I have a epiphone open back that I have been playing for about one year and would like to make some upgrades.
need some advice on what strings, head, tailpiece and bridge to use for a bluegrass setup.
Any advice is appreciated.
Juan Solo
Do you mean the MB100?
I'm not sure, there's a number on the back but it doesn't show anything online.
I don't know how to figure out what it is.
Juan Solo
I suggest looking up some Epiphones on the internet. This is the MB100:
thomann.co.uk/epiphone_mb100.htm
Probably the MB100 because it is a open back
No matter what you do with your banjo, it won’t ever have the “bluegrass sound,” but it will be fine to learn on. So…I would suggest only a set of light-gauge strings and low action. That may mean a slightly lower bridge. My opinion is that spending time and money beyond that won’t bring enough of a return to be worth the time, effort and cost. If you know you really want to play bluegrass banjo, and have the drive, tenacity and talent to reach proficiency, I suggest start saving up for a resonator/tone-ring banjo of the kind typically used for bluegrass.
Edited by - Bill Rogers on 12/13/2024 12:47:46
I think I might buy the parts and put them on my banjo now and when I get a bluegrass banjo I will change them out.
Any ideas on what brands and parts to buy?
Thanks for the help.
Juan Solo
What Bill is trying to say is there is nothing you can reasonably add to this banjo to give it more of a bluegrass sound. And because it started life as one of the lowest cost banjos in the world, it difficult to justify changing anything other than the bridge or tailpiece. And only the bridge - in my opinion - will produce a change you can hear.
It makes little sense to change the head since the head on there is made by Remo, who as far as I know is the only surviving maker of banjo heads.
Bridges to try include a Scorpion, Dotson, Snuffy Smith, and any number of the ones made by Tim Purcell. You can look these up to see what interests you.
As to tailpieces, perhaps try the Gold Tone version of the Straight Line tailpiece. Since they use it on their lowest end banjos maybe it makes sense to try it on yours.
Moving any new parts - except the bridge - to your future bluegrass banjo probably would be unnecessary since that banjo will be built with much better parts than your Epiphone.
quote:
Originally posted by JS1219I think I might buy the parts and put them on my banjo now and when I get a bluegrass banjo I will change them out.
Any ideas on what brands and parts to buy?
Just about any other tailpiece you put on that Epi will improve it, for whatever style. This one is dirt cheap, and IMO is as good as anything you'll find for under 5x the price: https://www.amazon.com/Yibuy-Silver-String-Tailpiece-Replacement/dp/B0732VDSVP? It will make your banjo MUCH easier to restring, and make a noticeable improvement in its tone.
I wouldn't bother shopping for a better ($25+) bridge for that banjo, but the one you have will benefit from losing a little weight. Sand (or plane) its thickness down some, and you can whittle or file off other excess bits if you like. It will improve the treble clarity and quickness of response, which is what you want for a more bluegrass-style tone.
If you feel like investing in a piece of tone-tweaking gear which will be useful on this banjo and your next one, too, look at a Drum Dial (or other head-tension gauge). You want one that actually measures the head, and NOT the torque on the nuts.
Thanks for the advice.
I guess I'll just save for a bluegrass banjo, any suggestions on what to buy under $1000?
Juan Solo
