Harley Benton 6-String Banjo (Model BJ-65Pro). Review and recommendations.
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- Опубликовано: 20 окт 2020
- Take a look at, and a listen to, the Harley Benton 6-string banjo model BJ-65Pro. It’s a banjo for guitarists who want that unique banjo sound but don’t want to learn on a 4 or 5 string banjo. It’s heavy (nearly 5 kilos) and loud especially with the resonator attached. Rob recommends a new stringing and tuning set-up to improve the banjo sound. Remove the resonator, stick a towel in the pot behind the skin for a more muted and mellow sound. Plenty of adjustments to be made to aid playability and you may need to polish the fret ends for easy playing and, from time to time, tighten the Remo head to achieve the best intonation. Highly recommended.
Best review I have found on this Banjo, really helpful. Thanks ;-)
This Hybrid instrument is over 100 years old & it was originally used in Jazz (turns out the Regular Gauge Low E & A Strings are great for Jazz, and a few others like Surf Rock, Slide playing, you name it) because back in the 1920s and 30s before we had Guitar amps, we had Banjitars which made it easier to compete with those loud blaring horns.
Nice, thank you..Merry Christmas from Italy!!
Thank you back and Merry Christmas and happy new year to you. Rob
It took me two years to stumble across this video, and it was well worth the trip. having just purchased a banjatar and having guitar playing abilities, your video was a big help in understanding what I've just purchased. thanks so much.
HI, nice to hear from you and to know the video helped a bit. I've just installed a drum damper in mine to control the mute it a bit. After all it is a drum head so why not. Seems to work. Hope you're enjoying yours. Also, I think that a set of "Nashville" strings would work well in this banjatar and it would save having to buy a couple of extra 1st and 2nd strings from a regular guitar strings as mine is now strung. Just a thought. All the best, Rob.
Awesome video! I was just about thinking of buying one and this video made me want it even more. Keep up the great videos!
Thanks Remy, your comment's much appreciated. Glad you found the video helpful and go on to order the banjo. I'm sure you'll enjoy having one. All the best, Rob.
@@robrobson7101 You can always use Electric Guitar Strings because they're identical in material to Banjo Strings. Just to note the Regular Gauge Low E & A Strings are great for the original music that this was used in like Dixieland Jazz.
Many thanks for this detailed review !
Thanks for your comment. Glad you liked the review.
The Banjitar actually has 2 cousins the Plectrum Banjo (and the Tenor Banjo too) which don't have a Drone String & are usually played with a Pick. The reason why they leave off the drone string is because horn players like to play in flat keys.
Great review, thank you!
You know what, some Guitarists who've use Banjitars for Dixieland Jazz in the good ol days have replaced the 2 Lowest Strings with thinner Strings that they can tune up an Octave (or 2) to simulate more of a Tenor Banjo sound. Some have also used Nashville Tuning on the Banjitar to simulate more of a Tenor Banjo sound cause the High G is only a whole step below the High A of a Tenor Banjo, & with High B Nashville Tuning the B4 is a step above the Tenor Banjo High A.
I have one of these banjos and have it in Nashville tuning great instrument for price ,very loud but ,very heavy ...but love it 😀
Great video, thanks! And love the high strings replacing the low strings idea, really effective and great idea!
Really glad it was helpful! Do you have a 6 stringer or are you thinking of getting one?
I was thinking about getting one, hence how I came across your really useful video. I have a tenor which I can play a bit, and a 5 string...not so much! So I was thinking of replacing the 5 string with a six string...I don’t aim to be a virtuoso, but I do a lot of recording, and I love the sound of the banjo...I’d use it more for texture really. The 6;string seems a really good option, and the model you use looks a good bet for that 🙂 Would you have any other thoughts or advice on it? I’ve been playing guitar for 35+ years, so I guess I’d have a lot of transferable skills for it 🙂
@@jonathansmith5787 I think you'll find that all your guitar experience will switch straight across to the 6-stringer. Of course it will depend on what kind of music you play but my acoustic guitar style tends to be a bit "clawhammer". The stringing I use really helps to get a more "authentic" sound and all the normal guitar chords and scales work of course. It also works well with DADGAD, and open D tunings. I'm using normal guitar strings like D'Addarios 10-46s but I take out the normal end stop to leave the loop for attachment. You can hear me use it on " Billy Went Down" on my CD "Evening Road" on the web site: Alonetone/Rob Robson. Just now, I'm using it on several tracks on some new songs which are more "Country"! Hope this helps. Thanks for your interest.
