Minstrel Banjos: Banjos resembling in many ways modern banjos came on the scene as banjo manufacturers set up shops in the 1800s. They are generally called minstrel banjos. The main characteristic that differentiates a minstrel banjo from a tackhead banjo is that it has all of the hardware necessary (tension hoop, shoes, hooks and nuts) for adjusting the tension of the head. The evolution from minstrel banjo to modern banjo was simply a matter of incremental enhancements. Minstrel banjos were either unfretted or fretted with tied frets.