A No-Frills Open-Back That Just Wants to Play
If you've ever wanted to sit on a porch and play clawhammer until the sun goes down, the Washburn Americana B7-A is the kind of banjo that makes that scenario feel completely reasonable. It's lightweight, approachable, and built around the open-back tradition that old-time players and folk enthusiasts have leaned on for over a century. No resonator, no fuss — just the warm, slightly mellow voice that comes naturally from mahogany and an open pot.
Washburn has been building banjos since the late 1800s, and the B7-A draws directly from that heritage. Its design echoes the open-back banjos of the early 20th century: mahogany throughout, a genuine Remo head, and an ebony-tipped maple bridge that keeps tone transfer clear and consistent. It's a straightforward instrument with honest tone.
This is a used unit from our inventory — a solid pick for someone stepping into 5-string banjo without wanting to spend a fortune, or a backup instrument for a player who already knows what open-back sounds like.
All-Mahogany Construction
The B7-A uses mahogany throughout its rim and neck — a combination that keeps the overall weight down and contributes to the instrument's characteristically warm, rounded tone. Open-back banjos built with mahogany tend to project softly compared to maple-rimmed resonator models, which makes them especially well-suited for old-time, folk, and clawhammer styles where a punchy bluegrass blast isn't what you're after.
The 11" grooved tension hoop has 18 brackets, giving you reasonable adjustment range when you want to tune up the head response. The traditional tailpiece keeps the string break angle where it needs to be for clear note separation.
Remo Head and Ebony-Tipped Bridge
The genuine Remo banjo head is one of the B7-A's better-known selling points — Remo heads are trusted across the industry for their consistent response and durability. Paired with a maple bridge fitted with an ebony tip, the B7-A's tonal transfer is clean and even across all five strings. Players often find this combination delivers a punchy yet forgiving attack, whether you're frailing or picking.
The 5th string gets its own geared Planetary tuner, while the remaining four strings are handled by chrome die-cast tuners — a functional setup that holds pitch reliably under regular playing conditions.
Scale and Playability
With a 27-1/2" scale length and an engineered wood fretboard fitted with dot inlays, the B7-A plays like a no-surprises traditional 5-string. The ABS nut and 22-fret neck give you plenty of range up the fingerboard. The natural matte finish keeps things looking clean without adding unnecessary visual weight.
This is a banjo designed to be picked up and played — not to intimidate, not to impress with specs, just to get you making music with the open-back sound you came for.
Product Features:
- Body/Rim: Mahogany open-back construction
- Neck: Mahogany with slender profile
- Fretboard: Engineered wood with dot inlays
- Head: Genuine Remo banjo head, 11"
- Tension Hoop: 11" grooved, 18 brackets
- Bridge: Maple with ebony tip
- Tuners: Chrome die-cast (4 strings) + 5th string geared Planetary tuner
- Scale Length: 27-1/2"
- Nut: ABS, 1-3/16" width
- Frets: 22
- Finish: Natural matte
- Tailpiece: Traditional tailpiece
This is a used [Banjo] from our inventory. Pictures are of the actual item you will receive.
All used gear is sold AS IS.
Brand: Washburn
Model: Americana B7-A
SKU: B7-A-U
Condition: Used
Since 1872, C.A. House Music has been helping musicians across the Ohio Valley find the right gear -- with real advice from a team that actually plays. We're your authorized dealer of all the big names in guitars, keyboards, band instruments, drums, pro audio, and more. With four family-owned and operated locations in Ohio and West Virginia (plus a full online store), you don't have to go far for instruments, lessons, rentals, and repairs. No matter your musical needs, our team of musicians wants to help you Play Music for Life.