Thanks for your advice, Rob, yes, I reckon this will be an instrument I’ll go for...look s like lots of fun, and a great sound. What you achieved on ‘Billy’ sounds fantastic, you’ve really put it forward in the mix and it sounds really amazing! Enjoyed your other songs, too, lovely sound on them all. Thanks again, and all the best, Jonathan
@@robrobson7101 So you remove the Ball Ends from the Strings to hook onto those hooks. You can always use Banjitar Strings:www.stringsandbeyond.com/ghspfstst6st.html which are Loop end, & are Stainless Steel. Banjo Strings are usually Stainless Steel, & Stainless Steel Guitar Strings will sound identical. What they usually do to make the lower pitches on a Banjitar sound fantastic is they usually increase the body size by at least an inch.
Thank you. Great review.
Thanks for watching!
Companies that make 6 String Guitar Banjos recommend using a set of 11s (or thinner) so that the head vibrates more freely. They usually increase the body thickness so that the lower pitches from the Low E & A Strings speak more clearly.
Thank you! I wondered what happens if low E is two octaves higher... now I know. Sounds much better.
Actually 6 String Banjos often have a Slightly deeper body so the lower notes speak more clearly. It reminds me of another instrument, the Viola which is basically a compromised instrument because the body isn't big enough for the C String to speak clearly. The Hutchins Upright Viola is an Exception cause it's big enough for those low note but also big enough that you can hold it like a Cello.
Unlike the 5 String Banjo you can play in every key without re-tuning. It's inconvenient to have the Drone String on a 5 String Banjo to ring away outta key especially cause horn players like to play in flat keys. This is why we have Plectrum Banjos which can be tuned like the top 4 Strings of a Guitar too.
Turns out with a set of Dunlap 7 Gauge Electric Guitar Strings (including the Regular Gauge Low E & A), it produces an Irish Tenor Banjo Sound (Irish Tenor Banjos are tuned like Violins down an Octave. The lowest pitch on an Irish Tenor Banjo, is a G2 & the Banjitar goes 3 notes lower than that) that might allow you to pick away melodies from sheet music.
Rob Robson What they usually do is increase the size of the Banjo body so that the lower pitches sound better.
Rob Robson
I think the strings might have tarnished when you got this 6 string Banjo. How about Magma GA120PBF Flatwound Phosphor Bronze Strings? It would mellow out the sound. 6 string Banjos often have a slightly deeper body to help the low notes speak more clearly.
This type of Banjo has a cousin the Plectrum Banjo. The Plectrum Banjo leaves off the Drone String because as Banjo guys got into playing Jazz, they found out that the Drone String was a pain in the Neck because Horn players like to play in flat keys, so those Banjoists removed the Drone String & created the Plectrum Banjo.
The 5 String Banjo has a High G but it's not like a Ukulele cause it's a Drone String that only starts at fret no 5. What Jazz guys did is remove the 5th String from the Banjo & used it as what we now call a "Plectrum Banjo" which made it easier to play in Flat keys w/ Horns.
It takes Standard Guitar Strings, & the reason why it came with Acoustic Guitar Strings in the 1st place is so that the lower pitches (from the regular Low E & A Strings) have more punch. The body of the 6 String Banjo is a little bit thicker than a 5 String Banjo to help the lower pitches speak clearly, & you might not have even noticed it.
Rob Robson Electric Guitar strings will give you a true Banjo sound cause they're identical in material to Banjo Strings (Nickel Played Steel). This was originally used in Jazz because this made it easier to compete with the horns.
10:10 It sounds more like a Tenor Banjo (you can also have the A String be a .007 A4 same as a Tenor Banjo for a Tenor Banjo sound) when you strum because that's something you'd hear in a Dixieland Jazz setting. Dixieland Jazz guys would replace the 2 lowest Strings with thinner strings tuned either an Octave (or 2) higher to simulate the sound of a Tenor Banjo.
