Aquila makes Nylon Banjo Strings and they come in colored packets which is super helpful. Banjos used to have Gut strings and we use Nylon as the Modern longer lasting Substitute.
@@thebanjogentleman Yes & I love Aquilas. Try Gold Tone Baritone Banjo Strings which are tuned a Fifth Below Regular Banjo Strings & if you tune the 4th string down a step to F, we'll you're in Drop F (a Fifth below Drop C) so you could actually play (w/ a Guitar Pick) the James Bond Theme arranged by Alan Billingsley to get that good old fashioned Spaghetti Western Sound that Vic Flick has played. Here's the Accompaniment:ua-cam.com/video/8T8_BeWzqHE/v-deo.html
Thanks, just what I was after. I'm a total newbie but have a 5 string banjo which I picked up a few years ago and which I'm finally getting around to fixing up.
Augustine classical guitar strings can be bought as only a Treble set which is E-B-G strings. Add another high E string and a D string and you will have an excellent set of banjo strings. Augustine come in different sets of classical guitar strings so you can experiment with sets of strings to find your favorite sound. The only downside I found is that classical guitar strings are slightly slicker that nylgut strings which can affect ease of pulloffs. I wouldn't use these on a banjo that is not meant for steel strings since I don't know how much force augustine strings will exert on an old neck without a reinforcing rod.
You have a really nice tone on that banjo with the nylons. And thanks for the mention of the tailpiece. I'm going to try switching from steel to nylon strings, this has been helpful. Cheers.
Nice, I've been really curious about this for a while. The result sounds dark & woodsy to me, almost more like a Japanese koto on the slower passages & slide notes like 3:25
@@powbobs Thank you. I try explaining to people that bluegrass is actually only around 100 yrs old, and they look at me like I'm from outer space. While I don't have a problem with calling traditional music "old time", I prefer to call it mountain music because it better covers all the styles of music that grew out of Appalachia.
You do know that you can get Nylon, or any kind of syntetic strings, in any kind of strength you want at a strings dealer, right? Don't have to experiment with already set sets of strings at trial and error.
@@Oldbanjoman sorry for late reply . 20lb 30lb 60lb 130lb and fifth string 25lb any decent make, grand slam , sunset ?. That,s on a 27 7/8 INCH SCALE FRETLESS. My short scale tenor I use 30lb 50lb 80lb 100lb, hope that helps.
You say you've tuned down to f. As a newbie could you give the tuning / notes for each string? Got to say that all the videos Ive watched so far are somewhat confusing.
@@RockStarOscarStern634 I know I'm 2 years late but for anybody else reading please do not use Aquila Reds, I have had nothing but trouble and breaking strings with them, and so do a lot of people online. Aquila Nylguts tune up to G just fine, in fact they are advertised to do so.
@@RockStarOscarStern634 ah I see, they must have changed things around a bit. I remember back in the day they had the minstrel set and the classic set, and the minstrel set was for lower tunings while the classic worked for standard/G. It’s been over 10 years since I bought them last and recently picked up some classics but noticed they have discontinued the minstrels.
I was really hoping to hear a clean and true (not overly amped/ effect) sound. I have this exact banjo and would have liked to hear it without a ton of expensive recording and plug in stuff. Sorry but most people don't plug our banjos into a sound board.
I'm having mine converted to nylon string as I type this. Did you have any problem with the 5th string nut slot being too narrow? I'll be using LaBella #17 strings and a vintage style tailpiece.
I have bought some classical guitar nylon strings for my banjolele. I want to tune them like a guitar ie Top to bottom - D G B E. Any advice would be appreciated. I have uke nylon strings at the moment which sound OK but not great
Aquila makes Nylon Banjo Strings and they come in colored packets which is super helpful. Banjos used to have Gut strings and we use Nylon as the Modern longer lasting Substitute.
I try them out on another video on my channel
@@thebanjogentleman Yes & I love Aquilas. Try Gold Tone Baritone Banjo Strings which are tuned a Fifth Below Regular Banjo Strings & if you tune the 4th string down a step to F, we'll you're in Drop F (a Fifth below Drop C) so you could actually play (w/ a Guitar Pick) the James Bond Theme arranged by Alan Billingsley to get that good old fashioned Spaghetti Western Sound that Vic Flick has played. Here's the Accompaniment:ua-cam.com/video/8T8_BeWzqHE/v-deo.html
Thanks, just what I was after.
I'm a total newbie but have a 5 string banjo which I picked up a few years ago and which I'm finally getting around to fixing up.
Augustine classical guitar strings can be bought as only a Treble set which is E-B-G strings. Add another high E string and a D string and you will have an excellent set of banjo strings. Augustine come in different sets of classical guitar strings so you can experiment with sets of strings to find your favorite sound. The only downside I found is that classical guitar strings are slightly slicker that nylgut strings which can affect ease of pulloffs. I wouldn't use these on a banjo that is not meant for steel strings since I don't know how much force augustine strings will exert on an old neck without a reinforcing rod.
