Talk:Guitjo

Wrong name

The Guitjo is in no dictionary that I know. But "banjo" is. And the definition does suit the "Guitjo".

From Merriam-Webster http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/banjo

: a musical instrument with a drumlike body, a fretted neck, and usually four or five strings which may be plucked or strummed

The "drumlike body" is the key of the definition. The number of strings has no importance and the way you decide to tune it is also irrelevant. Usually it has 4 or 5 strings but it is not essential if we follow the definition. I strongly suggest that "Guitjo" and "Banjitar" both redirect to "Banjo" since they are really nothing more than slang for a 6 strings banjo. Bragador 03:11, 8 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]

I strongly disagree that a guitjo is a banjo with a guitar neck. Rather, it is a guitar with a banjo neck. The phrase was coined decades ago by banjoist, Sonny Osborne, who used to record with one. "Banjitar" is a much more suitable term for a banjo with a guitar neck. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Wretchasketch (talk • contribs) 12:44, 22 May 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Seems like there's no consistency with the terminology. Both six-string banjos with guitar tuning and the converse (guitars with bluegrass banjo necks) have existed (though the former seems much more common, as it allows guitar players, who are more numerous by orders of magnitude, to play a version of the banjo) but what they're called is not standardized in practice. As it stands both banjitar and now guitjo redirect to banjo guitar, out article on six-string banjos tunes like guitars. Should that even be a separate article? Good question. But I will note that there was no consensus a few years back about merging the banjo ukulele article with either the banjo or ukulele article because the instrument is both at the same time. Same here. oknazevad (talk) 16:39, 11 October 2023 (UTC)[reply]