I recently purchased a 19 fret tenor banjo which I want to use to play Irish music tuned to GDAe.
An Irish tenor guitar website recommended the following gauzes, (0.010, 0.015, 0.024 and 0.034) for GDAe tuning on a banjo. What gauze strings have you found to work best?
I like .13 .20 .30 .40 and I use a heavy pick. This gives me a softer tone. Probably best for you to start out with something lighter and see what suits you best.
I have tried both Medium gauge ( 012, 018 wound, 028, 038) and Heavy gauge (013, 020 wound, 030, 040). Both are excellent choices for ITM. I prefer a wound 'A' string as it helps to tone it down a tad. I also use a .46 Delrin pick.
Only one proviso - if it's an old Classic banjo without a truss rod, you might be better sticking with the Medium gauge.
Yeah, what kind of banjo do you have? This will help us to give you recommendations - different gauges work best with different banjos/different players. Just be careful if its a vintage one so as not to bend the neck.
It is a 19 fret Kay resonator perhaps from the 70's with an adjustable neck set sliding block but does not appear to have a truss rod. It has lots of flashy chrome but I don't think was a very inexpensive banjo to begin with nor did I pay a lot for it. It most likely was made in Japan. It has cheap covered guitar style tuners not planetary geared Glovers for sure.
The headstock is more guitar shape not the typical banjo configuration. There is no indication of the country of origin or serial number. Just the script letter "Kay" on the headstock.
I have been using a heavy gauge set: 012, 022, 032, 044. I find they stay in tune better. Takes some getting use to. I play a Bacon & Day 19 fret, and it seems to work well. I bought mando cello sets so I have two for the price of one. Currently using the wound, phosphorus bronze strings.
Tenor banjo string gauzes
Tenor banjo string gauzes
I recently purchased a 19 fret tenor banjo which I want to use to play Irish music tuned to GDAe.
An Irish tenor guitar website recommended the following gauzes, (0.010, 0.015, 0.024 and 0.034) for GDAe tuning on a banjo. What gauze strings have you found to work best?
# Posted on June 2nd 2011 by Cape Cod Struggler
Re: Tenor banjo string gauzes
Previous discussion on this matter:
http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/21175/comments#comment440793
# Posted on June 3rd 2011 by Tony O'Rourke
Re: Tenor banjo string gauzes
if it's a modern banjo with a truss rod in the neck, try
0.013, 0.017, 0.028w, 0.038w
# Posted on June 3rd 2011 by millionyears_bc
Re: Tenor banjo string gauzes
I like .13 .20 .30 .40 and I use a heavy pick. This gives me a softer tone. Probably best for you to start out with something lighter and see what suits you best.
# Posted on June 3rd 2011 by shanty
Re: Tenor banjo string gauzes
I have tried both Medium gauge ( 012, 018 wound, 028, 038) and Heavy gauge (013, 020 wound, 030, 040). Both are excellent choices for ITM. I prefer a wound 'A' string as it helps to tone it down a tad. I also use a .46 Delrin pick.
Only one proviso - if it's an old Classic banjo without a truss rod, you might be better sticking with the Medium gauge.
# Posted on June 3rd 2011 by Gerry_McCartney
Re: Tenor banjo string gauzes
Yeah, what kind of banjo do you have? This will help us to give you recommendations - different gauges work best with different banjos/different players. Just be careful if its a vintage one so as not to bend the neck.
# Posted on June 3rd 2011 by camwebby
Re: Tenor banjo string gauzes
It is a 19 fret Kay resonator perhaps from the 70's with an adjustable neck set sliding block but does not appear to have a truss rod. It has lots of flashy chrome but I don't think was a very inexpensive banjo to begin with nor did I pay a lot for it. It most likely was made in Japan. It has cheap covered guitar style tuners not planetary geared Glovers for sure.
The headstock is more guitar shape not the typical banjo configuration. There is no indication of the country of origin or serial number. Just the script letter "Kay" on the headstock.
# Posted on June 3rd 2011 by Cape Cod Struggler
Re: Tenor banjo string gauzes
I have been using a heavy gauge set: 012, 022, 032, 044. I find they stay in tune better. Takes some getting use to. I play a Bacon & Day 19 fret, and it seems to work well. I bought mando cello sets so I have two for the price of one. Currently using the wound, phosphorus bronze strings.
# Posted on June 5th 2011 by Imnotirish