Tony, I used phosphor bronze GHS160's as a base on my Tub that I made a 5 string neck for, but use a 12.5 first, then the sets 13 for the second, a 18 stainless wound for the 3rd, the sets bronze 26, and an old worn out 12.5 first for the 5th... a lot of early wire strung banjo players used wound 3rd strings (Dock Boggs for one), and I play a lot of 2ftl and 3 finger without picks. I've never been a fan of thin gauge strings, too floppy and thin tone to my old ears. Hope that helps.

Hey Tony - I have a 1923 tubaphone also. At one point I had the GHS160’s that RG mentions above and I remember liking how they sounded.
I ended up switching back to a lighter string and I honestly can’t remember why - but I say go for it

My Tubby’s a ‘24. String set: .0115x2, .013, .015, .024 bronze. I use it for both fingerpicking and clawhammer.

I have a Tubaphone conversion with a Dave Stacey Mahogany neck. I always used Ome strings. Now I buy from Ode. They have chenille wrapped ends. Custom made for Ode by D'addario I believe. The banjo is fitted with a Kershner style tailpiece from Prucha and high quality calfskin head. I use the banjo for clawhammer and 3 finger picking.

My Tubie is a 1924 style M tenor to which I attached the neck from my Wildwood Minstrel, replacing the co-rods with a dowel stick. It's set up with a calfskin head and a Steve Davis bridge.
I play clawhammer and use easier-on-old-fingers light-gauge strings -- 9.5/11/13/20 with a 12 for the fifth because I often like to tune the drone down to D or C, using spikes for the higher pitches, G or A.
Sounds like a banjer to me!

Is Dave Stacey still about?.  I remember meeting him and sampling his wares way back in 2010 when I played at the Sweet Sunny South.

For others in the Western Hemisphere,  Dave Stacey is a great English banjo maker and player1

quote:

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Originally posted by writerrad

Is Dave Stacey still about?.  I remember meeting him and sampling his wares way back in 2010 when I played at the Sweet Sunny South.

For others in the Western Hemisphere,  Dave Stacey is a great English banjo maker and player1

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I haven't seen Dave for awhile as I've been undergoing cancer treatment for some time. I think he retired from banjo building. The last time we spoke he was making himself a bluegrass banjo. Given his expertise I would really like to see how that one turned out. Dave is an amazingly talented craftsman. 

Thanks. It is good to remember folks like that

quote:

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Originally posted by writerrad

My main banjo in playing old time, ragtime, blues fingerstyle either 2 3 or 4 finger is a conversion with a 1923 Tubaphone pot that may have on a guitar banjo according to Bernunzio and the same neck Eastman was putting on its Whyte Lady models 10 or 12 years ago. In recent years, I have been using D'Addario XT 10-23  strings on this banjo and they seem to work fine.

On the other hand, it is probably just because I am practicing more, and pretty much, playing finger style exclusively that the strings seem too easy to push around and lighter

Should I consider heavier strings? What are the metal strings-- [before someone from the ABF says I need gut or something] others who play Tubaphones are using especially for finger style.

Or is this the classic case of a banjo adjustment syndrome, of it aint broke so there is no need to fix it.  I am curious what metal strings,  banjoists with similar banjos who play finger styles especially on Tubaphones  use, particularly if I should experiment with heavier strings..

 

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I have a 1928 Tubaphone Style I Can't Remember, with a semi-fretless conversion neck made by a local luthier.  I can't remember his name, either.  It's been my go to banjo for the last thirty years or so.  I love the tone I squeeze out of it.  I use a standard set of strings, D'Addario EJS60, which are very light- 10 11 12 20 10.  They cost about 5 bucks.  I change them regularly, about once every five years.  I use finger picks, again very basic- a Herco Flex blue thumbpick, which generally costs 99 cents, and your very basic national fingerpicks, which are ten bucks for a set of four.  I've been using these since before I owned the Tubaphone.  I tried a few of these fancy picks they sell for about 50 bucks a piece, and I just don't get it.

In my opinion, your fingers are responsible for 90 percent of the tone that you create when you play, and your banjo, set-up, strings and picks, if you use them, account for the rest.  The most important thing you can do to develop and preserve your tone is to take care of those fingers, especially at our age.  I play with a light touch, I don't bear down hard like a lot of pickers, and I take a break from picking every hour or so, and give them a ten or fifteen minute rest.  A lot of banjo pickers I know who are my age have lost their fingers to carpel tunnel or arthritis by this time.  I think this is even truer for clawhammer pickers.  The rest of my body is screaming at me as soon as I get out of bed in the morning, but my 75 year old fingers fingers feel the same as when I was 25. 

I was widowed over 30 years ago, and I'm ready to join back up with her when I'm called.  The last thing I want to do before I take that last breath and say good-bye, is pick a little Cripple Creek.  

- Don

quote:given  what I remember of his picking I would love to hear him play it too  Thanks.   The banjo does attract good people and enable us to do good things.

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Originally posted by Stephen John Prior

quote:

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Originally posted by writerrad

Is Dave Stacey still about?.  I remember meeting him and sampling his wares way back in 2010 when I played at the Sweet Sunny South.