@UCgos2KUwFPVjGB1iNv3HLHA
I figured it out, the reason why the Banjitar leaves off the Drone String all together is because back in the 1920s & 30s before we had Guitar amps, we had Banjitars which made it easier for Guitarists to compete with the horns. What they usually do is they increase the body diameter by at least an inch. While it says 11 inches, the body is actually 11.5 inches so it's a bit larger & the Regular Low E & A Strings sound great on a larger body.
Happy Safe New Year & #StayHealthy.
Hi Rob Robinson you may wanna get a set of Electric Guitar Strings (Dunlap 7s) because they're Nickel Plated Steel and have a good Banjoey Low end. This type of Guitar Banjo can actually handle the lower pitches from the Regular Gauge Low E & A Strings because the body is actually a tad bit larger than a 5 String Banjo body.
This Banjo has a Terminator Tailpiece so you can use Guitar strings more easily. Nickel Wound Strings tend to Tarnish less, plus lower pitches sound great with fresh strings.
Hi Rob
Very interesting Banjos are more sophisticated than i thought. Good for the Ganjo.By the way its P radiata. Diolch !
J
Rock on!
Awesome and informative video…I picked one of these up recently and learned a lot from your presentation. Thank you! Any particular brand of strings you would recommend as the best for this instrument?
Hi Rockin' Vida, really nice to hear from you and glad my video was helpful. So, at the moment I still have four of the original strings on my ganjo. However, as you will have seen, I changed out the 5th and 6th strings for the 1st and 2nd strings for Ernie Ball Superslinky electric guitar 10s. A key thing that you may already know is that the strings exert a strong downward pressure through the bridge to the head. I find that from time to time I have to tighten the head to avoid fret buzz. So, this suggests that lighter gauge strings are going to be better. Maybe a full set of the Ernie Balls would be ideal but of course you would have to buy two sets to get the two extra top strings. BUT, here's another idea that I think I'm going for next full set change and that's to get a set of strings specifically for Nashville tuning. I would get D'Addario XL (EXL150H). The strings gauges look weird: 10, 14, 9, 12, 18, and 26. That's because the first two strings are normal 10s and the "lower" 4 strings are tuned an octave above normal. If you don't know about this tuning look it up. I think it could sound great and would exert a much lower overall downward pressure on the head. When I get them I'll make a short follow up video. Hope this helps
All the very best
Rob
@@robrobson7101 Thanks very much for your reply Rob! By all means, it would be great to see a follow-up video that discusses how the ganjo responds to the XL D’Addario set and if you are happy with that set up. Once again, your content is much appreciated! (Yes, I am familiar with Nashville tuning - but have never tried it on one of my guitars.) Best, Dan
Very cool video. Would you recommend buying a standard banjo or this one (and restringing the two strings as you demonstrated), for a long time guitarist looking just to get into banjo for a hobie
Hi zerosiii, thanks for the comment and question. This question of a real banjo or a ganjo? I guess the purist will say if you want to learn the banjo and get that banjo sound then buy a banjo. Then you're immediately into the next question 4 string or 5 string? What I wanted was to get that banjo sound but not have to learn a completely new stringing pattern and instead use the stringing and tunings already learned for the guitar. (I already play bouzouki, baritone and bass ukuleles, an oud and a lap top steel guitar so that's enough confusion for me! ) OK lazy, I know, but life is short and I never intended to make the banjo my primary instrument. As I said in the video, I was really unhappy with the dull plunky sound produced by the 5th and 6th strings on the Harley Benton Ganjo (and other ganjos I would think). It didn't have that typical banjo sound which is usually produced on a banjo by the resonator (4th or 5th) string. Hence my solution to use the two treble stings at 5 and 6. I think it sounds pretty good AND no one seems to notice I''m not playing a proper banjo that's because as a reasonably good finger picking guitarist I can reproduce the typical banjo "rolls" and sounds. So, for me a ganjo strung as I've done is perfect. Not only that but other solutions occur to me with a ganjo. For example you could remove one or two of the bass strings altogether and string and tune it as a 5 or 4 string banjo. Then you could reproduce the resonator string by putting a partial capo at the appropriate fret on the uppermost string. Then you would have a "proper" banjo which because all the rest is the same will sound indistinguishable from a proper banjo. Whereas you can't go from a 4/5 string banjo to a full guitar stringing.
