This banjo is terrific. Great for any guitarist who wants to add a new element to their music. I took the wooden back plate off (just by unscrewing the four screws on the metal body of the instrument), because it's a little less noisy that way (as far as rubbing your fingers across the strings and such). I'm planning on getting some cash soon and getting a new Dean Markley Sweet Spot acoustic guitar pickup (another product i strongly recommend) for this banjo, so i can bring it on stage without having to mic it.

I really like this plunker and don’t understand the fuss. This is a 6-string--duh, it’s not supposed to sound like a five! Different tuning, you know, and doesn’t have a drone. The same can be said of tenor banjo. I mean, if you’re that uptight about what qualifies as a "real" instrument you’d best stick to playing the frame drum.

Secondly, Dean is a reliable brand, but the BW6 is their low-end product so don’t expect the kind of spit and polish that costs three times more. Sure you might have to tweak something, but don’t you learn that for any new instrument? Heck, some reviews are complaining they prefer different strings!

The description doesn’t mention that the head is top frosted. This looks great but is noisy if you rest your hand on it. Even so, here is solid design and construction to kick around the practice room or hand around the campfire. If you love the vast range of musical expression in the guitar fretboard, you’ll have lots of fun with the bright and quick tone of this piece.

I ordered the dean 6 string. it was on back order took a few extra days to get it then when i finaly got it it looked pretty but soon showed me what i got! the wooden pot(the back part of the banjo) pulled away from the banjo! I sent it back and spent the extra to get the gold tone!What a difference! the gold tone is awesome! great sound and well built! save your money trust me the money is worth it!

I decided to get one of these on a lark- it's turned out to be more fun than I ever expected! Great percussive banjo sound, easy to play with 'normal' guitar chords and it's LOUD! Decent quality, construction and hardware, typical lousy factory set-up that responds well to some tweaking, really fun to play and it's LOUD! I fought it for awhile because I was trying too hard- when I relaxed and played simple chords and easy double-stop stuff, it sounded awesome! The head doesn't translate complex string vibrations well - simple is always better, anyway. Thick chords just don't work and the bass end has no sustain. Bottom line is that it's a niche instrument, suitable for almost anyone who plays guitar and doesn't want to mess with learning too much new stuff. It's incredibly fun to pull out at a gig just to watch the heads turn, and it's LOUD!

I picked the Dean BW6 up not long ago as a floor model, and the body shell fell off! I had it the banjo exchanged, and since then I've had no problems. The tone is excellent with a little bridge adjustment, simply slide it up or down. It's durable, my dogs knock it over all the time. The finish is beautiful, and by palm muting on the opposite side of the bridge, you can really bring out authentic banjo sound. I even use it for punk for an amazing unique and savage tone. Most banjtars space their strings apart like a banjo: close. But this is more like a guitar for ease of playing. If you're looking for a banjtar on a budget, this is the way to go.