Pierrot76 - Posted - 04/28/2025:  14:16:52

Hi guys from Bluegrass. What are the best strings for a 1987 Gibson banjo? Thank you

Bill Rogers - Posted - 04/28/2025:  14:37:49

Except for the wound fourth, they are all pretty much the same. I tend to find the cheapest I can. I like bronze-wound fourths, and have found no huge differences in brands. Others will disagree, but that’s my take.

Bob Buckingham - Posted - 04/28/2025:  14:54:38

Banjo strings work great and as Bill said, they are all pretty much wire and there is no real significant difference. The wrap on the 4th is the largest difference and I find nickel lasts better in the humid south.

banjo1930 - Posted - 04/28/2025:  16:40:04

GHS strings sound cleaner and feel more responsive to me overall.

zz4350 - Posted - 04/28/2025:  18:37:07

Been a GHS person for over 50 years. Usually the cheapest as well, if you shop around. Plus a large variety to choose from.

Dean T - Posted - 04/28/2025:  19:22:53

GHS PF 155 are my favorite

Bill Rogers - Posted - 04/28/2025:  20:34:00

Note that you can make up your own sets if you prefer gauges different from those available in packaged sets.

Stu D Baker-Hawk - Posted - 04/28/2025:  22:00:51

La majorité des joueurs de banjo semblent choisir les cordes GHS.  J'ai fourni un lien vers le site web de GHS. Bonne chance !

GHS Strings -- Banjo

rogerjohansen - Posted - 04/29/2025:  05:31:24

I do notice a slight difference with Thomastik-Infeld strings.
It might be all psychological when you pay 10x the price of GHS ( which are always good!!)

stringsbymail.com/thomastik-in...iEALw_wcB

JackGrave - Posted - 04/29/2025:  05:58:18

As rogerjohansen mentione Thomastik-Infeld strings are class of its own. Fairly recently I have put ony tenor banjo (in irish tuning) set of Thomastik-Infeld Spectrum strings (0.13 set in 80/20 Bronze). And I was surprised by that 2. String plain in 0.17" is bronze coated and my 1. String is plain (tin or silver coated) wire. Wound strings appears to be silk and bronze with way more treads per inch compared to other string brands (and I have tried and tested many of them).
Only downside of T-I strings is price, they cost arm and leg, but they last very long.
Jack

itsnotyou - Posted - 04/29/2025:  06:16:18

My favorite strings are the Jens Kruger set sold by Deering Banjos, or the Sonny Osborne set. Both are 11, 12 13, 22, 11 and made by GHS. The Jens Kruger set has a nickel wound 4th instead of a bronze wound 4th in the Sonny Osborne set.
Strings are cheap compared to what a quality banjo cost, buy what sounds best to you on your banjo.

lazyarcher - Posted - 04/29/2025:  06:49:53

I prefer the GHS J.D. CROWE SIGNATURE - Stage, Medium Light PF 135s. Clear, clean.

Old Hickory - Posted - 04/29/2025:  07:02:17

There is no best.

If this discussion goes on long enough, just about every string made will be mentioned.

Owen - Posted - 04/29/2025:  07:13:36

Tongue-in-cheek Ken, maybe this could [should?] be approached from t'other end ..... start with the worst and see what's left standing at the end.   

Culloden - Posted - 04/29/2025:  08:12:56

I have always felt that strings that sound good on one banjo may not sound good on another. I use three different types of strings on my five-string banjos. Find what sounds best on your banjo and use it.
For years, I used D'Addario light-gauge strings. Then I tried using strings of a different gauge and found I liked them better. D'Addario doesn't make a set in that gauge, but GHS does, so I started using them. I don't see any difference in tone. I would still use D'Addario strings if they made a set in the gauge I prefer.

Corwyn - Posted - 04/29/2025:  08:50:56

It would be my contention that the set of gauges in a set would have far more impact than differences between brands (especially for the plain steel wire that makes up 4/5 of the set).

Thank you kindly.

banjoT1 - Posted - 04/29/2025:  11:37:52

I'm curious to hear anyone's impressions of the "StringJoy" banjo strings and Roger Siminoff's "Straight Up" strings.

They're both on the pricer side compared to other "commodity" brands..........anyone, anyone ?

ChunoTheDog - Posted - 04/29/2025:  11:39:06

GHS are the best sounding in my opinion

Dean T - Posted - 04/29/2025:  14:02:10

Does anyone still use AMB Cryo strings? 15 or so years ago they were all the rage here.

