That´s all folks??

[German David Patarroyo]

Hi all,

Unfortunately, I haven´t been enough productive because I finally had serious banjo troubles...well, those were quite predictable because I bought the cheapest banjo from banjo.com three and a half years ago. Last December, I ran out the banjo string sets that I had it (nickel-plated), therefore I have been testing the sets suggested by Mike Moss in order to play with nylon strings and getting a mood sound. However, all my tests have been unsuccessful an unfortunately I haven´t been able to practice (a decent practice) for almost two weeks!!. In my house this has been a total release, to me a complete nightmare! 

Therefore, I am in a sort of dilemma meanwhile I decide which could be the quicker solution: Of course, I must need to buy a better banjo (and a lot of strings too). but it will take me a bit yet meanwhile I save enough money (the price of living abroad UK and the US, I guess). For now, I will continue testing alternative nylon string sets (classical guitars, tiple, bandola, etc.).

Ok, this is the explanation of my absence in this website...I really hope finding a future solution in order to share my process.

Bye!

[thereallyniceman]

Don't give up German! Nylons give a "Classic Banjo" tone when you have developed hard skin on the fingertips and this takes a while.

Take a look at the section of my video here:  FINGERTIPS  (at around 6.50 mins in).

I rub the RH fingertips on the strings to add a temporary groove to the picking area. Try it and then pick again and see how the tone improves. When the fingertip calluses form the tone improves. Initially nylon strings with soft fingertips don't give the nice snappy sound and attack of classic style.

Ask Mike Moss about his banjo. He has always complained that his Bluegrass banjo was awful for classic style, but hear the great sound he gets from it!! Keep playing with the nylons and your banjo WILL sound better.

[Mike Moss]

Hi German,

there's nothing wrong with using nylons meant for other instruments as long as you get the gauges right. If they are clear nylon you can rub them a little with sand paper around the part where your RH fingers hit the strings, it will improve the tone by making them grippier.

[Jody Stecher]

It will also put them out of round and make them out of tune. "Where the right hand fingers hit the strings" is the entire area from a half inch from the bridge across the entire drum  and over the last 4 or 5  upper frets. Who plays at only one spot?  

Mike Moss said:

Hi German,

there's nothing wrong with using nylons meant for other instruments as long as you get the gauges right. If they are clear nylon you can rub them a little with sand paper around the part where your RH fingers hit the strings, it will improve the tone by making them grippier.

[German David Patarroyo]

Thank you for all the comments. The biggest problem is that I haven´t been able to make enough tension in the strings....when I have tried those just got broken!! (I bought nylon strings from Fender). Therefore, the three first strings are an octave lower where should go (in conclusion, they don´t have enough tension), the fourth is on B (if I put a little bit tension, it will brake...I am pretty sure) and the fifth string is the only one successful...the funny thing is that I got it with a fishing nylon of my father!!....a fishing banjo could be a alternative...

I will continue exploring this week. Also, I will contact some guitar luthiers here in my city, in order to have "local" alternatives.

All the best,

German

 

[Jody Stecher]

*WHERE* are the strings breaking?  there is probably something sharp that is severing these soft strings.  Look everywhere. At the holes in the tuning pegs, at the nut, at the bridge, at the tailpiece.  Find the rough spot and smooth it. There is no such thing as an uncooperative banjo. There are only uncooperative components. Repair or replace the faulty component and you once again have a workable banjo.

[German David Patarroyo]

Hi all,

Finally I got help from some classical guitar players. Therefore, I have an almost nylon-string banjo...we couldn´t find a proper nylon (none could support the tension) string for the first. In conclusion,  I had the same problem with the fifth string (I will continue with the fishing nylon...it sounds moderately good).

Like I told you before...these are temporary solutions while I save enough money and buy a better banjo a and a huge amount of strings. Because of that, I will share this weekend a beta version of my first banjo solo of the great Joe!.

Thanks for all your comments and messages.

All the best,

German

 

[Jody Stecher]

Using guitar strings for a banjo will sometimes work but not using a direct substitution string by string. A guitar First makes a good banjo Second, not a banjo first. A nylon string of about .022 inches diameter should work for a first banjo ("d") string. A first guitar string is typically much heavier and is suitable for a banjo's second string. There are several reasons for this but the most obvious reason is that the typical five string banjo string has a longer vibrating length (nut to bridge) than a typical classical guitar. You don't need a huge amount of strings. You need one set of strings of the proper gauge fastened in the right way across a bridge that works and a nut that works.  One set can and will last for years.  The same gauge will work for the fifth and first string. Go to various websites that sell packaged nylon banjo strings and packaged nylon guitar strings and study the gauges. Looking is free. Stringsbymail.com is a good one. Elderly.com is another. 

There is nothing at all wrong with fishing line for banjo strings. It should sound very good, not moderately good, but it must be of the proper gauge.