For others in the Western Hemisphere,  Dave Stacey is a great English banjo maker and player1

---

I haven't seen Dave for awhile as I've been undergoing cancer treatment for some time. I think he retired from banjo building. The last time we spoke he was making himself a bluegrass banjo. Given his expertise I would really like to see how that one turned out. Dave is an amazingly talented craftsman. 

---

quote:Thanks Don your advice is pretty good for me.    I have seen you play and somewhere have a photo of you playing.   I used to play finger picks on the guitar up to around 1978, but only once or twice tried them on banjos which I did not start until around 1998.  So when I saw you play it was surprising you used a finger picks but I know a number of folks do.  Pete Peterson whom I take lessons from does use a thumb pick.

Still it is good to know what younger players like Don do.   Unfortunately, he is not well recorded or known, but this man is a real banjo player.  Hunt him down on YouTube or wherever his picking can be found!

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Originally posted by Don Borchelt

quote:

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Originally posted by writerrad

My main banjo in playing old time, ragtime, blues fingerstyle either 2 3 or 4 finger is a conversion with a 1923 Tubaphone pot that may have on a guitar banjo according to Bernunzio and the same neck Eastman was putting on its Whyte Lady models 10 or 12 years ago. In recent years, I have been using D'Addario XT 10-23  strings on this banjo and they seem to work fine.

On the other hand, it is probably just because I am practicing more, and pretty much, playing finger style exclusively that the strings seem too easy to push around and lighter

Should I consider heavier strings? What are the metal strings-- [before someone from the ABF says I need gut or something] others who play Tubaphones are using especially for finger style.

Or is this the classic case of a banjo adjustment syndrome, of it aint broke so there is no need to fix it.  I am curious what metal strings,  banjoists with similar banjos who play finger styles especially on Tubaphones  use, particularly if I should experiment with heavier strings..

 

---

I have a 1928 Tubaphone Style I Can't Remember, with a semi-fretless conversion neck made by a local luthier.  I can't remember his name, either.  It's been my go to banjo for the last thirty years or so.  I love the tone I squeeze out of it.  I use a standard set of strings, D'Addario EJS60, which are very light- 10 11 12 20 10.  They cost about 5 bucks.  I change them regularly, about once every five years.  I use finger picks, again very basic- a Herco Flex blue thumbpick, which generally costs 99 cents, and your very basic national fingerpicks, which are ten bucks for a set of four.  I've been using these since before I owned the Tubaphone.  I tried a few of these fancy picks they sell for about 50 bucks a piece, and I just don't get it.

In my opinion, your fingers are responsible for 90 percent of the tone that you create when you play, and your banjo, set-up, strings and picks, if you use them, account for the rest.  The most important thing you can do to develop and preserve your tone is to take care of those fingers, especially at our age.  I play with a light touch, I don't bear down hard like a lot of pickers, and I take a break from picking every hour or so, and give them a ten or fifteen minute rest.  A lot of banjo pickers I know who are my age have lost their fingers to carpel tunnel or arthritis by this time.  I think this is even truer for claw hammer pickers.  The rest of my body is screaming at me as soon as I get out of bed in the morning, but my 75 year old fingers fingers feel the same as when I was 25. 

I was widowed over 30 years ago, and I'm ready to join back up with her when I'm called.  The last thing I want to do before I take that last breath and say good-bye, is pick a little Cripple Creek.  

- Don

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I think such matters like picks and not are entirely personal decisions, although I take Don's opinions and experiences more serious than many others because he is such a good musician and more than that a very thoughtful person, as well as a snappy dresser.

I have never played a banjo with finger picks, and desisted from doing that with the guitar, even though about 20 years ago a friend gave me a huge set of national finger picks of various sizes.

I encourage younger Banjoists like Don to realize there is a future of creativity and promise before they become more historical as I have become. Like I say, check out Don's playing and thinking on the banjo and music because he is a thoughtful, practically gifted, and delightful player,

Thanks

quote:

---

Originally posted by writerrad

I think such matters like picks and not are entirely personal decisions, although I take Don's opinions and experiences more serious than many others because he is such a good musician and more than that a very thoughtful person, as well as a snappy dresser.

I have never played a banjo with finger picks, and desisted from doing that with the guitar, even though about 20 years ago a friend gave me a huge set of national finger picks of various sizes.

I encourage younger Banjoists like Don to realize there is a future of creativity and promise before they become more historical as I have become. Like I say, check out Don's playing and thinking on the banjo and music because he is a thoughtful, practically gifted, and delightful player,

Thanks

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Thank you, Tony, for the compliment.  So you are telling me that Jeans and flannel shirts are now in style?

surely you jest

quote:

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Originally posted by writerrad

surely you jest

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Don't call me Shirley!  

I had thought as a man of deep erudition, a snappy dresser, and an owner of fine banjos, you would have retained athe inspiration that flowed from the dialogs between Chatsworth Osborne, Jr., Maynard G. Kreb, and Dobie Gillis.

A mind is a terrible thing to waste!