pikinit2 - Posted - 10/28/2012:  12:50:06

I have a new Goodtime. I like the sound of nylon and want to try it. Can I just get the strings and try it out or will there be buzzing and clearance issues. Are they thicker than light steel strings.

1) Deering says not to use heavier strings because of the lack of a truss rod, does this apply to nylon strings? 

2) Is there a type of bridge I should get when I order the strings?

3) Is this possible to really try without converting permanently?

4) If I do a real conversion and set up for nylon. Would a bone nut make a difference in sound?

Thanks

Edited by - pikinit2 on 10/28/2012 12:52:37

Jason Wilkerson - Posted - 10/28/2012:  13:12:47

quote:

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Originally posted by pikinit2

I have a new Goodtime. I like the sound of nylon and want to try it. Can I just get the strings and try it out or will there be buzzing and clearance issues. Are they thicker than light steel strings. Thicker, but not as strong, so they exert less tension than steel.

1) Deering says not to use heavier strings because of the lack of a truss rod, does this apply to nylon strings? They are speaking of thicker steel strings. Nylon strings will exert less tension on the neck than steel--no worries

2) Is there a type of bridge I should get when I order the strings? Try your existing one first. After that, you can experiment with new ones. A favorite among clawhammer-nylon players is the moon bridge, but there's lots of good ones out there

3) Is this possible to really try without converting permanently? Yes. The strings may easily pop out of the nut and/or bridge until you enlarge the slots, but you can probably play it enough to try it out--that's what I did.

4) If I do a real conversion and set up for nylon. Would a bone nut make a difference in sound? I wouldn't think it would make much difference in sound with nylons. Bone is certainly better than plastic, though, so if you're able to do the switch yourself--why not?

Thanks

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Edited by - Jason Wilkerson on 10/28/2012 13:13:44

deuceswilde - Posted - 10/28/2012:  14:51:00

Goodtimes should have been made for nylon, but the trade is still attached to wire. Nylon are more elastic, the solid goodtime neck responds fantastically to them. They are larges diameter, so you may need to open the nut slots up. You can buy a welder tip cleaning set for a dollar or two. You can also just use the fourth wire to cut the notches bigger. The bridge it came with was designed to withstand wire. They are sound and tone killers for nylon. Go to a craft store and buy a piece of thin basswood. Cut a small bridge with two straight legs and no center leg. Sand the taper using a piece of sandpaper on a flat surface. Or, if you have some tools cut one out of scrap pine. Old cedar shingles work good too.

pikinit2 - Posted - 10/28/2012:  15:04:40

The fourth string is wire? is there a set of all nylon?

deuceswilde - Posted - 10/28/2012:  16:41:55

The fourth banjo string has always been soft wire spun over silk.  Like the bass strings on a classical guitar.  I mean use the wire wrapped fourth that is on it now.

attached is what the bridge would look like.

BanjoJAF - Posted - 10/28/2012:  17:09:00

There is a shop in this region that converts and sells Goodtime banjos, complete with nylon strings:

12fret.com/content/2012/09/05/...nversion/

If you scroll down a bit on that page, they describe the work they do on these banjos to convert them.  Might give you an idea of what is involved.

Cheers! Jay

Jack Russel - Posted - 10/28/2012:  17:23:19

goodtimes set up well with nylgut strings. The spike that guides the 5th string over the 5th fret usually needs to be raised a bit to accommodate the thicker nylgut string. For a more old-fashioned sound and look, fit a renaissance head, a no-knots tailpiece and a two-footed all maple bridge.

EasternSmooth - Posted - 10/28/2012:  22:20:59

I use Nylgut strings on my Goodtime, all I had to do was widen the slots on the bridge to keep the 3rd and 4th strings stable. I love the sound, with my renaissance head at least. I haven't changed my bridge but having read here, I think I might.

OldPappy - Posted - 10/29/2012:  05:38:39

I will trade three like new "No-Knots" for the stock tailpiece from that Goodtime, and pay postage to boot.

OldPappy - Posted - 10/29/2012:  05:39:55

Throw in a pack of Nylon Strings too.

mikehalloran - Posted - 10/29/2012:  10:50:06

quote:

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Originally posted by EasternSmooth

I use Nylgut strings on my Goodtime, all I had to do was widen the slots on the bridge to keep the 3rd and 4th strings stable. I love the sound, with my renaissance head at least. I haven't changed my bridge but having read here, I think I might.

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NylGuts sound a lot better than nylon, IMO. The wound strings do not wear well, however. The ideal nylon cored wound string is the D'Addario EXP - besides being coated for extra long life, it has 4 strands of wire in the "hybrid" core that improves the sound and ease of tuning. You can get singles at JustStrings: juststrings.com/dad-exp4504.html 

"The fourth banjo string has always been soft wire spun over silk"

Uh... not since the late 1920s. Even though the packages say "silk", the cores were stranded nylon - much stronger and cheaper than real silk. 

deuceswilde - Posted - 10/29/2012:  11:03:41

Right, that's what I ment. How about wire wrapped over floss. The earliest banjo instruction books say to use one. The all gut or all nylon sets seem to be a folksy sort of thing.
I use wooden tailpieces and thread just enough to wrap the peg for tuning. I coil the rest by the tail piece. When I wear through the wire at the seconed or fifth position, I loosen the string and slide it up placing the worn spot above the nut near or past the peg. I get twice the string that way. The single fourth from nylgut are the only strings I use by them. Though, I'll try others when I use the ones I have up. I don't wear them out that often.