Departments > Guitars > Folk Instruments > Banjo > Epiphone > MB-100 - 5-String Open Back Banjo

Epiphone

MB-100 - 5-String Open Back Banjo

SKU: # 246285   |   Model: # MB-100NACH   |    Product Reviews15 Reviews  Write a Review

MB-100 - 5-String Open Back Banjo

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MB-100 - 5-String Open Back Banjo
Your Price: $369.00 CDN
or from $39 CDN/mo

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With mahogany neck, traditional mahogany body, and remo head, the Epiphone MB-100 First Pick Banjo generates a warm, plucky resonance that'll be an inspiration as you learn to play. Chrome hardware, genuine rosewood fretboard, and natural finish mean you'll be lookin' sharp while you kick back on the front porch.

Specifications
Body: Mahogany
Neck: Mahogany
Scale: 26.25"
Nut width: 1.25"
Fingerboard: Rosewood with dot-inlay
Top: Remo head
Machine Heads: Premium nickel with white buttons
Weight: 4.6 lbs

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Reviews


44.202.183.118
claudebot
Great entry point! Tuners are meh. 2 of 2 customers found this review helpful
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Product Experience   I own it
Closest Store   Gravenhurst, Ontario
This is my first Banjo, but I've had many stringed and other instruments. This is a great starting point for the 5 string banjo, but if you have some expectations and have owned quality guitars (or banjos) in the past you'll want to make a few changes. About a month in I changed the tuners (didn't like the OEM as they didn't hold tune great and had some slop). I eventually also changed the tailpiece (not that there's anything wrong with the OEM really, and this is the tailpiece that comes with a lot of higher end instruments, I just wanted something different.) The sound was completely transformed and became more rounded off (which is what I was after) the OEM tailpiece will give you a nice plunky sound. Get yourself an extra bridge as these get changed out often on Banjos, my OEM was kinda flimsy (Grover makes good ones without breaking the bank) Comes with an excellent head, decent hooks, decent tailpiece, etc. It's a good instrument for the price point (definately! Minus what I mentioned, but ALL fine for someone starting out) Also, I changed the strings to D'Addario lights, OEM strings are always trash, and what a difference. In short, get yourself a new set of strings and change out that bridge, and you got yourself a nice solid instrument! I play mine daily. Wait on the tuners, and don't change the tailpiece unless you want something more fancy.
Posted by John on May 29, 2023
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Best lightweight open back 5 string, regardless of price. Could use better tuners. 4 of 4 customers found this review helpful
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Product Experience   I own it
Closest Store   Nanaimo, British Columbia
I've played in local bands for over 50 years. Had a dozen or so banjos over that time. The Epiphone open back is as good as any of them. (except for the cheap tuners) This little 5 string has that old timey open back sound. My Wildwood, with the Gibson/scruggs style heavy tone ring was too heavy for my old shoulders. I played every lightweight banjo I could find. Some expensive Gold Tones and Deerings. My 1910 Matthews spun over has good tone, but the old fashioned neck attachment won't stay in tune with capo on and off, and outdoor gigs. The Epiphone has a modern neck attachment and truss rod. Still has the real thing open back sound. I'll get some better tuners on the peg head. Then it will be as good as you can get for this style of banjo
Posted by Fred on Apr 10, 2023
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I?m a beginner and this is doing the trick 1 of 1 customers found this review helpful
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Product Experience   I own it
Closest Store   Burlington, Ontario
I am new to banjo so I picked this one up to learn on. I’ve had it for a month and it’s good quality and sounds great. No complaints!
Posted by Katey on Jul 7, 2022
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Great banjo 0 of 0 customers found this review helpful
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Closest Store   Windsor, Ontario
Very happy with this banjo. Very good instrument for the money, sounds great. I’m a very poor player but am trying to get better. The staff is very good. I’m quite old and they are very nice to me with my excentricses .
Posted by AlanWhitehead on May 2, 2022
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Best lightweight banjo for under $1000. Well Built 4 of 4 customers found this review helpful
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Product Experience   I own it
Closest Store   Nanaimo, British Columbia
My old Wildwood banjo is great, but it's too heavy for me. At 70 plus, my arm and shoulder get sore if I play a gig with the 8 pound Wildwood.
I looked at reviews and prices, and chose this light little Epiphone. After 50 years of playing lots of different banjos, several over 100 years old, I wanted a banjo with a truss rod, but with the old time open back sound.
The folks at the Nanaimo store were great. When we had a delivery glitch, they fixed it, fast, and made sure I was happy.
I am completely satisfied with this instrument. It's well made, has excellent old timey tone, and stays in tune when I put the capo on.
The tuners on the peg head are a little sloppy. They work OK, but I'll probably change for planetary tuners.
Posted by Fred on Apr 7, 2022
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If L& M cannot set up this Banjo on delivery , don't sell this Banjo 4 of 5 customers found this review helpful
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Product Experience   I own it
Closest Store   Mississauga, Ontario
I am very disappointed with this banjo and the service. As a newbie to the Banjo I expected L&M to deliver a playable banjo. Apparently they don't have a Banjo Tech to set this up. The action is not set up correctly or don't know how to set it up. The action at Fret #1 and Fret #2 are ridiculously very low. I took this Banjo back to L & M twice to have it properly set up and each time ended up the same. It 's almost impossible to get a good tone when fretting . As I am more than frustrated with this instrument I intend to return this Banjo. It is cosmetically nice Banjo, and if it was properly checked out and set up, starting by adjusting the rod to correct proper action, it might be a decent Banjo. I purchased this Banjo to practice on, as I have preordered a Deering Banjo which I was told won't arrive before May 13 of 2022, also very frustrating .
Posted by Charles on Aug 22, 2021
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let down 4 of 5 customers found this review helpful
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Closest Store   Vaudreuil-Dorion, Quebec
