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joemcg - Posted - 11/12/2019: 16:43:34
I have two banjos I play regularly. An Ome Wizard and a Prust fretless. I love the sound of the Prust with the Nylgut strings so it has me thinking of restringing my Vega which just sits in its case.
The Vega is a 70/80’s pre-Deering with Tubaphone tone ring (Liberty Trading Co) and it’s a great instrument just unused at the moment. So what do you think? Should I go for the Nylgut?
banjered - Posted - 11/12/2019: 17:40:15
Ya never know until you try, and you can always go back. P.S. I enjoy your music!! banjered
banjo bill-e - Posted - 11/12/2019: 20:19:13
I agree, worth a try. I just did that to a Ramsey. I had to widen the slots on nut and bridge to hold the strings, but it only took just a touch. I used Nylgut Minstrels, tuned down a few steps, and this banjo is louder now than with steel. Since I have almost no vocal range that allows me to croak out a few lines in C or D that I could never manage in G.
banjered - Posted - 11/12/2019: 21:09:28
Speaking of croaking that is why I put Minstrels on my Tradesman, lowered it down from G to D. Being very musically ignorant in the beginning, I thought there was something wrong with me that I could sing very little in the key of G. Took me years pre-intenet to figure out matching my vocal range to the tuning of the banjo. banjered
Bill Rogers - Posted - 11/12/2019: 21:20:46
Tubaphones were originally intended for gut strings, so Nylguts surely make sense.
Joel Hooks - Posted - 11/13/2019: 05:38:35
quote:
Originally posted by Bill Rogers
Tubaphones were originally intended for gut strings, so Nylguts surely make sense.
Well, gut strings at nearly half the thickness of these.
Emiel - Posted - 11/13/2019: 09:05:46
What Joel says is true, of course, and important information, especially when you are striving for the original sound. But you can also go new ways. Look at the guitar, say a dreadnought for instance. Some (very few) people use a 14-set of strings, others a 13, or 12, or 11… Very few people would say you must use the string gauge that was originally used when this model was new…
joemcg - Posted - 12/12/2019: 11:58:42
Conversion is done! After communicating with Joel Hooks (thanks Joel) I realized I could use the tailpiece on the Vega and just needed to change the bridge. I had a couple of bridges from my Prust fretless that I wasn’t using so put one of those to use.
Came out great. I’m playing it in Open E & E Modal for the time being. That’s one full tone higher than I tune my Prust tackhead.
Edited by - joemcg on 12/12/2019 12:12:44
