JEA13 - Posted - 12/16/2011:  07:15:24

Thanks for posting the clips.

dangibson - Posted - 12/16/2011:  08:27:48

quote:

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Originally posted by Bart McNeil

"BTW, if you have friction tuners, gut, Nylgut, nylon, or fishing line is the only way to go."



Not really.... Friction tuners hold very well with either steel or nylon strings... You simply have to learn how to use them to get the required friction without overtightening them.

 

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That's true.  But, holding pitch is not the problem. Steel doesn't stretch much -- a little twist on the peg results in a huge pitch change making it much more difficult and time consuming to tune accurately with friction tuners. That's why violinists and fiddle players often use fine tuners on their steel-strung fiddles.   The built-in stretch of gut, Nylgut, and nylon is like having gears -- the same amount of twist results in a much smaller change in pitch. 

I have a mountain-style fretless with friction pegs that was orginally strung with steel. Changing to nylon strings made it a much more enjoyable and useable instrument because I can change tunings easily without having to worry about making microscopic twists on the pegs.

That said, anyone who peacefully co-exists with steel strings and friction pegs deserves everlasting admiration.  

Dan Gibson, Storyteller/Banjoplayer

Dallas, TX; Burlington, NC

dangibson.net 

mwc9725e - Posted - 12/16/2011:  08:28:19

I don't like them, they feel like slippery ropes under my fingers, and the lefthand fingers often "roll" off the strings they're supposed to be fretting. Not only that, but steel strings sound a LOT better to me, the novelty of the low tuning of my Nylgut Minstrels has long since worn off.

I'm glad I gave them a try, and satisfied my curiosity, but no thanks.

Edited by - mwc9725e on 12/16/2011 08:31:37

mike hansen - Posted - 12/16/2011:  09:34:08

i've been playing my Gourd banjo a whole lot lately...obviously Gourd banjos call for nylon or gut strings...

i like the feel a lot and also I put a pick up on the gourd banjo.
I put it through a pretty good size tube amp and turned it up.
I played with a full drum set and a 5 string bass...and I swear to god I could hear every note I played and the banjo was very distinctive in the mix...with steel strings one will always loose clarity especially if the drummer starts hitting the snare...

i tried my steel strung whyte laydie against the same two instuments and found it very difficult to hear what i was doing...

this is leading me to consider putting nyguts on my whyte laydie....i guess the only thing that is holding me back is re-filing the nut...