Just got a new Gold Tone IT-250 from www.countrystrings.com. Tuned it down to G-D-A-E (an octave below mando), but the G is very loose, imprecise and flabby-sounding.
I've gotten advice to string it with 16-20-30-40, but that's what's on there now. Will stringing it with a new string, that's never been tuned to a higher pitch (standard tuning is apparently C-G-B-D), help?
I should mention I got *great* service from countrystrings, and the banjo sounds excellent (other than what's mentioned above) and feels smooth as silk to play. One cosmetic defect: Though it's a new instrument, it arrived with a deep ring ground through the finish and into the wood of the resonator, apparently where a tool was applied too vigorously in adjusting the tailpiece. This is a pretty garish fault in an otherwise impeccably made instrument.
So any feedback on the string would be useful. Does a string get ruined by tuning it a third higher than it'll be used? Does anyone have a recommendation for a good set of strings for G-D-A-E on an Irish tenor? Thanks!!
Congrats on the new purchase - a whole new world of possibilities for annoying musicians and your family has just opened! A warm welcome to this elite fold indeed.
I had the same problem when I resurrected my grandfather's tenor banjo and solved it by going high in the string guage department. I use Newtone mandola strings which go 46/36/26/13 for my short-necked tenor. It has a scale length of 21". This is a crucial bit of information for determining the string guage that will work best for your instrument.
To get this number, measure the distance from the bridge to the nut and then plug it into the program that appears in the link I have provided. If you want advice on the string guage calculator or other banjo trivia, feel free to contact me & I'll be happy to help.
If that's a bit too technical, then just keep increasing the string guage by one or two thou with each string change until you get the right feel for your instrument & fingers.
Whew!! What a question!! String gauges are such a personal thing, and can take a lot of messing around before you'll be comfortable with your selection.
Of course string length (scale) enters into it but ultimately it just depends on two things. Are you happy with the way the instruments sounds and do you like the way it feels, that is, do you like the way the strings respond to your picking style or technique.
The setup of the instrument is important to the sound. How high (or low) is the action, the angle of the neck (determines the height of the bridge), adjustment of the tail-piece (angle of 'break' over the bridge) and tension of the head all will affect the sound of the instrument regardless of string gauge or tension. Of course the string gauge is another variable in producing a pleasing (to you) sound.
Differences in action height, height of the bridge and string gauge can radically affect the way the instrument feels to you regardless of the sound.
The material and thickness of your pick is important, as well as your picking technique. Loose, open handed technique (with just the index finger and thumb holding the pick) won't produce as much volume as close fisted technique (with index finger backed by middle finger on the pick).
For Irish banjo the execution of your 'triplets' may ultimately be the deciding factor. If the strings are too slack, regardless of the 'sound', your triplets will be difficult.
As far as your string gauges, I'm surprised that your G string sounds loose and flabby with a .040 string. The standard tuning for tenor is CGDA and most tenor sets will have about a .030 on the lowest string. Lowering to Irish tuning, GDAE, certainly requires heavier strings, but I'm usually happy with .038-.040 on the G string. (My typical set would be .012-.016-.026-.040 on a 19 fret banjo) Keep in mind that a 17 fret banjo may require strings a bit heavier.
I guess I would just add that for any given banjo with a given set-up as you progressively increase the gauge of strings you will change the sound of the instrument, going from 'plunky' (thin) thru 'ringy' to what I would call 'thumpy' (heavy). I prefer 'ringy' and I feel in this range the instrument is well balanced, producing a more pleasing tone than at either extreme.
you should try guitar strings, nickel ones. try 11 plain for E, wound 17 or 16 if you can get it for A, i think 26 wound for D and 36 for G. the wound A string is great, this is what Dave Boyle the banjo maker in Leixlip recommends, i am not 100% sure if 26 is the right guage for D as my brain is very fuzzy this morning. wonderful music last night aided and abetted by illicit substances are to blame.. sure what else would you be doing?
best of luck and let me know what you think!
Seriously, if the skin is not at the maximum tension, the strings can sound flabby, the lower, the flabbier - so your G might be on the outskirts of Flab City, merely due to a loose head.
Irish Tenor banjo - stringing advice
Irish Tenor banjo - stringing advice
Just got a new Gold Tone IT-250 from www.countrystrings.com. Tuned it down to G-D-A-E (an octave below mando), but the G is very loose, imprecise and flabby-sounding.
I've gotten advice to string it with 16-20-30-40, but that's what's on there now. Will stringing it with a new string, that's never been tuned to a higher pitch (standard tuning is apparently C-G-B-D), help?
I should mention I got *great* service from countrystrings, and the banjo sounds excellent (other than what's mentioned above) and feels smooth as silk to play. One cosmetic defect: Though it's a new instrument, it arrived with a deep ring ground through the finish and into the wood of the resonator, apparently where a tool was applied too vigorously in adjusting the tailpiece. This is a pretty garish fault in an otherwise impeccably made instrument.
