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Please note this is an archived topic, so it is locked and unable to be replied to. You may, however, start a new topic and refer to this topic with a link: http://www.banjohangout.org/archive/360778
Dadsaster - Posted - 01/31/2020: 13:12:57
I have a baritone voical range and have been struggling to comfortably sing while playing a standard banjo (with regular nylguts). I've tried tuning down 3 half steps (I think I saw Clifton Hicks do that) but the strings become too floppy for me. Can I make some adjustments to the bridge and nut slots and use a minstrel set to get down to cFCEG or dGDF#A?
It's not a fretless if that is important.
Best
banjered - Posted - 01/31/2020: 13:29:23
Aside from lowering the pitch of your banjo, I find it very confusing as to what you are aiming for? Standard G tuning lowered to D would be dADF#A or lowered down to C would be cGCEG. You don't have to get too fancy with the slot widening. I've gotten by just fine with folded sandpaper but look up slot/nut/bridge care at the Q search engine to the left of this page. banjered
Dadsaster - Posted - 01/31/2020: 14:06:19
Thanks banjered - I already adjusted my bridge and nut slot for the nylgut regulars so I'm comfortable with it. Sorry for the tuning confusion. I'm just trying to lower standard G so ignore my weird tunings.
banjo bill-e - Posted - 01/31/2020: 14:08:01
I recently did just that with my Ramsey Woody (12", fretted) and it works very well. I bought a cheap set of torch tip cleaners and gently gave a few passes, and that has been enough, with one caution. The lower tension, especially all the way down to C, makes it easy to pop a string out of the bridge slot if I get too enthusiastic with my playing, and that is usually the fifth string. I play Two Finger on this one and have to make sure that my pinches are more across the strings rather than upwards. I really like the tone for Two Finger, not too keen on it for clawhammer, but ymmv.
mreidsma - Posted - 02/03/2020: 08:21:52
I think the minstrel strings would work fine for tuning down to D or E. It's not necessary to use the minstrel strings on a fretless. I have them on a C-scale fretted banjo that started its life as a Gibson tenor (someone modified the neck to be a 5-string neck.) By using the minstrels, I have this 20" scale banjo tuned to open G, standard banjo tuning. The tension is perfect, so on your full scale banjo the tension would be the about same at open D.
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