Pierrot76 - Posted - 04/29/2025:  14:04:41

Thank you to everyone for participating in this question. I'm starting to get an idea that you have to try several types of games to find the right simple c. Thank you again ??

reubenstump - Posted - 04/29/2025:  16:24:38

I use slightly heavier strings than normal, but I play two finger technique on an openback.  Bluegrass, which you seem to play, typically uses lighter strings (but not always).

For what it's worth, I normally use 10-12-14-22w-11, which is almost the same as GHS PF150.  I have some PF170 sets that I need to find a new home for.

DRL777 - Posted - 04/30/2025:  07:13:16

GHS all day long. For some reason they stay in tune longer than many others I've tried, and their cryo strings seem to be the best of the bunch and easier on the fingers as well. I've used their mediums, almost mediums and others. All worked well. YMMV (but I doubt it).

Stu D Baker-Hawk - Posted - 04/30/2025:  17:47:52

quote:

---

Originally posted by Dean T

Does anyone still use AMB Cryo strings? 15 or so years ago they were all the rage here.

---

I still do on occasion.  I like that I can have customized heavier gauge sets (from their single string offerings) made for me when I want to string a banjo ala 'John Hartford' style, but without the wound 3rd string that John preferred.

Dean T - Posted - 04/30/2025:  19:04:40

I looked to see if AMB still had the “build your own set” option, and they still do.

Custom String set, build your own

Cockrum_Studios - Posted - 05/01/2025:  05:16:34

quote:

---

Originally posted by banjoT1

I'm curious to hear anyone's impressions of the "StringJoy" banjo strings and Roger Siminoff's "Straight Up" strings.



They're both on the pricer side compared to other "commodity" brands..........anyone, anyone ?

---

I use Stringjoy strings and love them.  For me, they stay bright much longer than the GHS strings that I was using.  I became a dealer for these and have set up several other people's banjos with them.  Everyone reports that they are great with a couple of "changed my life" comments.  I visited their facility in Nashville last year and they are winding strings in-house and employ dozens of local workers. 

The Bluegrass weight guitar strings are also very popular.

Buddur - Posted - 05/01/2025:  05:40:02

S.I.T.    Cause they're made in America....

....and I have a buddy who works there and gets me a deal on bulk.

Tim Mullins - Posted - 05/01/2025:  20:11:49

I've been using the V700 Vega Lights (Martin) for as long as I can remember and they're generally a couple bucks cheaper than the GHS sets.

banjowannabe - Posted - 05/02/2025:  03:39:43

I'm in the camp where each banjo sounds different with each combination of strings, and it's the partnership of the two that makes the difference. A friend of mine who plays a prewar Gibson swears by the Stringjoy and gave me a set. I hate changing strings, but this discussion will provoke me to put the Stringjoy on my Deering Calico.

Pick-A-Lick - Posted - 05/02/2025:  03:57:03

I buy bulk loop end banjo strings from juststrings.com in packages of 12 strings for about the price of a single prepackaged set of 5 strings. Good quality strings at a reasonable price.



Not plugging an any particular company as bulk strings are available from others as well. For those located outside of the USA It might be worth checking to see if there is an outlet for bulk strings in your area. 

 

If I do buy prepackaged strings I have found GHS strings with a stainless wound string to be to my liking. 

Edited by - Pick-A-Lick on 05/02/2025 04:09:11

Dean T - Posted - 05/02/2025:  04:43:44

The last time I checked juststrings, they were out of just about everything. It looks like they are going under?

Pick-A-Lick - Posted - 05/02/2025:  15:11:10

quote:

---

Originally posted by Dean T

The last time I checked juststrings, they were out of just about everything. It looks like they are going under?

---

I Just received an order of several sizes of loop end bulk pack strings. It seems as though they have plenty of banjo strings in bulk but very few prepackaged sets left. My guess is they are eliminating prepacked banjo strings because of low sales volume. It seems they do have an adequate supply of strings for other instruments. Time will tell if they are closing the doors. 

eccles - Posted - 05/07/2025:  11:07:14

Rotosound of course, used by a number of renowned professionals like Hendrix and Beck when they were here, the Beatles, Brian May, John Paul Jones and many others. Personally I use their medium weight with nickel wound 4th for more sustain.