Paul Hawthorne - I've learned more from Paul's site than any other banjo site. Thoughtful in all ways, with excellent links and a superb reading list. The best information on Asian banjos. The authoritative site about vintage Gold Star banjos.
Paul passed away on February 21, 2007. I lost a friend. We all have lost an insightful banjo philosopher.
Paul asked me to publish his pages after his death. The link above will take you there.
Cobalt BP - Bob Perry came up with the idea of coating fingerpicks with cobalt. Just about everyone who tries them likes them. Bob is now selling his own line of plated picks as well as continuing his custom plating service. If you have a favorite metal pick, Bob's process will make it better.
In addition to putting a slick surface on the picks that will not blacken from body oils or sweat, the Cobalt BP process puts a roughed surface on the underside of the pick. They don't slip.
A wide variety of picks with Bob's process are available from many online retailers.
National Finger Picks - Now a re-issued product of Black Diamond Strings. The NP1 model was terrible but the NP2s are good. They are also economical at $3 per pair or about $8/pair with cobalt plating.
For a superb treatment of the history of the National finger pick, see Dean Hoffmeyer's National Finger Pick Museum.
Sammy Shelor Stainless Steel Picks - Unique. Expensive. Worth it, according to an overwhelming majority of buyers.
Bill Stokes' Showcase 41's - I prefer Kyser over the Showcase 41's, but many players have likened the Showcase picks to old Nationals.
ProPik (Guptill Music) - ProPiks come in a variety of designs and are often available with the CobaltBP treatment.
Kyser Finger Picks - I love these picks but they don't seem to be available. This link takes you to my page with more info.
Dunlop Picks - I am not a fan of Dunlop finger picks. However, Dunlop seems to be the most popular brand receiving the CobaltBP treatment.
Dogwood Designs - Nice, rugged straps. I own two. Sometimes the straps are available on eBay at a discount; check seller dbs47.
Elliot & McKinney-Elliot Capos - The Rolls-Royce of banjo capos and priced like it. McKinney capos are now made by Phil Elliot.
Paige Capos - An excellent banjo capo at an economical price.
Golden Gate ABS Case - the CP-1530 from Saga offers superior but very economical protection. Only true masterclones will fit; large pegheads (e.g. Stelling) and Korean resonators will not fit. Banjo.com has a consistently good price.
Banjo Newsletter - The pre-eminent, must-have publication for 5-string banjo players, regardless of style.
Gestalt Banjo - Paul Hawthorne's insightful book with a deep exploration of the right hand. Reissue pending.
The Banjo Encyclopedia - The more I look at Ross Nickerson's magnum opus, the more I like it. I predict a long life for the book. If you buy directly from Ross, you can get it wire bound.
Tabledit - The most popular music and tablature editor. Reasonably priced. Can open the defunct TabRite's files.
MusEdit - A very powerful music and tablature editor. Does not open or import as many different formats as Tabledit, but makes up for that with superb output quality. Many features usually associated with the most expensive software. Slightly more expensive than Tabledit but still reasonable. This is a better choice for music editing when tablature is not important (i.e., non-fretted instruments).
Band-In-A-Box - BIAB is a great way to build backup music with which to practice. Very good tutorials. Don't judge the software by the horribly sluggish Web site, which strains patience.
Turtle Hill Banjo Co. - One of the most respected banjo dealers in the country.
Elderly Instruments - A classy operation with a good repair and service shop. The Web's best and most thorough photographs of instruments for sale.
Banjo.com - Now a full-range instrument dealer, the focus on banjo remains strong with one of the broadest brand lists around. John will also sell you a unicycle.
First Quality Music - The place for banjo parts. The Sullivans do a great job, sadly now without founder Bill Sullivan (1940-2007).
Stewart-MacDonald - "Stew-Mac," the other place for banjo parts. A great source for tools, DIY supplies, and kits.
Windy Strings - Notable as the U.S. distributor of Gotoh tuning pegs.
Janet Davis Music - A good, reliable, online retailer despite a somewhat messy Web site. One of three authorized Internet dealers for Gibson banjos.
The Banjo Hangout - The 5-string banjo site. A must.