Nylon Strings
Never was quite sure, if the sound I produce on my banjo was exactly what I wanted to hear (not speaking of wrong notes). Sometimes I think the sound is not plunky enough. Then I got the CD "Banjo Gathering" (in fact a double) and heard (among others) banjos with nylon strings - also called nylguts. At the Banjoree in Hagen Cathy Moore played nylguts. I loved the sound - but I´m afraid it´s not only the nylguts but her kind of playing too ;-)
As I didn´t want to order nylgot strings from the US without knowing how these would sound with my kind of frailing, today I put nylon guitar strings on my banjo.
Wasn´t easy in no way: They didn´t want to get fixed at the noknot tailpiece, always slipped away when I began to tighten and tune them (I remember there was a video from Patrick showing how to put strings on a ukulele which had a similar tailpiece, but couldn´t find the video).
Finaly the strings where fixed. I took e-strings for the 1st and the fifth string and spent some (long ) time tuning them to the right pitch. This meant, the guitar´s 1st string (e) had to be tuned to d - no problem. And another e-string had to be tuned to g - three halfsteps higher. Ok, it could be done.
Before all that I recorded my humble versin of Soldier´s Joy with the usual steel strings (light gauge) so I could compare the sounds later. Well, I usually play this song with capo on the 2nd fret, 5th string capoed with railroad spike.
With the new nylon strings I wanted to record the same song. Capo 2nd fret, ok. But the 5th string capoed? The nylon string was too thick for the spike. I had to tune it up two half notes. And I did it very carefully, as this would mean to tune an e-string to a. It worked. I recorded Soldier´s Joy with nylon strings.
The shot at 28 sec. was not our neighbour who couldn´t stand it. The 5th string broke! Could have thought that.
So I will have to order banjo nylgut strings.
Although: I´m not sure if I like the nylon sound more than the steel sound. What do you think?
As I didn´t want to order nylgot strings from the US without knowing how these would sound with my kind of frailing, today I put nylon guitar strings on my banjo.
Wasn´t easy in no way: They didn´t want to get fixed at the noknot tailpiece, always slipped away when I began to tighten and tune them (I remember there was a video from Patrick showing how to put strings on a ukulele which had a similar tailpiece, but couldn´t find the video).
Finaly the strings where fixed. I took e-strings for the 1st and the fifth string and spent some (long ) time tuning them to the right pitch. This meant, the guitar´s 1st string (e) had to be tuned to d - no problem. And another e-string had to be tuned to g - three halfsteps higher. Ok, it could be done.
Before all that I recorded my humble versin of Soldier´s Joy with the usual steel strings (light gauge) so I could compare the sounds later. Well, I usually play this song with capo on the 2nd fret, 5th string capoed with railroad spike.
With the new nylon strings I wanted to record the same song. Capo 2nd fret, ok. But the 5th string capoed? The nylon string was too thick for the spike. I had to tune it up two half notes. And I did it very carefully, as this would mean to tune an e-string to a. It worked. I recorded Soldier´s Joy with nylon strings.
The shot at 28 sec. was not our neighbour who couldn´t stand it. The 5th string broke! Could have thought that.
So I will have to order banjo nylgut strings.
Although: I´m not sure if I like the nylon sound more than the steel sound. What do you think?
Kommentare
here's the link for Patrick's video concerning the no-knot tailpiece:
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=Dobro33H#play/uploads/42/x0eQlcriwKE
klick here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0eQlcriwKE
I think the steel version sounds best
Are nylon/nylguts responsive to hammer ons?
Handling the nylon strings with the left hand wasn´very different to steel strings, including hammer ons and pull offs. But the frailing strum with the right hand was very much noisier. There was more clicking sounds when hitting the strings so that every note had two sounds: the hit and the ring. Didn´t like that. As soon as I get my nylguts (they are ordered) will I try them.