Chadbanjo - Posted - 02/02/2011:  16:41:28

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I had put a set of classical guitar strings on my goodtime a few weeks ago. It sounded really good to me..it sounded more like a fretless banjo....but I had a few issues.

1. Volume suffered, i had to attack the strings harder, not such a big deal.
2. The thick nylon g string sat higher then the rest...could have notched but didn't want to mess things up...again not a big deal
3. I wanted the tone to be a tad brighter..

So after a couple weeks I put a set of steel back on, the brightness almost disgusted me at first, but quickly got used to it again, thats where she sits...

Now I want that mellower thud back, but better.

Wondering if a set of nylgut would please me?

Perhaps a new head and bridge with nylgut. Would that possibly give me the mellow tone with a tad more brightness. What bridge and head? What strings? Subjective things, i know but i;m open to suggestions of course.

I've had a set of nylgut on a clssical guitar before, If i remember correctly the g string wasn't so fat as regular classical guitar strings...


Edit...how about a tail piece, a no-knot, what could that do for me?

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Edited by - Chadbanjo on 02/02/2011 16:42:25

Tim13 - Posted - 02/02/2011:  16:51:08

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Maybe a calfskin head, and a thicker bridge along with the standard steel banjo strings?

mtnpckr - Posted - 02/02/2011:  17:06:37

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maybe all of the above and add a new neck and pot. LOL

xomcat - Posted - 02/02/2011:  17:59:30

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Isn't it grand! There used to be car engines and bodies that could be modified to the point that it would take an expert to identify the original unit. Some years later, computer geeks would "overclock" components far and beyond the manufacturers specs. Now, in my later years, there seems to be an infinitely customizable and tweakable banjo. I am so happy I own one!

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Edited by - xomcat on 02/02/2011 18:00:04

rubicon - Posted - 02/02/2011:  20:00:50

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I have a goodtime that I play around with, I had a hickory tone ring installed and had it scooped . I added a fybersyn head and a heavy moon bridge and nylgut strings . I torked the head with a drum dial to 85 lbs . I t made it nice and mellow the only draw back is that the 5th string requires a little more effort to sound but I like it

vernob - Posted - 02/03/2011:  03:24:12

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A frosted head, like the one on a Goodtime, will probably deliver the brightest tone from nylon strings. A natural skin head will be variable, but may also be fairly bright. It will likely be warmer and plunkier than a frosted. I also like Ren heads. You could try different ones. They aren't expensive. A No-Knot tailpiece will open it up a bit. Good luck.

Chadbanjo - Posted - 02/03/2011:  05:27:17

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Thanks fellers.

About light and heavy bridges. What would be the major difference in tone? Would heavy be more bright or less...probably depends on the other parts to. A feller could get lost with all these options.

I'd rather not go with a real skin head yet, this set up stuff is all new to me.

Maybe a no-knot and nylguts as a first attempt... that could be a decent first try. Adding a new tail piece shouldn't be mind bending.

Weird Snake Joe - Posted - 02/04/2011:  05:26:34

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quote:

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About light and heavy bridges. What would be the major difference in tone? Would heavy be more bright or less...probably depends on the other parts to. A feller could get lost with all these options.

I'd rather not go with a real skin head yet, this set up stuff is all new to me.

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I'll tell you what not to do: fiberskyn with a V-style bridge. Even with the head good and tight and tailpiece about as low as could be, there is no life to be found there.

Weight is somewhat relative, I'm experiencing. A good dense wood (old growth, submerged, top grade, etc.) can do amazing things at almost any weight, and richness in tone is usually not far off with it. It really depends on the wood and the design of the bridge (where/how the tension is distributed).

Chadbanjo - Posted - 02/04/2011:  06:02:49

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Very good then, I won't try that. After searching about, I raised my tail piece as high as it will go. Not bad at all, not so bright with steels any more, just about right. Would like more plunk, so perhaps the raised tail piece with steel strings and Renaissance head.
Would a renaissance head with a raised tail piece and steel strings have a plunky sound?

Now that the tail piece is up, the bridge isn't sinking into the head. Didn;t measure, but the action has risen I nice bit. Seems I could probably just rip the frets out around the 19th and not have trouble playing over the neck.

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Edited by - Chadbanjo on 02/04/2011 06:05:36

Bart McNeil - Posted - 02/04/2011:  06:29:48

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My knowledge of banjos is limited to what myself and my wife own. She
plays a Goodtime tenor with Mylar head Tuned CGDA.

I playy a 1920s no-name tenor witrh goat skin head and Irish tuning GDAE.

The tone of her Goodtime I would describe as bright and sharp... (crisp)

My no-name has a tone which I would describe as mellow.

They are distinctively different. and I suspect the maine difference in tone comes from the difference in head material.

Might be worth giving skin a chance to show it's stuff.

I am a bit of a cynic - but find it hard to believe a change of tailpiece would significantly effect tone.

Chadbanjo - Posted - 03/06/2011:  20:50:10

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Hi guys, wondering about higher tension strings. I haven't added any new parts to my deering but having been tinkering with it's set up. Sometime after I raised the tail peice I put on medium tension strings, dropped the tuning a whole step from g to f. I like it, matches my poor singing voice a little better. Thinking about getting high tension strings and lowering the tuning all the way to E. I know the deering calls for low tension strings, but i'm thinking a high tension down 1 and 1/2 steps won't warp the neck...am I wrong. I'd like some tension with a lower tuning, medium seems a bit floppy in E.