Historical question about banjo strings

[Jody Stecher]

I'm finding that my recollection of the sequence and circumstances of the early use of metal strings on banjo is murky. Maybe the historians here can help.   In the 19th and early 20th century it was recommend that 5-string banjo players use violin strings. At some point the metal 1st string (E) became an option for violin and became more common than gut E.  Is this the origin of  the use by some banjo players—Joe Morley comes to mind – of the first banjo string being metal while the others were soft material?

My impression is that 4 string banjos (plectrum, tenor, and the tango banjo) were strung only with wire from the start.  Is the use of metal strings on plectrum banjos the precedent for their use of an entirely metal set of strings on 5-string banjo?  

[Richard William Ineson]

When wire strings became used more widely the fifth string was found to 'sing' long after it had been struck, which irritated some fastidious banjoists. The solution to this problem was to stick a small ball of Gutta Percha (Gutta-percha is a natural, thermoplastic latex obtained from the sap of Southeast Asian Palaquium trees)  on the fifth string which cured the problem. The fifth string was rarely fingered in those days so the Gutta Percha was unlikely to become dislodged. The other solution was to use a thicker fifth string.
Jody Stecher said:

It seems to have been a fairly common "deviation" to use a slightly bigger gauge for the 5th than the 1st. 

Trapdoor2 said:

I have suspicions regarding the talk about the 1st string being first.

My favorite excuse: they may have simply not mentioned the 5th as "everybody knows, you use the same string on both". This sort of exclusion is very common in historical texts. Lots of info/things are "lost" as the unidentified thing may have been so common that nobody gave it a second thought.

Wire tech has changed a lot in just the last 120 yrs. We have an astounding number of choices. Our ability to control alloys at the molecular level is unprecedented. We can wrap wire in nanotech plastic/carbon/unobtanium, plate it with rare earths, have it infused with the sweat of your favorite player, etc. You can buy wound strings with round cores or hexagonal. Windings can be of anything under the Sun.

I prefer Nickel Silver over Italian Smurf entrails. Great for the Blues...

[Jody Stecher]

Another piece of the puzzle solved. Another puzzle piece:  I have a vague impression (maybe false)  that some players of gut or nylon-strung banjos used/use  a heavier 5th string. The best explanation might be that I'm wrong. 

Richard William Ineson said:

When wire strings became used more widely the fifth string was found to 'sing' long after it had been struck (..........) The other solution was to use a thicker fifth string.
Jody Stecher said:

It seems to have been a fairly common "deviation" to use a slightly bigger gauge for the 5th than the 1st. 

[Richard William Ineson]

I have a feeling that there was another instructional article about decorative light (as opposed to vellum drying lights) installation on a banjo in the B.M.G probably in the 1930s. This system involved the installation of bare wires beneath the fingerboard (during construction presumably) which followed the course of each string, the frets were installed so as to make contact with these bare wires. Metal strings were used and this wiring system was connected to coloured light bulbs installed in the hoop/pot. Electricity was supplied from a 12 volt battery. As the performer played the banjo, the strings connected with the wires beneath the fingerboard via the frets, and this activated the coloured bulbs installed in the hoop/pot, the colour changing depending upon which fret was being utilised at a particular moment. I suppose that if you were playing the William Tell finale, the effect would have been quite spectacular.

[Jody Stecher]

.Were there as many colors as frets?  Somewhere between 17 and 22 tiny flashing  light bulbs each of a different color is a fantastic thing to contemplate!  

Richard William Ineson said:

I have a feeling that there was another instructional article about decorative light (as opposed to vellum drying lights) installation on a banjo in the B.M.G probably in the 1930s. This system involved the installation of bare wires beneath the fingerboard (during construction presumably) which followed the course of each string, the frets were installed so as to make contact with these bare wires. Metal strings were used and this wiring system was connected to coloured light bulbs installed in the hoop/pot. Electricity was supplied from a 12 volt battery. As the performer played the banjo, the strings connected with the wires beneath the fingerboard via the frets, and this activated the coloured bulbs installed in the hoop/pot, the colour changing depending upon which fret was being utilised at a particular moment. I suppose that if you were playing the William Tell finale, the effect would have been quite spectacular.

[Richard William Ineson]

I cannot remember the details but I am going to look for the article as I would like to see how it all worked. I also need to look for the photos of the Van Eps banjo fitted with vellum drying lights, I suppose that they were made by VE himself but it would be good to see his realisation of the idea. 

Jody Stecher said:

.Were there as many colors as frets?  Somewhere between 17 and 22 tiny flashing  light bulbs each of a different color is a fantastic thing to contemplate!  

Richard William Ineson said:

I have a feeling that there was another instructional article about decorative light (as opposed to vellum drying lights) installation on a banjo in the B.M.G probably in the 1930s. This system involved the installation of bare wires beneath the fingerboard (during construction presumably) which followed the course of each string, the frets were installed so as to make contact with these bare wires. Metal strings were used and this wiring system was connected to coloured light bulbs installed in the hoop/pot. Electricity was supplied from a 12 volt battery. As the performer played the banjo, the strings connected with the wires beneath the fingerboard via the frets, and this activated the coloured bulbs installed in the hoop/pot, the colour changing depending upon which fret was being utilised at a particular moment. I suppose that if you were playing the William Tell finale, the effect would have been quite spectacular.

[Joel Hooks]

How did the humidity discussion get mixed up with this one?

FVE made his light set using a piece of aluminum U stock.  He also added a "heat shield" made from an aluminum record recording blank.  For some reason owners have removed these, tossed them somewhere so that when they die their family do not know that they go together and trash the removed parts. 

[Jody Stecher]

Maybe because the lights on this device were activated by *strings*? 

Joel Hooks said:

How did the humidity discussion get mixed up with this one?