Boy, there's some good banjo smarts here. Stringsinger is right with his incomplete list of different banjos. It's mostly about what kind of music you're interested in playing that decides what sort of instrument to get.

They're all good; Coyote Breath has the right idea. Remember, there ain't no notes on a banjo, You just play it.

Love the panjo, Art. A feller around here makes 'em into resophonic mandolins which he has dubbed 'the commodium'.