Out of the ether and into your speakers: presenting the Bantronic “Ether” Electric Banjo.

The 8-inch banjo head rings bright when played acoustically and achieves a new dimension of sound when plugged in. The single-coil pickup amplifies the pure sound of the strings as the tone is shaped by the drumhead. This is what gives the Ether its otherworldly timbre.

Play effortlessly up and down the ergonomically-correct neck. The banjo’s cumbersome fifth peg has finally been moved to the headstock, resulting in a more intuitive and comfortable playing experience. Tuning is also easier than ever before with the Ultra’s smooth, fine-precision tuning machines.

The body-timbre-converter accessory allows for two distinct modes of play:

Mode 1: The body is open and responds like a traditional banjo. The plucked string vibrates on a movable bridge that rests on the drumhead. Play unplugged as you normally would, or plug in to your amp for more sound. You can now choose between the three pickups. Utilize the piezo pickup to maintain the traditional banjo sound through the amp.

Mode 2: The body is solid. A block comes to rest beneath the bridge. When the string is plucked, it’s energy is transmitted past the drumhead and directly into the solid surrounding body. In this mode, the instrument will play quietly unplugged—great for practicing at home. When plugged in, the tone changes drastically from a traditional banjo. The sustain and emotion increases allowing to play very much like you would expect to play an electric guitar.

This model is also available with 6 strings. Many custom options available upon request.

Click here to place a custom order for this model.