Incidentally, I think I've had more interest in this RUclips video since I published it than any other of my vids. Nothing negative but lots of interesting ideas though and information about ganjos, tunings and their history.
Nice to hear from you and do please let me know what you decide.
All the best
Rob
Johnny St Cyr played one of these
After hearing the audio clips on Thomann's website I was unimpressed with the tone, but your string arrangement is much better, thanks.
Thanks Duderama. Appreciate the comment. Yes, it makes a real difference. One comment I had was to try Nashville tuning which is used in guitars as you probably know. It has lighter strings on the bottom 2 or 3 so should sort out the problem of the very very thuddy bass strings. I wonder if Harley Benton might think of selling an alternative strung version?
Nice to hear from you
All the best
Rob
@@robrobson7101 Actually the body of a 6 String Banjo is a tiny bit deeper than a 5 String Banjo so the low notes speak more clearly.
Actually the 6 String Banjo body is a bit deeper so the low notes speak better.
Thank you very much for this video
Thanks for your comment. It's much appreciated. Do you have this instrument or are thinking of buying one?
Thanks again
Rob
@@robrobson7101 I've just bought a Clearwater electro acoustic. I'm completely new to music and love the sound of the banjo so thought the six string was the way to go however didn't particularly like the thicker strings as it took the banjo sound away. This is why I love your video saying put the same strings on B and E string as on the 1st and 2nd string. This is what I will do. Rob are you on any social media sites as I'd love to follow you. One last thing,with the change of strings,would the tuning still be eadgbe?
@@slq3263 hi Sarah, thanks for your comment, Looks like you've got yourself a very nice instrument there especially with the humbucker pickup and controls.
Yes, the low strings just don't sound good do they. I think I've had more comments about this instrument than any others of my RUclipss. There are quite a few about stringing which have been very interesting and quite a few have said they'll switch into "my stringing". Now here's another idea that I was sent which is to fit a set of Nashville strings. So these 6 string sets are used in guitars to produce a very jangly almost 12 string sound. The set has normal 1st and 2nd strungs but strings 3,4,5 and 6 are light gauge and tuned an octave up. Haven't tried myself on a guitar or banjo yet but the thing is that you can buy a set whereas with my idea i have to buy a set and extra 1st and 2nd strings.
I'm not a big one for Social
Media though I do have a Facebook page . Some of my music (my CDs and a few songs a few with banjo e.g Billy Went Down) ) is free on the website if you google alonetone/rob robson.
Are you a Wolves supporter by any chance? My wife is from Codsall. We'll be going up there the w/e of March 12.
Anyway, I'll shut up. Very nice to hear from you.
All the best
Rob
@@robrobson7101 Rob I live in Bilbrook!! How crazy is that?!! Yes I'm a huge Wolves fan,my surname is Quick. Your wife may know my family. Thanks again for a great detailed reply. I love your videos
@@slq3263 That'a just amazing!! I sense duelling banjos coming on! We'll be in Bilbrook in Orchard Lane from the 12th of this. We could make a short RUclips video and compare the two ganjos. What do you think? roblynnrob1@gmail.com.
Very informative, thank you. Good idea, the high e and a. Ik might get one. They're not too expensive. How did you polish the frets, if I may ask?
Hi Dolf. Glad the video was helpful. To polish frets you can buy fret files (plenty on Ebay) but I like to make stuff so I made a good fret polisher starting with a piece of pine 20x3.5x2 cms. Then I cut a couple of small rectangles of 3 ply the size of the ends of the wood and screwed those to the ends with a couple of screws each end. These end bits can then be used to tightly trap strips of wet&dry paper to the thinnest side of the wood. I have a few of these with different grit wet&dry papers. This way I can sand along the edges of the fret board or even on top of the frets using a succession of mid to very fine grit papers. The length of the "sander" keeps everything perfectly flat. Works a dream.
@@robrobson7101 Thank you! I'm thinking of buying one because I am a lazy guitarist indeed. But I like that banjo sound. It's just for the fun of it, so I do not want to spend hundreds of euros. This might be a good choice. Have a good evening!
You may wanna try Thomastik KR116 Flatwounds which will save the frets from scratches. Interestingly the body of a 6 String Banjo tends to be a little bit larger & deeper than a 5 String Banjo & the lower notes (going down to an E2) take advantage of the bigger body.
