I've been playing this instrument for a while - well it looks, from this thread I've been playing it since May of 2004 (I bought it when I played the Chicago Gaelic Park Irish Fest in May 2004).

It is beautiful. It has a rich and mellow sound. I tune it to G now-a-days. I have done some work with it tuned low to F, and strung with heavy strings - but now I find tuning to G with heavy strings really gives the instrument a strong and beautiful voice.

I do use it more as a solo instrument - or in the studio, rather then trying to mix it in with the band. The instrument's beauty can get swallowed up quickly in the on-stage mix of a live performance.

I am using a pick-up by K&K these days. It is a good pick-up, but frankly the banjola has such a rich and complex sound, that I use a mic as often as I can.

As for playing, even though you are technically playing a banjo, with all the left hand work being identical to any other 5 string banjo - the sound is so pretty and interesting that you wind up playing more finger picking-style with your right hand, then clawhammer or 3 finger styles.

This has been a grand music venture!