Banjolele and a 4 string banjo?

Bibs

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 30, 2022
Messages
145
Reaction score
211
I've never seen one, What's the difference?
 
I've never seen one, What's the difference?
Can not really talk about a four string banjo, but a banjo uke(banjolele) is tuned the same as a ukulele and is ukulele scale lengths.
 
Others will know a lot more about this, particularly anyone here who plays the banjolele. But I'll go ahead and offer that a banjolele is a ukulele that's shaped like a banjo. It's the size of a ukulele. Four-string banjos are, indeed, banjos, with steel strings. They are longer than banjoleles.
 
I've never seen one, What's the difference?
Google is your friend!
Search for Tenor Banjo and Plectrum Banjo, both 4 string varieties.
Tenors are tuned in fifths C, G, D, A, usually around 22 inch scale, used extensively in the rhythm section of early Jazz.
A variant of this is the "Irish" version tuned G, D, A, E, usually around 20 inch scale, used mainly as a melody instrument in Irish Traditional music.
Tune lower than the Jazz banjo, the G sting on the Irish is an octave lower than the longer scale version. The tuning increments (fifths) are similar to the mandolin and violin families.
Plectrum banjos have a scale length of 25-26 inches with "Standard" tuning C, G, B, D, though there are many tuning variations. A very simple explanation is that they are 5 string banjos with the short 5th string missing, and as the name suggests, designed to be played with a plectrum instead of fingerpicking.
Hope this helps,
Vintage
 
Thanks y'all. That what I wanted to know.
 
Top Bottom