New Temlett Zither Banjo - just arrived!

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Permalink Reply by Rob MacKillop on April 25, 2019 at 8:46

After a search online, I found this:

£3.30 from Strings Direct. I'll give one a test run.

https://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/strings-c1/single-strings-c810/clas...

Permalink Reply by Richard William Ineson on April 25, 2019 at 10:58

Clifford Essex provide a set with a .023 wound 4th string, I bought a few sets last year, the gauges are :- !st .020, 2nd .022, 3rd .028, 4th .023, 5th .020. I made an inadvertent error in my post about old string gauges yesterday when I stated that that the Cammeyer gut 3rd was .06, I plead senile confusion, the actual gauge is of course course, .026. Further work on original packaged and unused Windsor wire banjo 1st strings with the micrometer, revealed that they are also .007.

Rob MacKillop said:

After a search online, I found this:

£3.30 from Strings Direct. I'll give one a test run.

https://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/strings-c1/single-strings-c810/clas...

Permalink Reply by Rob MacKillop on April 25, 2019 at 11:03

Richard, none of the zither-banjo strings CE have on sale at the moment have a .023 4th string... http://cliffordessex.net/index.php?_a=viewCat&catId=33

Permalink Reply by Rob MacKillop on April 25, 2019 at 12:12

I stand partially corrected, they have a (non zither) banjo set as follows:

Ultra Light Gauge

1st - .020" Ground Nylon Tie-On.

2nd - .024" Ground Nylon Tie-On.

3rd - .028" Ground Nylon Tie-On.

4th - .024" Nickel Wound On Nylon Tie-On.

5th - .020" Ground Nylon Tie-On.

So, .024 is the thinnest they offer, as far as I can see. Pretty close, as good as. 

Permalink Reply by Joel Hooks on April 25, 2019 at 13:37

Labella sells silver plated copper or plain copper wound over nylon floss as small as .017" all the way up to .080" (up to .045" in copper wound).

They are early lute singles on their website.

I make my own regular classic sets with those and their nylon singles.

for regular banjo (not zither), .017, .019, .023, 24 wound, .017.  These are based on the string sizes from a early 5 Stringer,  as were used by FVE, Paul Cadwell, Bill Bowen, etc.  They generally represent historical gut sizes.

Permalink Reply by Jake Glanville on January 21, 2020 at 13:05

It's very kind of you to share this banjo with us, Rob.  Looks a beaut, and I hope you have many happy hours playing it.  I've been an admirer of yours (and zither-banjos) for some years now and it's good to hear what you have to say.  I too have a W Temlett zither banjo and having been told it was unplayable by one supposed expert even though I could play it perfectly well, I had it set up properly by a local luthier at a cost of £100.  Worth every penny, in my opinion!  (I love my banjos.)  Whereas before it had been OK, the instrument was now completely transformed and sounded beautiful.

My guess is that if you need a bridge lower than 1/2 inch the banjo could do with a set-up by a really competent luthier who likes zither-banjos!  I have used lower bridges but find it less easy to hit the fifth string correctly in clawhammer playing.  I very much like the Cammeyer bridge by Clifford Essex and have fitted them to all by zither-banjos, but like all things with banjos it's very much a matter of personal preference and what works for you.

All the best.  Keep on with your lovely playing,

Black Jake.

Permalink Reply by Rob MacKillop on January 21, 2020 at 14:45

Cheers, Jake. I recorded a mini album - just under half an hour - of music by Cammeyer, which is free to hear on soundcloud:   

https://m.soundcloud.com/robmackillop/sets/alfred-cammeyers-zither-...

...and then I sold the instrument. I've no time for the banjo these days, I'm sorry to say. But thanks for your nice comments!

Rob

Permalink Reply by Jake Glanville on January 30, 2020 at 16:34

Hello Rob,

Many thanks for your reply.  Sorry to hear you've no time for the banjo these days!  The world of the banjo will miss you, me included.  I seem to remember you produced one or two CD's.  Did you do any purely on the zither banjo?  If available I would like to purchase a copy.

Kind regards,

Jake.

Rob MacKillop said:

Cheers, Jake. I recorded a mini album - just under half an hour - of music by Cammeyer, which is free to hear on soundcloud:   

https://m.soundcloud.com/robmackillop/sets/alfred-cammeyers-zither-...

...and then I sold the instrument. I've no time for the banjo these days, I'm sorry to say. But thanks for your nice comments!

Rob

Permalink Reply by Rob MacKillop on January 30, 2020 at 16:44
Hi Jake. I didn't record a zb album, just that half-hour I gave you a link to before. Listening to it now I think I should have added another half hour to make it a full album. Mind you, I have some old LPs with only fifteen minutes a side. Just pretend it's an album ;-)
Cheers, Jake, and best wishes for your playing!
Rob
Permalink Reply by Jake Glanville on February 8, 2020 at 21:43

Many thanks for your reply Rob.  Where can I purchase one of these 15 minute LP's of you playing zither banjo?  And how much including postage?

All the best,

Black Jake.

Permalink Reply by Rob MacKillop on February 8, 2020 at 22:20

Jake, you've misunderstood me. I gave a link to my SoundCloud recording which is half an hour long. It is free to listen to. It was never released as a CD. I was just saying you could listen to it via the link I gave, and pretend it's an album. Sorry for any confusion! Any further problems, just email me as I no longer visit this site: robmackillop@gmail.com 

Cheers.

Jake Jeremy Glanville said:

Many thanks for your reply Rob.  Where can I purchase one of these 15 minute LP's of you playing zither banjo?  And how much including postage?

All the best,

Black Jake.

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