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PBGuardsman - Posted - 11/19/2009: 22:03:11
Hey everyone,
It seems that there are a lot of Banjitars for sale, (I define a Banjitars as a guitar neck on a banjo resonator), but very few Git-jos (a banjo neck with a guitar body) for sale. In fact, I could only find one git-jo.
http://www.cbguitars.com/git-jo.htm
I think it would be really cool to be able to get a totally different sound while not having to learn anything new. However, the one on this website costs 2900$ for the basic model. Does anyone know of any Git-jos for sale for a little cheaper?
Thanks for your time everyone.
Paul
1four5 - Posted - 11/20/2009: 02:17:24
Just use a guitar. Shuck the 6th string and string up the 5th with an .09 and tune up to high G. Tune and play like a banjo. That's how I play my Telecaster... now that's fun!
youdog - Posted - 11/20/2009: 03:36:22
Ross Nickerson showed us one ("gitjo") at a recent workshop I attended. Sounded sweet, especially with him playing it. I think he said he sold them for $1,600.00. I don't see them on his website so you might want to call him
jpiperson2002 - Posted - 11/20/2009: 04:35:33
The Gold Tone dojo has a single cone resonator guitar body with a 5 string banjo neck;
http://www.goldtone.com/products/de...ment/76/Dojo
I got one recently because I want to play along with my wife when she plays guitar and she doesn't like the banjo, so this way we're both playing guitar but I can use banjo chord shapes on the neck. It's sounds more like my other non-resonator acoustic guitars than I would have expected. There are a few posts about the dojo on the forum.
John Piper
NeilTurner - Posted - 11/20/2009: 05:40:31
I know Chris Bozung of cbguitars and have played several of his hand built guitars. They are top notch instruments and although I agree that $2900 seems pricey for a guit-jo I'm sure its well worth it coming from him.
PBGuardsman - Posted - 11/20/2009: 06:33:01
Hey everyone,
First off, thanks all for the prompt response.
Dean, I've learned a few guitar chords but other than that I know nothing about the guitar. I assume one would tune up the 1st string to D, and get a full length D/1st string from a banjo for the A? Then I would get a railroad spike or something for the 5 fret correct? I guess doing a conversion would be a lot easier and cheaper, I would probably just pick up a cheap guitar and convert it. Is there anything that I am not thinking about?
Youdog and John, I think that your talking about the same instrument, only because Ross Nickersons website leads to a Gold Tone store. Man, that thing looks cool. I've always loved the sound of a dobro, and having it in a banjo format would be pretty sweet. And the price is very good.
My only concern about the Gold Tone Dojo is where it comes from/how it treats it's workers. Does anyone know Gold Tone's treatment of it's workers?
Neil, I know, it seems pretty expensive but I imagine it is a really nice instrument. Maybe in 8 years when I get done with college and graduate school. Probably 5 years after that.
1four5 - Posted - 11/20/2009: 07:22:13
quote:
I assume one would tune up the 1st string to D, and get a full length D/1st string from a banjo for the A? Then I would get a railroad spike or something for the 5 fret correct?
You would tune the first string down to a D. Just get a guitar .009 for the 5th and tune it up to a high G. I play it full length, and it works just fine. Some people would rather spike it at the 5th fret, that would work fine to. By the way, I originally did this to my telecaster, so that I could practice quietly. I fell in love with the set up, and the full length high G so much, that I had a custom banjo neck made, as a copy of my Telecaster neck  http://www.banjohangout.ws/banjohan...10112009.jpg
Edited by - 1four5 on 11/20/2009 07:24:42
PBGuardsman - Posted - 11/20/2009: 07:59:32
When you play with a full length 5th string, does that mean that it is tuned identically to the 1st string, or is it tuned up to the (normal) 5th string? I fear that tuning it that much higher would break it. Is that true?
Paul
asandwho - Posted - 11/20/2009: 08:41:22
You need to switch the fifth string out with a thinner gauge string that can handle the higher tuning. You tune it to high G so when you play it open it's like it sounds on your banjo. Otherwise, you would end up having to put a spike in the middle of your guitar. I think that's what you're asking.
Edited by - asandwho on 11/20/2009 08:47:28
Woolpersteve - Posted - 11/20/2009: 08:54:44
Few years back I bought a Johnson guitar of ebay for fifty bucks, took off bass string, put a HO rr spike fifth fret of the fifth string . Put on a set of banjo strings , run the fifth under the spike and on to the tuning peg and you got yourself a git-jo.
Since the guitar was so cheap I had no intention of unconverting it so it stayed as described.
Works great.
tinkersdam - Posted - 11/20/2009: 09:16:32
There's plenty of decent used guitars for sale....just retune it to banjo tuning ....much less expense than buying a git-jo. It's a simple cheap fix and does no harm to the guitar.
