Hey guys I have been considering adding a long neck to my "collection" but I have a few questions. (Some may be stupid but oh well.)
1. Can a longneck tune to the keys like C and g model, with out popping a string due to the extra tension with a longer neck?
2. Do you need special long neck strings?
3. What is the best longneck to purchase? What is the best value?
Thanks.
10 Comments |
 | wbheilmann says:
9/14/2014 1:40:24 PM
1. Longnecks are usually tuned down to open E, so with capo on the 3rd fret, you'd be in open G, just like a "regular" banjo. Other tunings also work just fine.
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| wbheilmann says:
9/14/2014 1:44:01 PM
2. Some string makers make their strings plenty long enough for a longneck...Pearse and D'Addario medium-gauge strings are my preference (for clawhammer). String gauge is really up to how you play, what you prefer, etc. Some longneck players like to mix-and-match various gauges.
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| wbheilmann says:
9/14/2014 1:48:10 PM
3. How much do you want to spend? Some of the BH members will custom-build a longneck for you. Gold Tone makes 3 very good longneck models. Wildwood and Deering-Vega build very high-quality longnecks, but they are pricey. Finally, you can usually find a longneck or two for sale here on the BH.
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 | John Gribble says:
9/14/2014 1:54:03 PM
Hi,
1. Since the long neck has three extra frets, what most people do is tune down three frets and use a capo on the third fret to get bck to "normal" pitch. Therefor the strings are under the same tension as on a regular banjo. You can go to any tuning you like.
2. Most makers cut their strings long enought to work on long necks.
3. I donno. Old Gibson RB175s have been considered pretty good deals recently, becasue most long neck fans looked down on them for not being Vegas. They can be had for between $650 and $1000. True, they aren't Vega Pete Seegers, but I like mine.
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 | calypsojimmy says:
9/14/2014 2:27:04 PM
Regarding keys, tuning, etc. : Many (most?) longneck players make heavy use of two capo-ing devices: (1) your normal shubb-or-whatever type capo for the 1st four strings, and (2) some sort of 5th string capo... often little hook(s) (model railroad ties, usually) strategically installed in the fingerboard. String tension is, as pointed out by wbheilman above, set similarly to a regular-neck banjo, so you are not cranking a massive tension burden on the neck. If you want to, say, play in the key of concert G, then you'd have your un-capo-ed strings tuned to E, and then use the capo on the 3rd fret to get to G.
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| calypsojimmy says:
9/14/2014 2:30:12 PM
Also: Note that with the longneck tuned to an open G-shape setup, one can, by moving the capo, get to the keys E, F, Gb, G, Ab, A, Bb, and B. Then, if you retune to some sort of C tuning shape, that plus capoes enable you to get to the keys of A, Bb, B, C, Db, D, Eb, and E ... So armed with only two tunings, a Capo, and a 5th-string hook or two, longneck players can get to any of the 12 possible keys pretty quickly.
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 | bornold says:
9/14/2014 2:52:20 PM
Thanks Guys!
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 | R.D. Eno says:
9/15/2014 8:33:11 AM
Pearse makes an extra-heavy John Hartford set (or you can put together your own) that fits long necks and is open-tuned down to D/A, which gives you the option (if your arms are long enough!) to play A tunes in D and D tunes in A. This brings an entirely new second banjo voice to string bands. Of course, you have to capo WAY up to the 5th fret to get C/G -- but some long necks are made with the 5th string at the 6th or 7th fret.
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 | TonyS says:
9/15/2014 4:11:53 PM
...and I, the piano player, like the Gold Tone! Good quality but affordable.
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 | Mulligan says:
9/19/2014 6:23:34 AM
Gold Tone makes a good solid long neck with customization options. They are a good company to work with and small enough to talk to the boss. If you want an affordable vintage model, I agree the Gibson RB175 is a good choice. They have aged well and there are many available in good condition. The tone is folksy since there is not much of a tone ring. Also the tuners aren't very good but it is something you learn to live with to keep the banjo authentic. By the way, Martin Vega strings, interestingly, are not long enough for long necks.
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