Intermediate, pretty decent 5 stringer picker here.
Sure you want a 5string.
6string banjos are just funny looking/sounding guitars for wannabes IMO. 4 strings are for Jazz/Dixeland or Irish music, and are played with a flatpick.
The CC100R is my reccomendation. Good bang for the buck, decent tone, well constructed for an Asian product. Resonator comes off easily to quiet it down for proactice or for use as a clawhammer banjo.
Goodtimes are good too. American made. But butt ugly IMO. No tone ring of any kind, frets directly into neck like a fender. Still a good product tho.
Saga SS 10 is a nice inexpensive openback.Good for quieter bluegrass picking practice or can amplify. Openbacks are for old timey clawhammer/frailing style,
Of course, my CC100R dont hold a candle to my RB3 Gibson Mastertone, but its fun to play and weighs a lots less. I prob play it more than the Gibson around the house. CC100Rs sell for around 350-400 new. A real Mastertone will cost ya 2000-3000 used.
If you want to go with an inexpensive bluegrass banjo that has pro level sound, check out the Gold Stars GF85 or GF100 for 800-1000 bucks new.
Next up I'd reccommend the Derring Sierra or Sullivan Festival(From First Quality Music in Louiville) both in the 1500-2000 range.
Your run of the mill music store, if they even have a banjo, will not know how to keep them well set up and will prob sound like crap.
Buy from a local acoustic shop or online from banjo.com, Janet Davis Music, Elderly, First Quality, or Turtle Hill Music.
Stay away from ebay cheapies and even recommended brands on ebay. Buy from a knoledgeable local shop of a reputable online dealer or you'll get burned. Even if you get a deal, you'll still have to spend a fortune and hassle on set up.
Take a lesson or 2 to from a real live knowlegeable banjo player to get you off on the right foot.
Jerry played 3 finger bluegrass Earl Scrugg/Don Reno/Bill Keith style. On a resonator 5 string banjo.
Plastic thumbpick, 2 metal fingerpicks.
As mutant dan said, if your a fingerpicking guitarist, it should come fairly quickly, otherwise, learning curve kinda steep initially. Not the easiest instr to start out.
Jerrys stuff will be pretty tough. You'll need to start out by studying Earl, Ralph, JD Crowe, intently before branching out into Jerrys territory too far.