Hi Oscar. Thanks for the comment. I hadn't heard of these strings or the maker before. I'll buy a set and try them. More intersting to me is that they can be used on a classical guitar because they are low tension. They will deal with string squeek and I could put an electromagnetic pickup across the sound hole. Really interesting option.
Maybe I'll make a RUclips on them when I install them.
Thanks again and all the best
Rob
@@robrobson7101 Correct those new Rope Core strings will give you an epic Jazz tone.
@@robrobson7101 The other great thing about these KR116 Flatwounds is that they have Silk Wound around both ends which protects them, & also the lower tension will allow the head to vibrate more freely. You might not have realized that the Body of a 6 String Banjo tends to be a little bit bigger & deeper than a 5 String Banjo which means it can better handle those low notes going down to an E2 plus it has that good old fashioned Dixieland Jazz sound which you might have heard from Johnny St Cyr who played w/ Louis Armstrong.
@@robrobson7101 That'll rock, & Jazz music would be a good match for that 6 String Banjo (going down to E2) cause these instruments allowed Guitarists to compete w/ those blazing loud horns before we had amplification.
@@robrobson7101 Yes KR116 Strings on a 6 String Banjo. BTW the 6 String Banjo was originally meant for Dixieland Jazz cause this goes back to the 1920s & 30s before we had amplification.
If we retuned the banjo to the open guitar G tuning (DGDGBD) then could standard 5-banjo rolls be used?
Hi Filipx.87, thanks for the question. Answer: I din't know partly because I'm not a 5-strung banjo player and don't do banjo rolls. So why don't you try the tuning you suggest and let me know how it goes. Maybe I should learn to do some banjo rolls (which I really like!).
Thanks again snd all the best,
Rob
Nice tune :) Do you recommend an acoustic electric 6 string banjo or just acoustic?
Hi AB, nice to hear from you. I guess it depends what you want to do. First, the banjo is a very loud instrument especially with the resonator on. The sound can really carry and even dominate other instruments without amplification in small venues. I have to use cloths inside and under the head (not mine, the banjo's!) to damp/soften the sound. However, if you're going to play in large venues then a pick up would be good rather than using a pencil mic. Some have piezo pickups on the drum head (you can fit these yourself easily if you buy just an acoustic banjo) and others have electromagnetic pickups often just under the head so you can't see them, Others have humbuckers or single coil electromagnetic pickups incorporated into the head and clearly visible. The latter kind are the most expensive. So it's according to what your needs are. Seems to me, if you buy an electroacoustic one you're covered, you don't necessarily need to have it plugged in. Hope this helps and thanks for the question.
All the best
Rob
I figured it out, the quality of the strings. If you use Electric Guitar Strings, you'll get a true Banjo sound due to the identical material.
Even with the low strings in standard tuning?
@@TheOutsider69 Yep. What they usually do is make the Rim of the 6 String Banjo a little bit deeper than on a 5 String Banjo so that the lower notes resonate better.
@@TheOutsider69 Thomastik Jazz Swing Strings could save the frets from scratches.
Yep,sz 10 electric strings are best
@UCgos2KUwFPVjGB1iNv3HLHA
If you take this Little Banjitar:www.amazon.com/Vangoa-String-Sapele-Beginners-Pick-up/dp/B07XGL92C8 & string it with Aquila 145C High E Standard Tuning Guitalele Strings (the Vangoa Mini Banjitar uses a Scale Length of 17 Inches just like a Guitalele):aquilacorde.com/en/shop/modern-instrument-string-sets/guitalele-guilele-en/high-e-tuning-guilele-guitalele/ then you have a whole new instrument that you can Pick Melodies on with Tremolo Picking, as well as Strum Chords that I call the "Melody Banjitar" or "Soprano Banjitar". It's a Mandolin Pitched Banjitar tuned like a Guitar but up an Octave in the Mandolin register. These Aquila 145C High E Tuning Strings are made out of Nylon (the Wound Strings are Stranded Nylon wound in Metal), & Nylon Strings are under really low tension so they're not going to put alot of pressure on the Head. Nylon Strings are also easy on the fretting hand while producing a big sound. The sound of your new Melody/Soprano Banjitar is exactally like the Melody Banjo:ruclips.net/video/ZLYB7ZsQFPw/видео.html&feature=emb_title which is basically a 4 String Mandolin Banjo (think Mini Tenor Banjo in Voice).