You have a really nice tone on that banjo with the nylons. And thanks for the mention of the tailpiece. I'm going to try switching from steel to nylon strings, this has been helpful. Cheers.
Aquila makes good Nylon Banjo sets you can use
I like what you've done here...a very nice sound
Nice, I've been really curious about this for a while. The result sounds dark & woodsy to me, almost more like a Japanese koto on the slower passages & slide notes like 3:25
really enjoyed, thank you. Would you say again about the bridge? What was the bridge called and why did it work so well? Once again, many thanks!
Beautiful sound! Good idea to do this! Ball end nylon strings might solve the string breakage at the tailpiece.
Makes it sound kinda like a cigar box guitar with a more of reverb and banjo's brightness intact. Interesting! Subbed!
Sounds pretty close to a shamisen, now all you need is a bachi lol
I have nylguts on my Goodtime. It’s a good combo. It feels very nice. I might put them on my Troubadour.
That sounds really good! 👍
By fitting you banjo with nylon strings, you gave it the traditional Appalachian bluegrass sound.
Old time, not bluegrass.
Bluegrass is a modern style played with steel strings.
@@powbobs really? I never knew that.
@@marvinthemaniac7698old time is correct.
@@HistoryBoy gotcha
@@powbobs Thank you. I try explaining to people that bluegrass is actually only around 100 yrs old, and they look at me like I'm from outer space. While I don't have a problem with calling traditional music "old time", I prefer to call it mountain music because it better covers all the styles of music that grew out of Appalachia.
You do know that you can get Nylon, or any kind of syntetic strings, in any kind of strength you want at a strings dealer, right? Don't have to experiment with already set sets of strings at trial and error.
Monofilament fisning lines $ 20 , I have strings for life.
hi,,,what brand and thickness of fishing line do you use?
@@Oldbanjoman sorry for late reply . 20lb 30lb 60lb 130lb and fifth string 25lb any decent make, grand slam , sunset ?. That,s on a 27 7/8 INCH SCALE FRETLESS. My short scale tenor I use 30lb 50lb 80lb 100lb, hope that helps.
Thank you sir,,,,great info @@chesterlee6508
You say you've tuned down to f.
As a newbie could you give the tuning / notes for each string?
Got to say that all the videos Ive watched so far are somewhat confusing.
F, C, F, A, C. Hope this helps
@@thebanjogentleman To tune to G you'd need thinner strings such as Aquila Reds
@@RockStarOscarStern634 I know I'm 2 years late but for anybody else reading please do not use Aquila Reds, I have had nothing but trouble and breaking strings with them, and so do a lot of people online.
Aquila Nylguts tune up to G just fine, in fact they are advertised to do so.
@@meadandmilk Actually those strings were updated to work in G Tuning
@@RockStarOscarStern634 ah I see, they must have changed things around a bit. I remember back in the day they had the minstrel set and the classic set, and the minstrel set was for lower tunings while the classic worked for standard/G.
It’s been over 10 years since I bought them last and recently picked up some classics but noticed they have discontinued the minstrels.
Nice mellow tone.
A true gentleman is someone who knows how to play Banjo, but chooses not to. 😅🤣😂
I was really hoping to hear a clean and true (not overly amped/ effect) sound. I have this exact banjo and would have liked to hear it without a ton of expensive recording and plug in stuff. Sorry but most people don't plug our banjos into a sound board.
I'm having mine converted to nylon string as I type this. Did you have any problem with the 5th string nut slot being too narrow? I'll be using LaBella #17 strings and a vintage style tailpiece.
Thank you for sharing,
Much sweeter than metal strings
Try this with a goat skin head
What kind of banjo head ? Thank you
Frosted here
I have bought some classical guitar nylon strings for my banjolele. I want to tune them like a guitar ie Top to bottom - D G B E. Any advice would be appreciated. I have uke nylon strings at the moment which sound OK but not great
Dá para afinar em double C também?
Yes, think that would work great, but at a lower pitch to reduce tension. So double F maybe
you could get better nylon banjo strings or real gut strings or high test offshore fishing line and a nicer banjo
I put on my banjo nylon fishinl lines an thr sound gats mach more better
hi,,,what brand and thickness of fishing line do you use????
Aliexpres - the cheapest transparent 0.25 - 0.8 mm - choose it according to the sound
you use the same thickness for the 5 strings!!!!!!!@@a.protas7091
@@a.protas7091hi sir,,,i can't find it on alieexpress,,,,do you have a link?
want to try nylon strings on my banjo.
greetings from Belgium
I have no link now. Just - fishing line. I live in Ukraine
Nygut strings
Soooo Japanese