I'm a 5 string player and I the old-time 2 finger thumb lead, and I was in a guitar store trying out a tenor banjo like 5 string and found it is possible to also play a 4 string banjo like 5 string. I've seen folks on UA-cam playing the tenor banjo like a 5 string banjo. Paul Roberts of Goldtone plays tenor banjo 2 finger thumb lead style.
If setting up a tenor banjo to DGBE, what steel strings would you use? I play ukulele and used to play guitar. Love the uke sound with classical guitar strings, but i do sometimes miss the steel string sounds which you can't generally have on a uke. They're made for plastic strings. Thanks!
And also there's another guy who plays Bluegrass banjo really well on a tenor banjo. His name is Mirek Patek and he plays tenor banjo but 3 finger Bluegrass and Frailing.
Why not just tune it to baritone Uke intervals (aka guitar) (d G B E) ? He can throw a capo on the 5th fret if he needs to? You can use high d or low D.
You know what? They now make Tenor Guitar/Tenor Banjo Strings designed for this tuning (GCEA) which you can get from Ebay in various gauges and materials for the wound strings.
I (not a Tenor Banjo player myself) believe that C->A is much wider range than G->A. If a Tenor Banjo is tuned CGDA and Ukulele tuning is GCEA (plus low G). Why wasn't the same A string used? G could have been used as well and maybe just two Ds one tune one step up and one tune one step down? Hope I am not the naysayers now :D It is always fun to mix fishing and ukes ;)
Excellent video....I love proving naysayers wrong.....and it so often happens that the doom merchants tell you NO!.....but if you just give it a go almost anything can be achieved.
Maarten Oberman IMO tune it d G B E and use a capo instead. It’s still a kludge and you lose both the range and the simplicity of the 5ths. I used to guitar-tune my mandolin like the top 4 strings of a guitar (a Tommy Tedesco idea) until I discovered that 5th tuning just requires chord shapes you’d use on the bottom 4 strings of a guitar... backwards. Voila - instant mandolin/tenor guitar-banjo chords.
I'm a 5 string player and I the old-time 2 finger thumb lead, and I was in a guitar store trying out a tenor banjo like 5 string and found it is possible to also play a 4 string banjo like 5 string. I've seen folks on UA-cam playing the tenor banjo like a 5 string banjo. Paul Roberts of Goldtone plays tenor banjo 2 finger thumb lead style.
How is it tuned for playing that way, I have a tenor, 20 frets, 22 scale length? Thanks
If setting up a tenor banjo to DGBE, what steel strings would you use? I play ukulele and used to play guitar. Love the uke sound with classical guitar strings, but i do sometimes miss the steel string sounds which you can't generally have on a uke. They're made for plastic strings. Thanks!
I like Paul Roberts he plays a Gold Tone Irish Tenor Banjo 2 finger thumb lead he's my favorite 2 finger player who plays it on the Tenor Banjo.
And also there's another guy who plays Bluegrass banjo really well on a tenor banjo.
His name is Mirek Patek and he plays tenor banjo but 3 finger Bluegrass and Frailing.
Why not just tune it to baritone Uke intervals (aka guitar) (d G B E) ? He can throw a capo on the 5th fret if he needs to? You can use high d or low D.
Tioga Fretworks because the customer wanted the higher octave. But what you suggested is a great option! 👍
What about the intonation?
You know what? They now make Tenor Guitar/Tenor Banjo Strings designed for this tuning (GCEA) which you can get from Ebay in various gauges and materials for the wound strings.
I (not a Tenor Banjo player myself) believe that C->A is much wider range than G->A. If a Tenor Banjo is tuned CGDA and Ukulele tuning is GCEA (plus low G). Why wasn't the same A string used? G could have been used as well and maybe just two Ds one tune one step up and one tune one step down? Hope I am not the naysayers now :D It is always fun to mix fishing and ukes ;)
gCEA has always been an alternate tuning for tenor banjos and guitars.
Excellent video....I love proving naysayers wrong.....and it so often happens that the doom merchants tell you NO!.....but if you just give it a go almost anything can be achieved.
string inches tone string type or with some less tension
1 0,025 G3 wounded 0,020 plain steel
2 0,016 C4 plain steel 0,016 plain steel
3 0,012 E4 plain steel 0,012 plain steel
4 0,009 A4 plain steel 0,007 plain steel
mensure 57,5 cm
Maarten Oberman IMO tune it d G B E and use a capo instead. It’s still a kludge and you lose both the range and the simplicity of the 5ths. I used to guitar-tune my mandolin like the top 4 strings of a guitar (a Tommy Tedesco idea) until I discovered that 5th tuning just requires chord shapes you’d use on the bottom 4 strings of a guitar... backwards. Voila - instant mandolin/tenor guitar-banjo chords.
Purists might not like it, I think it's great! A string change is easier than buying a nother instrument!
Why couldn't you just use the Original Tenor Banjo High A String instead. That would've been a better fit.