What brand of strings are you using, and what gauge strings are you using for the bass strings?
HI James, thanks for your interest and both comments. So in this video of the guitar/banjo I am using the top four (EBDG) D'Adddario phosphor bronze11-53s and then for the 5th and 6th strings I have used the first two (E,B) of an old set of the same strings tuned to A (5th) and E (6th) but one octave above the normal pitches for the 5th and 6th strings on a regular guitar. So this is reproducing the drone string of a 5 string banjo really well and of course I have two "bottom strings" sounding "high" too which adds to the impact. So this tuning enables you to play every chord you can play with the standard guitar tuning. I think this tuning is also called Nashville tuning for a guitar and you can just buy a set of strings for Nashville tuning. Now recently I've come to like the Monel Retro guitar strings Martin reintroduced not so long ago. I think these would sound even better as they are "sharper" and a bit louder to my ears than Phosphor Bronzes. Incidentally the strings that came with the guitar/banjo were pretty poor. So, one other thing to remember is if you are using strings that have more tension you will have to carefully very wind up the tension of the head of the banjo to keep the bridge up. Most people who hear me play this live can't believe it's a "ganjo" because I can do the rolls etc with this tuning. Hope this helps.
All the best
Rob
Django Reindhart played one of these when he was little just before his 3rd & 4th fingers were paralyzed.
I've got a 6 string banjo and also a 5 sting & also a 4 some time when I replace the string I put the old 1st at the 5 and tune it to g
Hi Stephen, thanks for the comment. That's an interesting idea. How did you come up with it? And does this mean that you keep the standard low E tuning on the 6th string? That's the worst sound on my ganjo which is why I replaced it with a high E 1st string.
All the best
Rob
@@robrobson7101 no I take off the 2 lowest stings and then play it like a 5 string all Earl Scruggs tunes work a long as you don't try to fret the 5 string only using it as a drone
@@stephenhunt572 hi Stephen, thanks for your reply. Ok I see what you're doing. Yes, I could see that would work well. But I'm a bit unclear because as you have and play other banjos but since you have these banjos what benefit do you get from the ganjo? I play the ganjo so I can access all the guitar tunings I usually play.
Rob
@@robrobson7101 I have no real benefit in doing it other then I just mess about I also so times do the same on my 6 string guitar then I get a much quieter and more mellow sound but I can play all my Scruggs tunes
@UCgos2KUwFPVjGB1iNv3HLHA
I found the problem the Low E & A Strings sound dull because they're in poor shape & should be replaced. Electric Guitar Strings have much better banjoey low end because they're nickel played steel. I hope that works.
Do you attach the resonator when using the soften cloth!
Hi Paul, nice to hear from you and thanks for the question. The short answer is no and in fact I’ve not had the resonator on again since I took it off. It’s such a loud instrument it can still dominate other acoustics instruments even with the cloths inside. So a drummer friend of mine suggest I fit an adjustable lever drum damper inside. I’ve just got the damper so have been working out how to fit it inside the banjo. Might have to take the head off. Not mine you understand! Will make a vid if it is effective.
All the best
Rob
Sounds very nice. Are you in standard tuning just like a standard guitar? And have you experimented with alternate tunings and/ or substituting a high E string in place of the low E string to sound more like the drone on a 5 string banjo?
Sorry, I just listened to the rest of your video and you explain all of this, thank you. How about a capo? Can you use a capo well on it? Do you use regular guitar chords with your modified bass strings?
Sorry James, didn't see your edited post till just now but I think there's a little more info in my reply. Yes you can use a capo and also you can do any kind of guitar tuning you like such as DADGAD, Drop D, Open D. They all work just fine....DADGAD is probably the best and you can access other keys using a capo.
@@robrobson7101 You can use a wide variety of Strings. I'm curious on what it would sound like with Thomastik KR116 Rope Core Strings.
@@RockStarOscarStern634 hi oscar. Thanks and good to hear from you. Interesting idea. Recently I put a set of these strings on a classical guitar. I'll be putting out a RUclips video reviewing them in a few days. Lovely strings: quite a bright sound but good for playing mediaeval type of music. A bit lute like. On a ganjo? Probably be very nice but they are on the expensive side.