I totally agree with 1four5...With the exception of the 5th string, I've done the same with my Yamaha DW7 acoustic AND my old CG100 classical. I switched my classical because it sounds very much like a banjola. As far as the 5th string, I used a standard length 'E' string (just like 1four5), which is a 1st string equivalent strung on the 5th fret. However, I tune it to an E, it's normal tuning. Using a dremel tool I made myself a little mini 'nut' that fits right behind/partially over the 3rd fret of 5th string making it a "G" which is equivalent to the banjo's 5th string high 'G'. The 5th string sits on that mini nut instead of the actual nut at the peghead. If I'm playing in 'D', I can slide that little gizmo up two more to the 'A'. The tension on the string holds the mini nut in place. There's two downsides to this though...the mini nut only slides as far as the 'A', after that it's too short under the 5th string...and, it does lift the 5th string slightly higher than the others on the neck, but is negligable between the sound hole and bridge where your picking hand is. The sixth string you can either remove or leave on. I left mine on but loosened it up and slid it over the side of the saddle with as little tension on it as necessary to keep it in place.
... tune the 1 to 4 strings on the guitar to open 'G' banjo tuning... DBGD. Other than the 5th string, no other strings need to be switched out. Just tune down the #1 (E string) to "D". The # 2, 3, 4 strings on guitar are tuned the same as banjo.
I just used guitar strings.... not necessary to use banjo strings.
Edited by - tinkersdam on 11/20/2009 09:36:55
PBGuardsman - Posted - 11/20/2009: 10:17:14
Now I see why there aren't that many Git-jos out there.
I'll probably just buy a guitar and convert it with the fifth fret railroad spike. So its totally possible to just use banjo strings on a guitar?
Paul
1four5 - Posted - 11/20/2009: 12:28:25
quote:
When you play with a full length 5th string, does that mean that it is tuned identically to the 1st string, or is it tuned up to the (normal) 5th string? I fear that tuning it that much higher would break it. Is that true?
No it will not break, this is a myth. 12 string guitars have a full length high G strings, no problem whatsoever. They usually use an .008 or .009. banjo strings and guitar strings of the same gauge are the same, the only difference being the loop end verses a ball end. With guitar, I use guitar strings, and pick up and extra .009 single for the high G. For my full length 5th string banjo, I use a regular set of banjo strings, and use a .010 for the high G. I've never broken one on my banjo, my old 12 string guitar when I had it, or when restringing our rhythm guitar player's 12 string guitar. Yes, I tune the high G all the way up to G, open, so that without fretting it plays identical to a traditional banjo. As for playing the full length 5th string, when I originally strung up my telecaster for quiet practice, I had not progressed into fretting the 5th string yet, so it didn't matter. Slowly over the first couple years and the several hours a day of practice, I started thumbing over and fretting it. I discovered how simple it was to reach otherwise out of reach notes, and change or alternate the drone note(s) with chord changes. Playing in different keys without a capo became easier, and it just became part of my playing... so much so, that when I would play my traditional banjos, I would miss it. It'sbecome so much a part of how I play, that's whay I had the custom neck made. So in short, if you don't fret the 5th string... there is no reason to spike it. But if you do fret it, it will make it easier for you to go between the git-jo and your traditional banjo if you do spike it at the 5th.
1four5 - Posted - 11/20/2009: 12:43:27
I might also add, that you are not at the mercy of instrument builders, if you can't find or afford what you want... make it! Our bass player (RIP) loved tenor guitar, in Chicago tuning. He took a solid old Yamaha guitar to a belt sander, thinned out the neck, used the inner four string holes, then plugged the outer holes, sanded and repainted the saddle, then sawed off two holes of the peghead and reshaped it. Walla... he made a VERY SWEET sounding and playing tenor guitar. if you really like the traditional banjo neck, there is no reason you couldn't take a good old used guitar to a belt sander, install a 5th string tuner in the neck, and make you a real git-jo. I happen to know that BHO member "Hazen" had done this very thing to a Stratocaster neck!!! just things to consider
PBGuardsman - Posted - 11/20/2009: 19:32:28
Thanks Dean, I'll have to try tuning up a first string once I get my hands on a guitar.
Thanks Andyo, I'll check that out
Paul
rb4player - Posted - 11/21/2009: 08:02:46
Paul,
I own the sunburst git-jo on Chris' site, and play it much less than I used to. Let me know if you are seriously interested.
Jim
PBGuardsman - Posted - 11/21/2009: 13:56:35
Hey Jim,
Thanks for the offer. If I had the money, I would. But at this point in life, (I'm a college student) I am fairly low on money. If I get a really good summer job I'll contact you, but don't hold it for me. Thanks though!
Paul
rb4player - Posted - 11/21/2009: 14:49:41
Best,
Jim
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