Lark in the Morning (a California music store) sells a banjo guitar for $235. Their URL is

www.larkinam.com

Elderly Instruments' URL is

www.elderly.com

Elderly lists a Deering Boston six string banjo (banjo guitar)--look under 5-string resonator banjos. The list price is $1400 plus, but they say to contact them for their price. You might find a used Deering for less--maybe at Mandolin Brothers (www.mandoweb.com). The Fifth String, a Berkeley instrument store, has had a used one for sale for several years, I think for well under $100. I can check it out maybe Wednesday--or Thursday night when I go to the weekly jam there, if you're interested.

--seed