bornold - Posted - 02/22/2014:  14:55:09

I know I have asked one to many questions today, but here is one more :)

I have got a really cheap $100 A-scale banjo. I'm just ordered a spillway bridge for it, and am thinking about getting some nylon strings. Do you think it wil improve the sound?

Will these nylon strings work well on a A-Scale, and will I have to re file the nut?

Here are the strings I plan to use:

amazon.com/LaBella-17-La-Bella...o+strings

Thanks for any Info!

Brooklynbanjoboy - Posted - 02/22/2014:  14:59:09

Try these:

elderly.com/brand/STR_aquila.html

In my view, better than LaBella.

I have nylagut on 2 of my 3 banjos.  They work great on my A scale.

Lew

bornold - Posted - 02/22/2014:  15:06:51

Do you think I should go light tension? So whats better, the classical set or the newer red set?

dfwest - Posted - 02/22/2014:  16:34:17

Bornold,



My experience is that almost anything is better than LaBella. I like Chris Sands, but Nylgut are good, too.



Dave

Edited by - dfwest on 02/22/2014 16:34:43

etparadox - Posted - 02/22/2014:  16:59:13

I have an old Buckbee A-scale with a fyberskyn head and Aquilla mediums on it. Great sounding little thing. The nice thing with the mediums is they let you tune down if you want without getting too floppy. 

jasper - Posted - 02/22/2014:  17:00:54

On an A scale?, for Clawhammer, Chris Sands Heavies, hands down best nylon string ever, in my opinion of course. Also, use a soft wood bridge, not a hard wood capped bridge like ebony. Soft strings, soft bridge, steel strings, ebony.

RV6 - Posted - 02/22/2014:  17:20:07

On one of my banjos (a wide neck), I removed the factory nut and made a couple out of maple to experiment with spacing.  It worked out well enough, I left it in one banjo (put a "Zero Glide" on the other).

I tried the reds and broke a couple of strings right off the bat.  All of my banjo's (not "A" scale) are strung with Chris Sands mediums, now.  (I quite often capo at the second fret and tune to "G" or double "C".

I made a few non-capped walnut bridges and they've worked out well with nylon strings (and skin heads).

Bob

hweinberg - Posted - 02/23/2014:  07:35:33

I like mediums (Sand or Nylagut) to minimize floppiness on short scale banjos.  -- Howard

Ken LeVan - Posted - 02/23/2014:  07:53:12

What are the gauges of a "medium" set?  I can't find that info when I look at the sets of strings.

Ken