All the best
Rob
@@robrobson7101 That Lute like sound might also be ideal for Baroque music by JS Bach especially in Eb Standard tuning (415 HZ is a good Modern Baroque pitch).
If you strum it, it sounds like a Tenor Banjo because of course the .007 A4 String is the same as a Tenor Banjo.
You can also have the A String be a .007 A4 (Same as a Tenor Banjo) for more of a Tenor Banjo sound.
Wow, thanks for all the comments and ideas Mr Stern! Some really interesting informatiin/ideas there! Will try electric guitar strings for strings 3 and 4. Are you a pro player!
@@robrobson7101 I'm a multi instrumentalist and the name is Oscar Stern. If you use Electric Guitar Strings for the 2 Lowest strings at the Normal Gauge and Octave, you could get a sound that you might recognize from the James Bond Movie and that'll pay tribute to Sean Connery who sadly died.
@@robrobson7101 If you remember they usually increase the body size by at least an inch to help the lower pitches resonate better. The Banjitar is actually like the plectrum Banjo (Tenor Banjo too) because it dosen't have a Drone String and is usually played with a pick. This instrument was actually developed in the days of Jazz before we had Guitar amps, and we needed to compete with the Horns. You can also use Nylon Classical Guitar Strings because you'll get a sound that's halfway between a Banjo and a Classical Guitar that's ideal for Wllie Nelson Music, and even Fernando Sor music.
@@robrobson7101 The name is Oscar Stern. You can use Electric Guitar Strings for a good Banjoey Low End (Dunlap 7s will work & those 3 Wound Strings for the D3 & A2 & E2 are very bouncy) because they're bouncy & Melodic. The James Bond Theme is a good one to play with the Regular Pitched & Gauged Low E & A:ruclips.net/video/eeuhXwvb3V8/видео.html
Is there a connection to attach a strap?
Hi Alastair, nice to hear from you and thanks for your question. No, there are no strap buttons on this instrument. Seems like banjos don't usually have them ? Anyway, you'll need to get a special banjo strap. The best ones have thin loops that you can attach to the metal clamps that hold down the banjo head. Some of these are made with fancy leather tooling. The one I have is simple and has clip-on hooks at the ends of a woven fabric strap. They clip onto the same head clamps. I recommend is a strap with a good width (at least 6-8cms) because this ganjo is really heavy and you don't want it cutting into your shoulder. I guess you take your choice depending on affordability. Thanks again for the question and all the best
Rob
@UCgos2KUwFPVjGB1iNv3HLHA
I found this guy:ruclips.net/video/vUHSH_onW7k/видео.html it's a BT-14 Large Bodied Banjitar. You can see the body isl larger than a Standard 5 String Banjo which helps the lower pitches work better, then we have this guy:ruclips.net/video/kWaCUC0f5TU/видео.html this 7 String Banjitar has the Low E String doubled up with another High E to give you a new "Double Octave Drone" making it sound bluesy. The body of this Banjitar is bigger than a 5 String Banjo to help the lower pitches resonate better. I find that the Guitar pitches on a Banjo would work better (down to E2) if the body was bigger by at least 15/16 of an inch.
It takes a Standard Set of Guitar Strings, & Electric Guitar Strings will give you the true Banjo sound due to the identical material.
Use an old wooden clothes peg on the bridge to reduce the volume 👍
That's a vey interesting comment. Where exactly? Pegged onto the side I assume? I'll certainty try this. Not such a talking point as underwear though! A drummer suggested I buy a drum damper to attach permanently inside the body. The degree of damping can be adjusted. I have one now but haven't quite figured out how to attach it but it looks like I'll have to take off the head...hmmmmm!!! If it works I'll make a RUclipsr and include your peg idea with credit to you Deebis!
All the best
Rob
It's cheating.
Bah.
But it does sound nice and clear...
I have yet to hear a good sounding modern guitar banjo. The old Vegas and Weymanns sound wonderful, modern guitar banjos sound awful.
Hi John, good to hear from you. I didn't know about the guitar banjos you talk about but from what I can see they are vintage and now difficult to find and expensive if you do find one. Is that right ? And what is it you find bad about the sound of modern versions? Could it be the players? I have put a new set of Martin Monel strings on mine and the sound is dramatically improved.
All the best
Rob