Tenor Banjo

Can I tune a Tenor Banjo to GCEA? If so what brand of strings should I use?
Thanks

Hmmm... I hope someone will put me right if my physics is out...

Well, assuming you try uke strings, a short-scale tenor banjo has a 19"-20" scale which is similar to a baritone uke. The thing is that there's quite an after-length behind the bridge on banjo strings, making them longer than uke strings of the same scale length. The longer strings could mean that the tension would be higher than on a uke at the same pitch (as ukes have no real string after-length behind the saddle).

Actually, Using nylon uke strings might be difficult if your tailpiece is designed for standard loop-end metal banjo strings. Maybe you'll be better of sticking to metal strings.

You know, the more I think about it, the more I simply just don't know. I guess you could just experiment with different gauges of loop-end banjo or mandolin strings. Apart from the head most parts of a banjo are more robust than those of a uke. If I still had a tenor banjo I wouldn't be afraid to just experiment - but I'd still go carefully and not overload the tension to a drastic degree.

If you do, don't forget to keep an eye on the stress on the head. You don't want to split it.

You could try asking over at http://www.banjohangout.org/forum/ or at the trad string instrument section of Chiff & Fipple.

Hope you find your answer.

Let us know if you figure it out? Could be useful to other people too.

I was thinking about the same thing.
The problem is to find a suitable set of strings, it would be nice if they were steel strings not nylon.
I tune my tenor banjo in chicago tuning (like the guitar) but I would like to tune it like the ukulele - it would be much easier to play.

If you will find out which strings could be usefull - please let us know.

I think ernie ball has ball end uke strings

paw123los said:

I was thinking about the same thing.
The problem is to find a suitable set of strings, it would be nice if they were steel strings not nylon.
I tune my tenor banjo in chicago tuning (like the guitar) but I would like to tune it like the ukulele - it would be much easier to play.[...]

Click to expand...

Why not tune in Irish tenor tuning, GDAE? Same as mandolin but an octave lower. That's great for melodies of tunes in C, G, D or A. If it's a short scale tenor then the low G can present certain tuning challenges... Alternatively, you can tune it in the same ascending 5ths tuning, but starting on C instead (CGDA). That pitches it a little higher and brings the string tension up, eliminating the floppy/dull problem of the low G.

For chords, personally I don't find tenor banjo to be the best instrument. It works best for melodies, IMHO.

The GDAE and CGDA tunings are brilliant for jigs, reels, hornpipes etc.

i have the middle strings heavy guage and thefirst and fourth strings light (single wire) guageso I can play my 4 string banjo with GCEA tuning

I have my R&L No3 Special tuned to CGDA simply because it's the same as my cello. I think after experimenting, I ended up using the strings from a 5-string kit without the 5th string. The lower tuning is great for soloing, but not the best for chord shapes (it just doesn't blend as well).

I remember at one point I experimented with switching strings around so I could do GCEA, but after playing it for a while it didn't have the 'right' sound. (besides, it's a Banjo--not a Ukulele!)

I hope that helps.

See info on banjohangout.org

http://www.banjohangout.org/pages/s...=FORID:9&ie=UTF-8&q2=GCEA&refine=&q=GCEA#1224

I guess a good banjo lessons can be a thing to do here in order to play a good tenor banjo notes. In that way, you would be able to really get things right and you would make things happen. I just hoped that you guys would make things well in the long run in playing it.

I'm going to bump this thread way up because it's the first one that pops up for GCEA tenor banjo in Google searches.

Gauges for matching low G uke tuning: 20w G, 13/14 plain C, 11/12 plain E, 9 plain A. Substitute a plain 10 in the G-slot for a re-entrant GCEA tuning. What's best is that these gauges usually come in a regular light-gauge 5-string banjo set so you can pick a set up for $2-3 and you have a "spare" 9/10 gauge string in case your high A breaks (which it will if you're not careful tuning up).

This is the set that I always go back to on my tenor banjo. I can play in fifths (CGDA, GDAE) and DGBE tenor tunings just fine but GCEA is what does it for me -- gives a chimey, tight-sounding, jazz-era tonality to the instrument that works really well on record and playing in group.

If you want to go a whole octave down (this doesn't sound that great overall, but may be useful for recording purposes) gauges look like:

40w G, 30w C, 24w E, 16/17 plain A. Alternately, use a 20w in the G slot for an octave-lower re-entrant tuning.