Bill Rogers - Posted - 08/26/2022:  21:30:45

Just curious how many use an A-scale banjo a significant amount of the time. If so, do you tune it to A?

Edited by - Bill Rogers on 08/26/2022 21:31:57

Americanraga - Posted - 08/27/2022:  03:30:51

I do. I use a "Thumpy" by Bob Browder. I use it in both A and D tuning. It's got classical guitar nylon strings, but it's nice and loud. 'Good tension. I do clawhammer.

srrobertsiii - Posted - 08/27/2022:  03:40:25

I play an A scale, and another (24.6”) shorter scale banjo, most of the time, because of age related shoulder issues. I normally tune them in G and double C though. (For me, the quip that the A (scale) stands for Aged has proved to be the case.)

Edited by - srrobertsiii on 08/27/2022 03:47:31

trapdoor2 - Posted - 08/27/2022:  04:03:57

That is my "double D" and "modal" banjo. I usually also show up with one (standard scale) in G that gets capoed to A when necessary.

The jam I attend usually plays in C, G, D, A and sometimes Eb and E (singers).

banjobrewer - Posted - 08/27/2022:  04:28:58

That’s all I could play for awhile. I changed the way I hold the banjo plus surgery on my shoulder and now I can play standard scales. Although I still prefer shorter scales.
I did always have them tuned up unless in a jam we dropped to G.

Bob Buckingham - Posted - 08/27/2022:  04:33:34

My wife plays an A scale that she keeps in Double D or A most of the time.

Don Borchelt - Posted - 08/27/2022:  05:07:57

I have a Paramount banjo that I had converted with a custom semi-fretless short scale neck. I use it strictly for A, tuning it either to aEAC#E or aEABE. I love the tone, and have tried tuning it down to G, double C, or open D, but I use light gauge strings, and when I tune it down it loses something. I use a converted tubaphone with a standard scale semi-fretless neck for the other tunings, and have tried to tune that up to A, but the tone chokes when I try that. I have another banjo with a short scale semi-fretless conversion neck, a 10 1/2" whyte laydie pot from the early teens. The tone is wonderful, and is just as clear in the lower tunings. But there is a rattle in the neck which I can't get rid of, I think the truss rod was not installed properly. I still use it occasionally.





                                 Picking the Paramount

lapsteel - Posted - 08/27/2022:  05:56:34

These two are A scale (24.75 inch) . I keep one tuned to A and the other to D.

starburst 1

cmorgan - Posted - 08/27/2022:  07:17:42

I converted a Vega Little Wonder tenor to a 5-string. I keep it tuned a full step up from "normal", i.e., in A, double D, etc.

mrphysics55 - Posted - 08/27/2022:  08:13:56

I have a 24 1/2 inch scale banjo and two 25 inch scale banjos.



I play in fiddle driven, banjo friendly, old time jams, tuned (mostly) in Double-D and A.



I don’t own a capo.



If I want to play in G or C (both much less common in our jams) I just turn the knobs.

My banjos are set-up to accommodate the higher tunings. If the sound is to suffer, let it be in G and C.



MrP

Edited by - mrphysics55 on 08/27/2022 08:21:57

TheLastWord - Posted - 08/27/2022:  08:42:43

I have a few, prefer the shorter neck, and play in all tunings. Like Clifton Hicks, I tune down to match my voice.

jbalch - Posted - 08/27/2022:  09:03:37

My 1994 Bart Reiter custom grand concert (23" scale) was my primary (only) banjo for several years. But I tuned it to standard pitch (double C or G ... not double D or A). My Carry On John cd was recorded using that banjo. 



After several years of playing it - a full scale banjo felt too long. I became convinced that the shorter neck was much more comfortable for me.



BUT as the frets began to wear ... not wanting to replace them ... I eventually returned to playing my standard (26 1/4") scale Reiter banjos. At this point I prefer the longer scale and I rarely play the short banjo now. 

Edited by - jbalch on 08/27/2022 09:09:23

Reiter Grand Concert back

Reiter Grand Concert front

hweinberg - Posted - 08/27/2022:  10:34:03

I play 25.5" and 24" generally, but I am now heading out to Zion and Bryce Canyon with my A-scale cherry neck 10" cherry pot (no tone ring) that is my travel banjo. It's traveled with me to 5 continents.

Claude Grassley - Posted - 09/02/2022:  05:23:12

I have a Gold Tone AC Traveller tuned to open G that I used extensively when I was travelling for work. Now that I'm fully retired, it mainly sits in a closet. What a nice inexpensive, nice sounding banjo for that purpose. I'll get it out every once in a while and take it to a jam and people are amazed at how well it sounds.

wrench13 - Posted - 09/02/2022:  06:17:53

My RM Anderson sounded lousy tuned to G, then someone wised me up and it's an A scale banjo, and tuned to A it sounds great.

raybob - Posted - 09/03/2022:  21:35:00

I have a Ab Reiter banjo. I mostly treat it like it’s full scale. I capo the higher tunings. I also have a short scale Brooks fretless that I never capo. I’m not sure about capoing a fretless, I haven’t tried it. But this banjo will tune to anything I want, so I don’t bother.