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5 String Firefly Banjo
Firefly 5-string Banjo, USA made, short scale banjo, nylon string banjo, travel banjo
Firefly 5-string Banjo (Shown with Renaissance Drum)
 
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The Firefly 5-String is a lightweight 19" scale travel banjo, tuned to standard banjo G scale (G,D,G,B,D) with nylon strings. The 5-string features the same solid maple components & internal drum head tensioning as our Tenor Firefly Banjo Ukulele. Taking a cue from traditional banjo construction, this model incorporates an adjustable coordinator rod to control neck angle. Available with decorative, contrasting laser engraving and now available as a left-handed instrument.

  • Solid hard maple neck & fingerboard; laminated maple pot
  • 19" scale; overall length 28"; rim diameter 9.75", weight 2lbs
  • Available set up for Bluegrass or Claw Hammer - please specify in custom comments. Claw hammer bridge has a wider (1.7/8") string spacing and higher action vs. the standard Bluegrass (1 11/16") spacing
base price: $525.00

total price with selected options: $525.00

Laser Engraving

Laser engraved banjo frame: 		No extra engraving
Scroll design engraving [+$25.00]
Wheat design engraving [+$25.00]

Drum Color: 		Renaissance (Default)
Ebony [+$15.00]
Clear
Upgrades

Walnut Drum Frame & Fretboard [+$49.00]

 Peghed Geared Tuners, includes 5th string [+$99.00]

 Frailing Scoop [+$35.00]

 Side Fret Markers [+$15.00]
Electronics

Open to Source Sensors Internal Pickup [+$110.00]
Customization

Custom Laser Neck Engraving [+$39.00]

Neck Engraving Text:
Accessories
Click to view another Firefly Banjo Gigbag

Firefly Banjo Gigbag:
Click to view another Magic Fluke Firefly Strap

Magic Fluke Firefly Strap:
Custom Notes

Make notes here to start a dialogue with us about customizing your instrument.
 
Complete Specifications
Made in: Sheffield Massachusetts U.S.A.
Weight: 2 lbs.
Dimensions: Overall length 28” Rim 9.75" x 2"
Scale Length: 19"
Nut Width: 1 5/16"
Neck: Solid Maple
Fingerboard: Solid Maple with laser cut and hand inlayed fret markers and nickel silver alloy frets
Body: Laminated maple pot and drum frame
Bridge: Precision, custom, laser-cut hard maple
Tailpiece:Stamped stainless steel
Strings: LaBella custom string set:
  • 1st (d) - .030 Rectified Nylon
  • 2nd (B) - .038 Rectified Nylon
  • 3rd (G) - .026 Silver plated copper wound
  • 4th (D) - .032 Silver plated copper wound
  • 5th (g) - .030 Rectified Nylon
Tuners: Grover 2W friction tuners or Optional Peghed 4:1 geared fine tuners
Pickup: Optional “Open to Source” passive under-bridge transducer and ¼” output jack

2/16/21
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10/21 Update - A new tailpiece was needed to accommodate both the 4 string tenor and 5 string banjos with the coordinator rod for neck support and adjustment. The part had to work with three, four or five stringed instruments, as well as knotted, loop end or ball end strings. This was accomplished with a unique slotting arrangement in a one piece stamped stainless steel part. It gets tumbled with a polishing media creating smooth edges and a satin gloss finish.
Armando from Penny Lane Emporium! Great to see you at NAMM and the better to hear you on Magic Fluke’s newest 5 string banjo!

Accessories
Firefly 5 String String Set Five String and Tenor Banjo Gig Bag from Boulder Strap for Firefly
base price: $7.95

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base price: $59.95

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base price: $18.00

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Magic Fluke Firefly 5 string strings Five String and Tenor Banjo Gig Bag from Boulder fluke strap, flea strap, strap, ukulele, uke

Average Rating: Average Rating: 5 of 5 5 of 5 Total Reviews: 6 Write a review »

  0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
 
5 of 5 Firefly Banjo April 3, 2021
Reviewer: Robin from Singapore  
Went to Guitar Gallery in Singapore and fell in love with all the Firefly Banjo and Banjolele! There are the Soprano, Concert and 5-strings (Tenor size), and all sounded so unique and resonates like a real banjo without the heavy weight! Took me a while to decide, it’s like torn between 3 lovers. I ended up with the 5-string and the soprano! Both come with a custom gig bag by MagicFluke! Great banjo to start with!

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  0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
 
5 of 5 So much fun! February 6, 2021
Reviewer: Eric Tisdale from Ventura County, CA  
I've been playing my 5-string Firefly banjo for about 6 weeks now. It's so much fun! With its 19" scale length, its zeroth frets sits between the fifth and sixth frets of my standard-sized banjo (26.25" scale length). But unlike other "mini 5-string banjos" I've seen, the Firefly is actually tuned normally (e.g., gDGBD) -- not up a fourth (e.g., cGCEG). It has every bit as much volume as a standard-sized banjo, too. And I love that the Firefly is light enough that I can stand and play it without a strap (like a ukulele). To this end, it was a good decision to request the clawhammer scoop. When standing and cradling the tail end of my Firefly with my forearm, my right hand positions quite naturally over the scoop.

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  0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
 
5 of 5 Love the Firefly Banjo! October 14, 2020
Reviewer: Kelly Olafson from Singapore  
I just got this from Guitar Gallery here in Singapore as I’m hopefully going to be traveling again post Covid and always missed my banjo when on the road. This little instrument is absolutely perfect for a hotel room - even one with thin walls if you don’t use fingerpicks! And it’s just a lot of fun for practicing at home too. Great sound, wonderful craftsmanship, easy to play and weighs next to nothing. Very impressive!

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  0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
 
5 of 5 Banjo July 6, 2020
Reviewer: Connor from Utah  
This banjo is really great for the size! I replaced the nylon strings with metal ones and it sounds awesome. It packs quite a punch for the size. It can be difficult to tune with the default tuners, but I guess that's my fault for not ordering the upgraded ones. The folks at Magic Fluke went above and beyond to get my banjo shipped to me before a backpacking trip and I'm glad they did, it was awesome being able to play this great instrument up there!

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  1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
 
5 of 5 Firefly 5-String and clawhammer old time music June 17, 2019
Reviewer: Guy Wolff from Bantam Ct.  
I just stopped by to have a look and see what others had said about the Firefly.. I didnt realize I haddn't written anything yet .. Dale made me one of these last year and I have been enjoying it every since ..First it is my mortorcycle banjo and also the one I can take on the plane and throw under my seat on the plane .. Even on United that has no room for anything I can take it on as my boarding bag (unheard of on planes) .It has a clean tone that can be set for many different sorts of playing ..Being a Clawhammerist I made a much wider bridge for mine ... It has the peghead tuners (that I love ) and again for any old timey players who use a lot of tunings I would go for the best tunners you can get .. This is a lot of banjo for nit a lot of money ... THanks Dale for this wonderful banjo

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