hayesdt - Posted - 11/22/2021:  19:31:58

I enjoy playing 5-string banjos with both a short scale and a standard scale, but at least to what I sense and feel, a set of mediums on a short scale seem "looser" than on a standard scale banjo. That is, the total string tension seems slightly less. The strings just seem "tighter" on a standard scale banjo.



Just out of curiosity, would a set of heavy gauge strings on a "short scale" 25.5" 5-string banjo offer approximately the same total string tension as a medium gauge set of strings on a "standard scale" 26.3" (approx.) banjo?

Edited by - hayesdt on 11/22/2021 19:34:08

G Edward Porgie - Posted - 11/22/2021:  19:53:32

The same strings on a shorter scale are looser. Tension is determined partly by string weight, and a shorter string of the same diameter doesn't weigh as much as a long string. Heavier strings (thicker diameter) should help some, but you'll need to find the correct gauges through experimentation. Every string maker seems to have a different idea of what is medium and what is heavy, so you can't just buy a set labeled "heavy" and be guaranteed they are actually different than what you are already using.

jacot23 - Posted - 11/22/2021:  20:22:02

chordgen.rattree.co.uk/tensiontool.php

Click on "Show Editor" and play around with string gauges and scale lengths.

Ken LeVan - Posted - 11/23/2021:  05:26:56

A string tension calculating tool, as linked above, is the best way to determine things like this.

There are a number of them out there, usually for guitars, but the tensions at the same gauge, same pitch, and same scale length would be the same for a guitar or a banjo.

D'Addario had one called String Tension Pro that allowed you to select many kinds of strings and whatever gauge, pitch, and scale length you wanted.

So many people nowadays want to tune their banjos to a lower pitch and use shorter scales than the strings are intended for, that it won't be long before the string makers start offering "short scale" sets.

Edited by - Ken LeVan on 11/23/2021 05:27:47

G Edward Porgie - Posted - 11/23/2021:  05:39:23

Tension calculators, as mentioned in other posts, are very useful for figuring tension. However, they do not tell the whole story. A short, heavy string can sometimes be too stiff to produce a good tone, and in some cases, good intonation. That is why experimenting with gauges is usually necessary.

The calculators can at least get you close, though.

Ken LeVan - Posted - 11/26/2021:  06:06:19

quote:

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Originally posted by G Edward Porgie

Tension calculators, as mentioned in other posts, are very useful for figuring tension. However, they do not tell the whole story. A short, heavy string can sometimes be too stiff to produce a good tone, and in some cases, good intonation. That is why experimenting with gauges is usually necessary.



The calculators can at least get you close, though.

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What you say is true— I build a lot of banjos in different scale lengths so I get to hear the difference between a 26 1/2" scale and a 25 1/2" one, also tuning an A banjo down to G.  There's more happening than the pitch and distance between the frets.

I finished building a guitar about 5 days ago, strung it up, put it in a stand and got sidetracked. A couple days later I started playing it and it sounded really strange, too bassy, was loosey goosey when fretting, plus there was a little buzzing—I couldn't figure out what was wrong with it and was afraid I was going to have to reset the action until I realized it had stretched down a whole step—what a difference!  it messed up everything.  Tuning it to the right pitch fixed all the problems, including the sound.

Edited by - Ken LeVan on 11/26/2021 06:07:33

steve davis - Posted - 11/27/2021:  08:55:03

On a related point heavier gauge strings can play easily because they can be set up with lower action.