I ve got an opportunity to by one of these vintage instruments,something like a 22 inch scale neck, I t looks good but,
- can they be tuned to standard G and sawmill etc
Any feed back appreciated
Thanks
Edited by - deman on 11/26/2020 15:35:22
If by vintage you mean a late 19th century /1900's 5-string banjo the answer to both questions is yes. But due to their neck design these banjo were intended to be strung with nylon not steel.
Edited by - m06 on 11/26/2020 10:00:33
Thanks, I am trying to find an open back for nylon strings
Cheers
Technically any open back banjo is potentially an 'open back for nylon strings'. So to enable folks here to help you, you'll need to be more specific about what it is you're seeking.
quote:
Originally posted by demanI ve got an opportunity to by one of these vintage instruments,something like a 22 inch scale neck, I t looks good but,
- can they be tuned to standard G and sawmill etc
Any feed back appreciated
Thanks
The thing to keep in mind is that scale length, pitch, and string gauge all come into play, so yes the banjo could be tuned to gDGBD, etc. though you may need to play with your string gauges for optimum performance as 22" is on the short end of the continuum.
I think with normal gauge strings and a 22 inch scale you'll need to be a bit higher than G tuning to stop the strings being floppy. You'll get closer with nylon strings than steel though, A and DD should be ok with normal nylon.
Of course, unless you're playing with others [edit-or singing to banjo] it doesn't really matter how low or high pitched your strings are.
Edited by - AndyW on 11/28/2020 05:57:15
