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mike gregory - Posted - 05/02/2016: 12:24:18
Fellow needed to have a SHORT necked 5-string, couldn't afford to BUY anything custom built, so I converted a tenor, without actually modifying it in any way.
He's going to use it ONE night, and return it. Only doing 3 or 4 songs, as part of an Open Mic event.
I've known him for years, and trust he will bring it back.
Simply put a wound 4th on the J hook nearest the neck, mounted a temporary peg onto the J hooks nearest the tailpiece.
What the H
LL, it WORKS!
And, in about 5 minutes, I can put it back to the way it was.
TLG - Posted - 05/02/2016: 12:43:23
you are a genius
I never would have thought of that. I might do that to one of my tenor or plectrum with a more permanent & quality rigging on the geared 5th
You got me to thinking .....well.....maybe..... I need a nap , my brain is tired
Tommy
deestexas - Posted - 05/02/2016: 12:53:27
brilliant!
Bart Veerman - Posted - 05/02/2016: 13:12:02
Way to go Mike, fabulous what-box? thinking!!!
mike gregory - Posted - 05/02/2016: 13:49:01
Thanks for the compliments!
If it is true that "We learn by our mistakes"..... I OUGHT TO be a genius by now!
Dan Drabek - Posted - 05/02/2016: 14:36:05
Mike you are definitely the prince of McGyvering 
mutantmoose - Posted - 05/02/2016: 15:01:28
Truly excellent idea. I'll pursue this on a nice plectrum that I have.
Zachary Hoyt - Posted - 05/02/2016: 15:06:01
That's brilliant. I would never have thought of it either.
Zach
xnavyguy - Posted - 05/02/2016: 16:03:50
Nice work Mike!
lazlototh - Posted - 05/02/2016: 17:47:33
This is so creative!
Mike, can you get us a sound file?
Thank you for a brilliant idea.
This is really cool!
tom in Maine
Stephen45710 - Posted - 05/02/2016: 18:05:15
Why a wound 4th as the 5th string? Does the short length require a thicker string gauge?
mike gregory - Posted - 05/02/2016: 18:32:22
Exactly.
I just fretted the 4th string until I got an octave G, and guessed it would HAVE to be about the same.
Dug an old string out of the box, and there ya go!
mike gregory - Posted - 05/02/2016: 18:59:14
quote:
Originally posted by lazlototh
This is so creative!
Mike, can you get us a sound file?
Thank you for a brilliant idea.
This is really cool!
tom in Maine
Like the Flying Monkey said to Dorothy:
"Your witch is my commander!"
banjohangout.org/myhangout/med...archived=
lazlototh - Posted - 05/02/2016: 19:27:13
Many thanks.
Need to try this!
tucsonsean - Posted - 05/03/2016: 20:49:46
Why didn't your friend just do what the rest of us do in that situation--buy another banjo. ;-)
mike gregory - Posted - 05/04/2016: 03:27:39
Better question: Why didn't he just ask to borrow a regular banjo, and capo it at whatever length he could comfortably reach?
Anyway, he's been medically unemployable for a few years.
I just thought it would be interesting to see if I could modify an existing tenor without leaving any damage to it.
lazlototh - Posted - 05/04/2016: 03:45:50
I will hunt up a tenor or plectrum to try this and variations on it.
Two things that are appealing:
1. no fifth string peg in the way (I do not fret the fifth, anyway.)
2. I suspect playing with the installation and string tension/diameter might make it sound more like a "regular five string.
At any rate, given all the stuff we go through to convert four string to five string banjos, this is worth playing with.
We always knew Mike was working out of the box. (Mike can post an appropriate image!!)
A wonderfully creative project.
