I recently purchased an antique May Bell Tenor Banjo. It's a Celtic type with four strings. I'd like to play it like a ukulele. It has metal strings at present. Am I crazy or is it doable?
My long scale tenor has light gauge Elixir steel strings and is tuned "Chicago Style" so I can use baritone fingering. The light gauge strings are not hard on the fingers.
Nylon strings are also available for banjos -- Elderly has them. The string specialists can come up with a set of guitar or baritone nylon strings that would work on your instrument scale.
I would not be surprised that Kirk at Southcoast has a set that would fit a tenor banjo, particularly if it is a short scale banjo.