I've been playing a modern cheap Tyler Mountain banjo-guitar for 2 or 3 years--I use Martin Marquis light gage strings. It came with loop ends, but takes the little knobby kind as well.   I like the sound--had to widen the bridge spacings to more approximate my regular Martion 00-18 spaces, but otherwise it stays in tune well and sounds good.
You can hear it on Corrina Corrina