Straight out of the box nothing was right, no where near tuned, almost as if the strings were just put on and given a twist, bridge position way out of place, no one even tried at all to get it right, neck warped and no allen key provided. Worst of all, when I went to tune it the fifth string tuner came out, not tight at all, what a let down that was. I was able to fix it using a very thin wooden shim from a cigar tube which worked well even with out glue and the peg is now in very tight and solid. Once I got it fixed up and adjusted, it does play well but I should never have had to go to that length. So with that in mind I can only give this 5 string banjo, at best, a 2 out of 5. I would recommend that you buy this from a store where it can be set up and not the on line store.
Posted by rick on Jun 29, 2021
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meh banjo 0 of 0 customers found this review helpful
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Closest Store   Belleville, Ontario
ive tried this banjo a few times and have even bought diffrent ones to see if it was the banjo i had befor bit it wasnt. all of the highfrets dont have notes past the 15th fret and its not a very comfortable banjo head. again mabye i just got very unlucky with mine.
Posted by Elijah on Mar 7, 2021
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Works and sounds great. 14 of 14 customers found this review helpful
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Product Experience   I own it
Closest Store   Saint John, New Brunswick
Got this as a Christmas gift in 2017, tuned it up right out of the box and was really surprised. I eventually re-adjusted the head tension with a drum dial (not that it was loose by a lot or anything like that but I am fussy), lowered the strings at the nut and bridge to my liking, installed railroad spikes at the 7th 9th and 10th frets and this thing sings and plays really really nice. Don't think you'll have to do a setup on this banjo if you get one. Like I mentioned, I'm just fussy and wanted to tweak it to my liking. It will play nice right out of the box. I play this banjo a lot and I'm still really happy with it. If your thinking about dabbling into the 5 string banjo world and want to try one, you won't go wrong with this MB-100.
Posted by David on Feb 15, 2020
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Love My Banjo 8 of 8 customers found this review helpful
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Product Experience   I own it
Closest Store   Belleville, Ontario
Really glad I decided to purchase this for my first banjo. Just love to practice and feel it is great quality for the price. Thanks to the staff in the Belleville store for all their help and their great customer service skills.
Posted by Carol W. on Dec 20, 2017
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Love it! 4 of 5 customers found this review helpful
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Product Experience   I own it
Closest Store   Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
Great banjo. Really easy to use and to learn on. Staff have been really helpful as well. Made some adjustments to it, that made it even better. I have been playing this banjo for over 2yrs at music sessions.
Posted by Andrew DeShaw on Dec 8, 2017
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Love it! 2 of 3 customers found this review helpful
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Product Experience   I own it
Closest Store   Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
I have had this banjo for over 2yrs now and never tire of it. Playing some clawhammer,bluegrass style. Love the look, the weight and the feel. Everything I was looking for.
Posted by Andrew DeShaw on Dec 8, 2017
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Epiphone MB-100 Banjo 15 of 15 customers found this review helpful
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Product Experience   I own it
Closest Store   Ottawa, Ontario
I purchased the Epiphone MB-100 open back banjo about seven weeks ago from Long and McQuade in Ottawa. This banjo really is visually appealing with clean lines and a nice mahogany colour finish. Even though it is an open back banjo, I have been learning to play bluegrass style banjo on it, because it is very lightweight which was important to me. If I develop any proficiency I may purchase a resonator style banjo in the future, but for the moment it is ideal for me, and good to learn on. It is quiet enough (no resonator) so that I can practice it at home without creating too much of a disturbance.
Posted by Chuck on Jul 18, 2014
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Very good banjo for the money! 9 of 9 customers found this review helpful
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Product Experience   I own it
Closest Store   Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
I have just bought this banjo, and I'm a fairly new player, being inspired to start playing from a friend. I have used his resonator banjo up until now and even though this one is open-back, it's just as loud and sounds as good, if not better. Though, this may not be the case in comparison with other banjos. But over all, I would recommend this banjo to anyone; out of the box, it needed a little tuning and stuff, typical of most new instruments being shipped, but once I got it to my liking, I couldn't put it down. Very satisfied with this purchase, easy to play, sounds warm, but with the ability to cut through a mix with those twangy, trebley banjo tones. Outstanding instrument.
Posted by anonymous on Jun 13, 2014
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Great banjo for the price 15 of 15 customers found this review helpful
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Product Experience   I own it
Closest Store   Calgary Chinook, Alberta
I recently bought this from my local long & mcquade in calgary. Service was amazing, with it being my first banjo I did not know a thing to play, the sales associate was very helpful in comparing models and knew how to play a good tune :) This banjo sounds very warm and smooth with good twang when you pluck. Very well built, nice smooth finish. And you don't have to soundproof a room to play at night. The price can't be beat. I would highly recommend this.
Posted by Joel on Oct 14, 2012
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Rental rates


This product is normally available for rental. Please contact your preferred location for further information.

1 Day from $6.00

1 Week $11.00

1 Month $21.00

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A warranty can be a very important factor when making a buying decision. Because repairs can be very expensive in terms of parts and labour costs, manufacturers usually only provide one year limited warranties that generally only cover items that malfunction due to a manufacturer’s defect. With an important purchase such as a musical
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Because of this, Long & McQuade provides our customers with a FREE one-year Performance Warranty on most of our products. The Long & McQuade Performance Warranty supplements the manufacturer’s warranty to ensure that our customers receive complete “no hassle” warranty coverage within their first year.

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