bore you with the unusual number of strings and the tuning that make the banjo so beautiful. Just know that tuning is incredibly important for a banjo player, and they should be tuning every time they play. A tuner is a key part of any banjo player's gear.

Snark ST-2 Clip-On Tuner

• It's affordable and sold just about everywhere, and the current version is rechargeable, so no hunting for batteries.
• It tunes from the vibration of the instrument, so it doesn't matter how loud the room is or if other musicians are tuning at the same time.
• It clips right onto the head of the banjo and stays there.

Korg TM-60 Tuner & Metronome (for that sweet retro feel)

The Korg TM-60 doesn't clip on, but it's more precise, and it has a built-in metronome, which banjo players should be practicing with often. The catch: with its built-in mic, the room needs to be fairly quiet, and most banjos don't have a pickup to plug into its input jack. Still, it's accurate, useful and has a fun retro look.

Gift: A Banjo Strap

Many players don't use a strap, but one can be very useful, and it makes an affordable gift. Here's why:

• Every time they put the banjo on, it sits in the same position, however they're sitting.
• A strap keeps the neck from sliding down into a less-than-ideal playing position (especially on open-back banjos).
• They can stand and play at a jam, an open mic or a performance, or just to keep the banjo away from grabbing kids and pets.

Straps come in leather, suede and nylon. One tip for all of them: avoid metal clips, which can scratch the wood and chrome. Look for a cradle strap or one with leather tabs or plastic clips. If you buy leather, vegetable-tanned leather is the safer choice, since chrome-tanned leather can corrode chrome or nickel plating.

Deering Leather Banjo Straps

Leather is durable, comfortable and classic, and it softens with use. It's also sturdy enough for heavier resonator banjos. Deering makes a range of leather straps, including stitched and padded cradle straps.

Lakota Leathers Banjo Strap

Lakota straps are made and hand-assembled on the Lakota Sioux reservations in South Dakota, and they're some of the softest leather straps around. They come in cradle and standard styles, 2- and 3-inch widths, and colors from black to tobacco.

Levy's Banjo Master Series Suede Strap

Suede is softer and lighter than standard leather, valued for comfort, though it needs a little more care to keep looking good. Levy's Banjo Master Series comes in suede, leather and sheepskin-lined versions. Choose a tie-end version so there are no metal clips against the banjo.

Deering Nylon Banjo Strap

Nylon is the budget-friendly choice: durable, lightweight and fine in humid weather, with leather tabs so there's no metal on the banjo. A great match for a beginner banjo like the Deering Goodtime.

Gift: Banjo Strings

Banjo players need to change their strings often (here's how often to change banjo strings). If your loved one is a brand-new player, this gift may be less helpful, since new players can be intimidated by restringing, although we recommend learning it and our members have a video showing how.

Strings are a bit tricky as a gift, because you need to know two things: whether they play a 5-string banjo (most do, but not all), and whether their banjo takes loop-end strings (by far the most common) or ball-end. If you know both, proceed. Otherwise, skip this one. For most banjos, we recommend light-gauge strings.

Deering Light Banjo Strings

Made with GHS, Deering's light set is nickel-plated steel, with each string sealed in its own pack to stay fresh.

D'Addario EJ60 Light Banjo Strings

GHS PF140 J.D. Crowe Signature Light

All three are light-gauge, loop-end sets for 5-string banjo. The GHS set carries the name of bluegrass great J.D. Crowe, which makes it a fun pick for a bluegrass fan.

The Gift of Banjo Lessons

This is a shameless plug, but it's also one of the best gifts you can give. Every banjo player hits plateaus, whether they're brand new or intermediate. Banjo Mountain is step-by-step lessons for bluegrass and clawhammer, a live practice session every day, feedback on their playing, and a community of players who support and encourage each other, including weekly practice challenges with prizes that keep them practicing.

The gift membership comes in 3 months or 1 year. It's a one-time purchase, not a subscription, so there's nothing to cancel later. At checkout you choose "Send as a gift," enter your loved one's email, and pick the day it arrives, up to 6 months ahead. Their membership starts the day they redeem it.

Give the gift of banjo lessons

For the Future Banjo Player: The Deering Goodtime Banjo

If the person on your list doesn't have a banjo yet, this is the gift that starts it all. The Deering Goodtime is the most recommended beginner banjo for good reason: it's lightweight, made in America, and built with a three-ply maple rim and a slim maple neck that's easy on new hands. It's a quality instrument they won't outgrow quickly. One of our members, H. Marc, bought a new Goodtime just before his 78th birthday and started learning with us.

We wrote about the 2025 Goodtime 5-string, and if you're deciding between an open-back and a resonator banjo, start with The Open-Back Banjo vs. Resonator Debate. Still unsure which banjo to buy? Our What Banjo Should I Buy? guide walks you through it.

Banjo Gift FAQ

What is a good gift for a beginner banjo player?

A banjo mute, a clip-on tuner and a strap are the most useful early gifts, and a gift membership gives them a clear path to their first songs. If they don't own a banjo yet, the Deering Goodtime is the standard first banjo.

Do clawhammer banjo players use picks?

Usually not. Clawhammer players strike the strings with the back of a fingernail, so fingerpicks and thumbpicks are a bluegrass gift.

What strings should I buy for a banjo?

Light-gauge, loop-end strings for a 5-string banjo fit most players. If you're not sure what their banjo takes, choose a different gift.

Keep Reading

• Banjo Mutes Explained: 3 Easy Ways to Quiet Your Banjo
• Should I Use Nickel or Steel Banjo Picks?
• The Open-Back Banjo vs. Resonator Debate

Start Them Off Free

Not sure they're ready for lessons yet? The free Banjo Mountain app has beginner lessons, a practice timer that builds a daily streak, and a tuner and metronome. It's free to download and free to join, which makes it the easiest banjo gift there is.

Get the free Banjo Mountain app