F. A. Q.'s

STRING QUESTIONS

Most music stores don't stock plectrum banjo strings, and if they do, it's often only as a set with pre-determined gauges.  String gauges are very personal.  Each banjo is different; each player is different.  Therefore, purchasing strings "by the set" can be less than ideal.   Also, generally speaking, music store employees are not as experienced with plectrum and tenor banjos as they are with guitars and 5-string banjos. They might not know what strings to recommend.

My recommendation is to purchase strings individually by the gauge.  I get mine from Renee Karnes, a banjo luthier in California. She's considered one of the best and most knowledgeable banjo luthiers in the world. She can recommend string gauges for you to use based on the type of banjo you have and your experience level of playing.  Once you've tried the new strings, you can determine if they are just right or if you require something heavier or lighter.

Renee's address is: 1551 Duck Hollow Court, Rescue, CA 95672. Her phone number is: 530-677-7703

Other sources are Quality Strings (1-800-635-2021, free catalogue) and Elderly Instruments <www.elderly.com>.

String gauges are very subjective. Each banjo player usually experiments with different gauges until the "right sound and feeling is found.

I recommend that you buy strings by the gauge rather than as a set.   String sets don't give you the flexibility to individualize. You may decide you want a heavier bass string, as an example. Purchasing individual gauges allows for that type of "customization.

Personally, I prefer a little heavier gauge for my plectrum. My gauges are: C=26, G=20 wound, B=14, D=12. I usually use GHS strings but also like Ernie Ball. Many banjo players use a 10 for the D. I also know several banjoists who will go as heavy as a 30 on the C. It’s all a matter of preference and sound.

You should use banjo strings, not guitar strings.

String gauges are very subjective. It really depends on the your playing and the sound you like to hear.

Personally, I use a little heavier gauge than most players: 26-20 wound -14-12. My banjo partner in the Southtown Strummers uses the same gauges but likes bronze guitar strings for the wound ones. He feels the sound is brighter. One of the best West Coast banjoists around is Dave Marty.   He uses: 24-16-12-11. They're pretty light but they work very well for him.

You ask an excellent question. There are many people using plectrum tuning on tenor banjos. Players with smaller hands really prefer it!

My recommendation is to begin by using the same gauge strings you'd use on a full-length plectrum. I use: 26 - 20 wound - 14 - 12.

You might find those strings to be a little "too loose" on your tenor banjo. More than likely, they'll be fine. But if they ARE loose and buzzing a little, go to slightly heavier gauge strings. Try 29 - 22 wound - 16 - 14.

Keep experimenting with the gauges until you're happy with it. Also, be sure to check your bridge adjustment. Proper bridge placement is very important when tuning a tenor banjo like a plectrum. The height of the bridge can also make a difference. Go for a slightly taller bridge if necessary.

Sometimes strings buzz if the gauges are too light.   With strings that are too light, you might have to raise the bridge to compensate.   I'd buy heavier gauge strings and try them first.

TEACHING QUESTIONS

Yes - I frequently travel to play and teach banjo.   The banjo topics are wide-ranged.   Just let me know what you're interested in learning.   Lessons and seminars are usually from one hour to two days long depending on the topic.   Group lessons work best with five to ten banjoists.   Contact me for scheduling and pricing.   My performance and teaching schedule is under "Dave’s Bookings" on this site.

QUESTIONS ABOUT TYPES OF BANJOS

A tenor banjo has 4 strings, is tuned C,G,D,A, and has 17 to 19 frets. (short neck).   A plectrum banjo has 4 strings, is tuned C,G,B,D, and has 22 frets (longer neck)

A Plectrum banjo has 22 frets and is tuned in an unusual way: C-G-B-D. This tuning creates "narrow" voicing which can make for mellower sounding chords. Also, more intricate and subtle chords can be played on the plectrum. That's why many believe the plectrum is better suited for "chord melody" playing.

The plectrum banjo is usually strummed with a flat pick using chords and is traditionally associated with Dixieland jazz and 1920s pop music.

While good for chords, plectrum tuning can be challenging for single string work when compared to the tenor because the tuning from string to string is not symmetrical.

A tenor banjo usually has 19 frets - sometimes 17 frets - and is tuned in fifths: C-G-D-A. That tuning makes chords "bright" because of the range of tones from the high string to the low. (The range of tones in a chord from high to low - or low to high - is called the "voicing.") The tenor banjo has a wide voicing when compared to the plectrum.

Because a tenor is tuned in fifths, single-string playing is easier. Fingering patterns repeat themselves on the neck which helps when playing single-string.

A 5-string banjo is usually finger-picked in one form or another and is associated with bluegrass/ country/folk music.

THE PLECTRUM AND THE 5-STRING ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT TYPES OF BANJOS AND REFLECT DIFFERENT STYLES OF MUSIC! While both have 22 frets, the strumming versus finger-picking (and that extra string on the 5-string) really defines the music!

A 6-string banjo is really a guitar-banjo. In other words, it’s a banjo tuned like a guitar. I'd really only recommend this to avid guitar players. Certainly, I would NOT recommend it to someone wanting to learn bluegrass or Dixieland banjo!

There is a wide range of quality when it comes to banjos.   Ultimately, you'll want to have your particular model inspected for value.   A general rule of thumb on quality is whether or not the banjo has a tone ring.   If you look in from the back of the banjo - (if your banjo has a "resonator" covering the back, take it off so you can see inside) - you'll be able to tell if the banjo head is tightened down right on the wood rim or if there's a metal hoop between the head and the rim.   That hoop is called a tone ring.   Good tone rings are usually made of brass or bell bronze.   But, ANY type of tone ring is usually preferred when compared to the head being right on the wood rim.