So any feedback on the string would be useful. Does a string get ruined by tuning it a third higher than it'll be used? Does anyone have a recommendation for a good set of strings for G-D-A-E on an Irish tenor? Thanks!!
# Posted on October 8th 2003 by vulcan666
Re: Irish Tenor banjo - stringing advice
Howdy,
Congrats on the new purchase - a whole new world of possibilities for annoying musicians and your family has just opened! A warm welcome to this elite fold indeed.
I had the same problem when I resurrected my grandfather's tenor banjo and solved it by going high in the string guage department. I use Newtone mandola strings which go 46/36/26/13 for my short-necked tenor. It has a scale length of 21". This is a crucial bit of information for determining the string guage that will work best for your instrument.
To get this number, measure the distance from the bridge to the nut and then plug it into the program that appears in the link I have provided. If you want advice on the string guage calculator or other banjo trivia, feel free to contact me & I'll be happy to help.
Here's the link:
http://www.greenmanhumming.com/html/StringCalc/Multistringcalc.html
If that's a bit too technical, then just keep increasing the string guage by one or two thou with each string change until you get the right feel for your instrument & fingers.
Happy banj-ing.
Greg
# Posted on October 8th 2003 by octogreg
Re: Irish Tenor banjo - stringing advice
Man, that's a great link. Thanks, Greg!
# Posted on October 9th 2003 by vulcan666
Re: Irish Tenor banjo - stringing advice
Wow what a tool, it sure looks complicated.
I have not got around to plugging the relevant details in but I can tell you what I use on my banjos, which are:
a short scale gold tone (different model to yours) which is 13, 24, 34, 44,
a short scale Dave Boyle 13, 20, 30, 40 (I think)
and a standard scale Vega which is 12, 18, 28, 38 / 40.
I would have thought that 16 on the E would be a bit heavy but then I guess, within reason, it is largely a matter of personal taste.
Nick
# Posted on October 9th 2003 by nick b
Re: Irish Tenor banjo - stringing advice
Whew!! What a question!! String gauges are such a personal thing, and can take a lot of messing around before you'll be comfortable with your selection.
Of course string length (scale) enters into it but ultimately it just depends on two things. Are you happy with the way the instruments sounds and do you like the way it feels, that is, do you like the way the strings respond to your picking style or technique.
The setup of the instrument is important to the sound. How high (or low) is the action, the angle of the neck (determines the height of the bridge), adjustment of the tail-piece (angle of 'break' over the bridge) and tension of the head all will affect the sound of the instrument regardless of string gauge or tension. Of course the string gauge is another variable in producing a pleasing (to you) sound.
Differences in action height, height of the bridge and string gauge can radically affect the way the instrument feels to you regardless of the sound.
The material and thickness of your pick is important, as well as your picking technique. Loose, open handed technique (with just the index finger and thumb holding the pick) won't produce as much volume as close fisted technique (with index finger backed by middle finger on the pick).
For Irish banjo the execution of your 'triplets' may ultimately be the deciding factor. If the strings are too slack, regardless of the 'sound', your triplets will be difficult.
As far as your string gauges, I'm surprised that your G string sounds loose and flabby with a .040 string. The standard tuning for tenor is CGDA and most tenor sets will have about a .030 on the lowest string. Lowering to Irish tuning, GDAE, certainly requires heavier strings, but I'm usually happy with .038-.040 on the G string. (My typical set would be .012-.016-.026-.040 on a 19 fret banjo) Keep in mind that a 17 fret banjo may require strings a bit heavier.
I guess I would just add that for any given banjo with a given set-up as you progressively increase the gauge of strings you will change the sound of the instrument, going from 'plunky' (thin) thru 'ringy' to what I would call 'thumpy' (heavy). I prefer 'ringy' and I feel in this range the instrument is well balanced, producing a more pleasing tone than at either extreme.
Good Luck!
# Posted on October 9th 2003 by Tusong200
Re: Irish Tenor banjo - stringing advice
you should try guitar strings, nickel ones. try 11 plain for E, wound 17 or 16 if you can get it for A, i think 26 wound for D and 36 for G. the wound A string is great, this is what Dave Boyle the banjo maker in Leixlip recommends, i am not 100% sure if 26 is the right guage for D as my brain is very fuzzy this morning. wonderful music last night aided and abetted by illicit substances are to blame.. sure what else would you be doing?
best of luck and let me know what you think!
# Posted on October 9th 2003 by mackers
Re: Irish Tenor banjo - stringing advice
Another thing to check is head tightness...
(yuk, yuk)
Seriously, if the skin is not at the maximum tension, the strings can sound flabby, the lower, the flabbier - so your G might be on the outskirts of Flab City, merely due to a loose head.
Bob
# Posted on October 12th 2003 by Laughtonb