Pluck a lively tune — Banjo is an electromechanical single-player from Exhibit, one of the pioneering names of the early coin-op amusement industry, wrapped in a spirited theme of American history, music, dancing, and singing. With light-based scoring, it’s a genuine antique from the formative decades of the modern game, evoking the toe-tapping charm of old-time string-band music.
The available details on this early machine are modest, as they often are for the oldest titles, but what we know places it firmly in its era: it offered the classic arcade proposition of five balls per play, that irresistible bit of value that drew players to the glass generation after generation. Exhibit was an important early manufacturer, active in the decades when pinball was still finding its form, and machines bearing its name connect the hobby to its deepest roots. The music-and-dancing theme, with its old-time Americana flavor, gave the machine a cheerful, folksy charm typical of the era’s more homespun titles.
Banjo is a piece of history for the collector who cherishes the earliest chapters of the hobby and the pioneering companies that built it. Documentation on the specifics is thin, which only adds to the intrigue for those who love chasing pinball’s forgotten corners. It’s a machine that trades deep rules and flashy toys for the simple, honest charm of its era, the kind of piece treasured for its history and its provenance. For anyone who reveres the roots of the game, it’s a worthy find — a nickel-a-play relic from an age when the whole industry was young and the music played on. Drop your coin, keep the ball alive, and enjoy a folksy visit to pinball’s early days. Some machines are cherished for where they come from, and this Exhibit classic is one of them. (Note: available data on this title is limited.)