Getting More of a Banjo Sound From My Gold Tone

Liv7301

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I just got a Gold Tone and would like to play around with strings to really maximize the banjo sound. It's the deluxe with the resonator back, so that is the sound that I am looking for...a resonator banjo sound. (Not looking for a gut or plunky tone, since that would be better on an open back or the like.)

Has anyone had success stringing Gold Tones with some manner of steel strings? I was thinking about lap dulcimer strings, mostly just because I have one, so I am familiar with them and know they are pretty light. That's just the one thought that I had though...I am totally open to suggestions!

Thoughts? Experiences? Would love to hear your knowledge!

Thanks all!
 
I have no experience at all with fitting steel strings to a banjo uke. That said, I would be concerned with string tension and the possibility of bowing the neck. I don't know if the neck of your Gold Tone has a truss rod....
 
I'd just contact Goldtone in Titusville, FL. They are great folks and will go out of their way to help you figure it out, if it's workeable

http://www.goldtone.com/
 
Good suggestion! I will just contact them directly and see what they say. In my brain, the idea of dulcimer or mandolin strings works but concerns about a truss rod and the amount of tension metal strings need are very valid ones. Hopefully they have a recommendation! I will post it up here if they do.
 
Good suggestion! I will just contact them directly and see what they say. In my brain, the idea of dulcimer or mandolin strings works but concerns about a truss rod and the amount of tension metal strings need are very valid ones. Hopefully they have a recommendation! I will post it up here if they do.
I've seen some banjo's with a wound C. There is a guy on Ukulele Cosmos named Jboyshine that seems to have a lot of experience with banjoleles might want to look there also.
 
Well, I sent an email yesterday, so we shall wait and see! In the meantime, I have stumbled across another possibilty...the Risa metal strings, that I assume would be originally intended for an electric uke. The string gauges look good, but again, it's a matter of the level of tension that would be put on the instrument.

I am impatient...any official Gold Tone people on this forum? :)
 
I would like to hear if flourocarbon strings work well for uke banjo. They're thinner, sharper, quick response like metal strings. I have tried nylon on my regular banjo and didn't like it. I don't have a uke banjo or I'd try it.

Don't worry about hurting your neck with metal strings; many metal strings are quite thin, and banjos are very solid. Just stay with a light gauge. It's fun to come up with your own string set; you can peruse the single strings section of Elderly and order your own gauges. They're long, too, you might get two sets out of each string.
 
I would like to hear if flourocarbon strings work well for uke banjo. They're thinner, sharper, quick response like metal strings. I have tried nylon on my regular banjo and didn't like it. I don't have a uke banjo or I'd try it.
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Since mine came with floros that is all I have heard so far. It sounds pretty decent...fairly quick/sharp. But I am looking for that specific metalkind of sound. I guess I just want to make sure I am not going to screw up the neck or how hard the bridge presses on the head. I was thinking about the Aquila Banjo Uke set (I have Aquilas on all of my other ukes) but...I don't know, I guess I just want to banjo the tone out to the max. :)
 
Defintitely give the Aquilas a go first - so easy to do. Make sure you get the 'correct' length banjo uke strings - is yours a Concert size?

I love the sound of Aquilas on my Mainland Banjo Uke! THey sound REALLY 'banjoey'!! So do my Uke Club members - 6 have bought Mainland Banjo ukes as they loved the soundof mine so much!! With family & other friends, I imported 12 Mainland Banjo Ukes into Aussie, all with Aquila Strings! :)
cheers
Roberta
 
It probably wouldn't hurt to pick Southcoast's brains either. They have a huge amount of expertise on string tension, etc......things that determine how efficiently different strings work at different scales lengths and which strings would most likely do it. Investigate their Linear strings. They choose each string diameter on how it will work at a given scale length. Each string in a set is chosen for optimal performance.
 
Interesting...I am shooting them an email now.

So, here are all of the possibilities I am considering: dulcimer or mandolin strings (if I can get more specifics on tension), Risa metal strings (meant for electric uke?), Aquila banjo uke strings, whatever Southcoast recommends from their line.

This brings up another thought...with noodling around on all of this string stuff, it's making me think of going to low G on my tuning. Might try it out on my regular concert uke as well.
 
Here is the response I got on my email to Gold Tone:

"Thanks for the email. The Banjolele Dlx will be able to handle steel strings, but I am not positive on the gauges you will need. The steel strings will definitely give you more of a sharper sound than a plunky type sound and I have heard success of this many times before. You may try a .040, .030, .020, .016 and if you want to use the high G tuning on the 4th string, you could try another .016.

I hope that helps!

All the best,
Tommy Sivert
Artist Relations & Operations"


So, that helps me narrow down my search a bit! Now, to research string gauges for banjo, dulcimer, mandolin, and the Risa metal.
 
On the recommendation from PhilUSAFRet, I contacted Southcoast and asked what they had that might work for what I am looking for on the Gold Tone. Here is the response:

"The "classical metal" strings we have give C tuning on a 17" scale. On yours they would set up in E flat. That is actually one of the early Soprano tunings (one step above D). It's still often used for Sopraninos and on a drum body, it will definitely give you a bright sharp sound. Sorry we can't help in C tuning.

Thanks for the inquiry,
Dirk Wormhoudt"


The high pitch sounds like it would add to the sharp, banjo-like sound but I know my ears enough to know that they aren't going to like reading in C while hearing in Eb. And I am too lazy to transpose all the time. :)
 
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