Both tenors and plectrums have their strengths and weaknesses - but both a tremendously enjoyable in their own right.

The plectrum is a better instrument for "chord melody" playing. In other words, the melody line is usually on the high string (D string) and the other strings are used to build the proper chord behind the melody. The plectrum chord "voicings" are also closer together than the tenor's. That allows for interesting chords to be played. The downside is that plectrum tuning is more difficult for single-string work.

The tenor banjo is a "brighter" instrument tuned in fifths. Because the instrument is tuned in fifths, single-string work is much easier. The brightness of a tenor also "cuts through" more distinctly is a jazz band setting. The "downside" to a tenor is that chordal lead work is challenging. So it really comes down to the type of playing you want to do. I originally chose the plectrum because I could learn to play chord leads and do solos without having the need for other instrumentation.

As far as the kind of banjo is concerned, you want a banjo that has a tone ring and resonator, if possible. The tone ring rests on the rim just underneath the banjo head. Brass is best. The tone ring gives any banjo its distinctive sound. Some banjos have the head pulled right over the wood. I would recommend you avoiding those instruments for the type of playing you want to do.

No matter what instrument you choose, you want to have fun playing it. If it's a bad instrument, you'll never enjoy it.

A 6-string banjo is really a guitar-banjo. In other words, it’s a banjo tuned like a guitar. I'd really only recommend this to avid guitar players. I would not recommend it to someone wanting to learn bluegrass or Dixieland banjo!

Concerning "rightie versus leftie," it’s easy to convert a 4-string banjo. Just reverse the string order and move the armrest - an easy thing to do.

BANJO TUNING QUESTIONS

Plectrum tuning is very good for playing chord melody leads - in other words, playing a lead line on one string and using the remaining strings to provide simultaneous chording. According to many guitar players, guitar tuning does not lend itself to the same type of playing as easily.

Guitar tuning is easier with single-string work. Both tunings chord well for background purposes.

You can use plectrum tuning on a tenor banjo. Make sure the bridge is placed properly. If you enjoy plectrum tuning, you may wish to get the longer-necked banjo in order to take advantage of the extra finger and fret room at some point in the future

Tune your tenor banjo to plectrum tuning [C-G-B-D], and the lessons are the same. You would be able to learn chord melody for a plectrum banjo.

I have both a tenor and a plectrum banjo. Both are tuned plectrum [C-G-B-D] and I use either one.   The only differences would be (1) the sound of a tenor is different from a plectrum, and (2) a plectrum has 3 more frets than a tenor. The extra 3 frets may not make much difference if you seldom play above the 17th fret anyhow.

If you want to start playing plectrum-style banjo, go ahead and get started on your tenor. As you improve, you may find yourself wanting to buy a plectrum banjo, too.   That's a decision you can make later on. You'll still be having fun with your tenor.

BANJO MAINTENANCE QUESTIONS

I, personally, try to change strings before each gig but am not always successful. Strings do go "dead" quickly. I'd recommend changing them once a month - but that's just me.

If you are finding it necessary to tune your strings more frequently, it often indicates that they have gone "dead" ... lost their tensile flexibility, and thus their "ring". Yes, it's time to change them.

Regarding a time period for changing strings, that would be a factor of how much you are playing. Given daily practice sessions, with occasional group sessions, monthly string changes could be appropriate.

Here are a couple of other things to look for:

Strings DO stretch! Usually this is a problem with a new string that's just been put on the banjo though. Still, it wouldn't hurt to try stretching old strings. I take each string (one at a time) and stretch them side to side as much as possible without breaking it.  I'll stretch the C string first - then re-tune it - then stretch it again - then re-tune it again. Then I'll do the G - and so on.

If you stretch and re-tune - and stretch and re-tune over and over and you find it still won't hold, then you probably have a peg problem.

If you think you have a slipping peg, take a small screwdriver and tighten the peg from the back. Try not to tighten it so tight that it won't turn at all! That creates a whole 'nuther problem!

If you've put on new strings, stretched them, and tightened the pegs - and you still have problems, then its down to one of two things:

• You need new pegs, or

• Your banjo neck is warped and will need to be professionally straightened.

You can actually look down the neck from behind the tailpiece towards the peghead and see "bows" if there's a problem.

Here is a free link to of the best resources for help with banjo maintenance: Deering's Banjo Maintenance Manual

Concerning the placement of the bridge:  If it accidentally gets moved, I'd recommend you "test" the placement harmonically. The 12th fret should be the harmonic center of each string.  In other words, the length of the string from the peghead nut to the 12th fret is the same as the length from the 12th fret to the bridge.

Some musicians actually measure the two lengths with a ruler - for a banjo with a 26 inch scale from the nut to the bridge would measure 13 inches to the 12th fret.  A 27 inch scale would measure 13 1/2 inches.  Banjo luthier Renee Karnes says this method does not take the height of the bridge into consideration.

What I do is test it "harmonically."  To do this, firmly hold the string down at the 12th fret like you were playing it.  Strike the string with the pick while holding it (the string) down.  This measures the sound of the string from the 12th fret to the bridge.

Then VERY VERY lightly, touch the string right over the 12th fret and strike the string with the pick.  This creates the "harmonic" sound of the string - the sound of the string from the nut to the 12th fret.  The two sounds will be identical if the bridge is in the proper place.