kimmattis123 - Posted - 02/08/2007:  12:41:41

I just got a instructional video from Homespun by John Hartford. He of course uses the Deering JH Banjo with 2 extra frets, BUT he tunes DOWN to Eb. He uses his own brand of John Pearce JH heavy strings [12/24w/20w/14/12]. I've tried to tune my banjo down to E natural with slightly larger strings. Has anyone done this or have experience in a regular neck [ NOT LONG NECK] banjo tuned to E or Eb. My old banjo has a nice growl but E or Eb dosent seem very logical for a banjo tuning.

salvatone - Posted - 02/08/2007:  12:50:38

Bela Fleck often tunes down to E. He does it on Big Country amound others. My banjos sound pretty good in E.

Salvatone

Banjoman - Posted - 02/08/2007:  13:14:27

When all is said and done, the banjo being a musicial instrument, is to back up the voice. John had a nice deep voice and Eb was a good key for him to sing in. The banjo was tuned to his voice, not the other way around.

Hugh
Playing since 1964

"If the banjo was any good, The Beatles would have used it."- Bill McEuen


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brokenstrings - Posted - 02/08/2007:  20:21:16

My harp is tuned in Eb. Oh, for the chance to have accompanied John Hartford!

Jessy

Frailaway, ladies, frailaway!

mikieb53 - Posted - 02/08/2007:  23:23:56

I have the Hartford DVD, too. He actually used two banjos - one with a traditional 22-fret neck and the one you mentioned which has 24 frets free of the rim. Although the neck is two frets longer, the scale is the same (the bridge is closer to the center of the head, giving a plunkier sound). I tried the Eb tuning and liked it for Big Country, but it seemed too low for some other tunes. I have also played it on a Deering/Vega long-neck, but it was too strident, with too much sustain. To me, Big Country sounds great in standard tuning.

Michael B. Rentz

bugtussle - Posted - 02/13/2007:  13:04:52

i really like the low tuning because i play 3 finger on an open back and you can actually feel the vibrations. Big Country is a great tune that sounds nice whereever its played. Im not sure when Hartford started playing down there. I dont think it was on Aeroplane. Maybe on that steamboat thing. By the way, is Steamboat Whistle Blues by John a variation of the same tune by Flatt and Scruggs? tom

grownedhawg - Posted - 02/14/2007:  04:18:08

Hi, Folks,

Just so I understand: can someone please post the individual open string pitch/notes for the E and Eb tunings?

...wanting to try "low" tunings on my fretless, and I'm fishing for some ideas where to start; E & Eb as described here seem interesting..

Thanks!

bindle stiff jim - Posted - 02/14/2007:  11:57:15

the third and the fifth along with the root?

someone correct me if i'm wrong.

strickly tuning down in correlation to g tuning and staying in the major scale. starting at the 5th string:

E would be: E B E G# B

Eb would be: Eb Bb Eb G Bb


dave - banjo pickin' backpacker
midlothian, va

Edited by - bindle stiff jim on 02/14/2007 15:48:53

oldwoodchuckb - Posted - 02/16/2007:  23:51:15

I use Dean Markley mediums (B111318) and tune the four long strings to BEG#B - This is a 26.somethingorother scale standard 22 fret neck. I'm certain the same strings could be tuned a half tone lower for E flat if anyone wished to do it.

The guages are - 011, 013, 018, 026W with an 010 for the 5th string.



The Whiskey Before Breakfast variations and a few tunes in "F" tuning are now available on the web at:
http://home.thegrid.net/~fjbrad/id20.html