How to Put Nylon or Nylgut Strings on a Banjo

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Here's the easiest way to restring your banjo with nylon or gut strings. I'm using Aquila Nylgut "Classic Banjo" strings and an 1888 Luscomb banjo; however, the process is basically the same on any vintage banjo, whether you're using gut, nylgut, nylon, fluorocarbon, or fishing line.
If you have a modern instrument like the Deering "Goodtime," a Pisgah banjo, Recording King, or Gold Tone, I recommend trying La Bella No. 17 nylon strings instead. These are lighter and more likely to fit without having to widen the nut slots.
The best USA-made bridges for gut and nylon strings are made by Joel Hooks: www.banjothimble.com/
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How to restring your banjo; how to change banjo strings; change the strings on your banjo; how to put nylon strings on a banjo; how to restring a banjo; the best way to change strings on a banjo; easiest way to string your banjo; how to replace banjo strings; restringing your banjo; S.S. Stewart tailpiece tail piece...
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Clifton Hicks banjo heritage, luthier, luthiery, instrument repair, banjo setup, set up, string gauge, restringing, classic banjo, classical banjo, ragtime, guitar style, historical, outlaw old-time music, overhand, clawhammer tablature, two finger tab, thumb lead, 2 finger, frailing and stroke styles plus Appalachian mountain murder ballad hoedown and early minstrel show techniques. History, anthropology, folklore, research and musicology including breakdowns, Oldtime banjo old time close ups demonstrations blues, waltz, skiffle, tin pan alley, Afro-Caribbean and West African, Cajun zydeco, Métis, Creole, Melungeon indigenous native American music traditions. Folk art, asmr, relaxation, calming, meditation, chill, trance. Mountain music, southern culture, dark folk, murder ballad. George Gibson, Ernie Williams, Cousin Emmy, Dock Boggs, Rufus Crisp, Virgil Anderson, Lily May Ledford, Roscoe Holcomb, Unknown Henson, Tab Ward, Frank Proffitt, Riley Baugus, Tommy Jarrell, Kyle Creed, Lee Sexton, Morgan Sexton, Lead Belly, Pete Steele, Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, Leroy Troy, JD Crowe, Rising Appalachia, Clarence Ashley, Fred Cockerham, Dwight Diller, Gaither Carlton, John Snipes, Dink Roberts, Clifford Essex, Joe Sweeney, Archibald Ferguson, Dan Emmett, John Hartford, Picayune Butler, Gus Cannon, Art Rosenbaum, Coon Creek Girls, Grandpa Jones, Snuffy Jenkins, Buell Kazee, Bascam Lamar Lunsford, Uncle Dave Macon, Tommy Makem, Luke Kelly, Charlie Poole, Ola Belle Reed, BF Shelton, Rhiannon Giddens, Billy Whitlock, Hobart Smith, Samantha Bumgarner, Peggy Seeger, Mike Seeger, Jean Ritchie, Dom Flemons, Ralph Stanley, music tutorial, Odell Thompson, Wade Ward, Hedy West, Fred McDowell, poor white trash, Steve Earle, Del McCoury Band, Clifton Hicks, Stanley Hicks, Dee Hicks, Dirk Powell, Enoch Rutherford, Ray Hicks, Mabel Cawthorn, Florie Stewart, Maybelle Carter Family, Uncle Homer Walker, Mississippi John Hurt old time, folk, Riley Baugus, Gillian Welch, trad roots picker redneck songster troubadour minstrel medicine show tent revival hoedown, Americana, Morgan Sexton, Lee Sexton, Clyde Troxell, Blanche Coldiron, Black Banjo Songsters, Banjo Bill Cornett, clawhammer banjo.

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9 авг 2020

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Комментарии : 131

@XRing45 3 года назад

Thanks Clifton, My first adventure with nylon strings is a success... Nylon is way more fun.

@DaniotheManio5 3 года назад

Thank you Clifton for being my teacher and guide through this amazing world of old-time American heritage. It has been such a joy learning from and listening to you. You really share a part of you in all of your videos and it has made you feel almost like a friend. I'm excited to continue learning with you and share this banjo heritage with others too.

@bryanlentz7160 Год назад

Same here! I really enjoy learning about banjo history

@jaynebrookes1904 3 года назад

Hi all, my dad is teaching me how to play the banjo via ZOOM as we don't live near each other. He is an amazing musician and self taught. I have just purchased an original SAVANA open back banjo as my 1st and dad sent me La Bella strings. He also recommends following your good-self on learning and playing, so thank you for making this look easy to follow & wish me luck. :0) Edit... Over 3 hours, much cursing & frustration i have now completed this. :0)

@Avocado7765 Год назад

I just added nylon strings today, wish I’d seen this video, it took me about two and a half hours and I snapped a string and had a hell of a time tying the little knots but it sounds great.

@RockStarOscarStern634 2 года назад

That Lower Tuning is Down a Minor third from the Modern 5 String Banjo and Pete Seeger used this lower tuning which allowed him to sing in a lower key

@itsobvious5835 3 года назад

Clifton, this info is priceless. I have learned a lot from you. Thanks Again, Nate

@horsedrawnfarmer6885 3 года назад

I love your videos and your style of playing. Thanks.

@mikerucker9305 3 года назад

Thanks Clifton, am in the process of restringing two of my banjos with nylon. Appreciate the lesson.

@toadeepants 3 года назад

Great tutorial, thanks as always, Clifton.

@prestonlloyd4520 3 года назад

Thanks Chris. I love your videos. I play an 1894 S.S. Stewart banjo that I have restored. It was strung with steel strings for many years before I got it. I had to reset the neck because it was slightly bowed. I have a Goldtone CC banjo also but I love to play the S.S. Stewart the most. I also have the same bridge and tailpiece. Great video. I love to watch you play.

@vinsamson8061 Год назад

Great video Clifton thanks as have just got my first couple of vintage nylon strung 🪕🤘banjos

@garycowger9579 3 года назад

Clif I started using Nylon about 9 months ago and once they quite stretching they stay in tune and boy do I love the sound I use them on My fretless banjo's now and I think I will never go back to steel thanks for the info , keep on pickin Brother

@maineguitarists Год назад

Very nicely done! As a guitarist for years i have always wanted to play banjo. I have an antique buckbee on it's way and it already has nylon strings on it and is set up nicely. Although i'm pretty good at fingerstyle guitar on steel and classical, i will give the frailing technique a try. I love the calm dulcet tones you get and being a history major also wanted an older instrument and will want to learn some old American tunes. So glad to have found your videos. I'm very impressed with your playing and singing. MT

@Mo11y666 3 года назад

You're a brave soul using that match haha

@jakeglanville6835 2 года назад

Dear Clifton Hicks, I've been a fan of yours ever since I first found you on RU-vid many years back. Apart from your singing and playing where I would rate you my No.1 favourite living banjo player, you produce some really useful stuff like this video. I've been using Nylgut strings for many years and prefer them to steel any day -but that of course is simply a matter for the individual. I play English zither-banjos all of which are over 120 years old, and almost everything you advocate is the way I've always done it and it's good to know I've been following in the footsteps of the great master (that's you!) quite independently. I sometimes tune to full pitch, but like you I sometimes de-tune to a lower one, to avoid stressing the banjo. As you know the tuners on a zither banjo are different to old American banjos and are almost always geared. I find it unnecessary to knot the string before putting it through the hole in the tuning peg. I just wind the string around the tuner tube a couple of times before pushing it through the hole. The strings have never slipped, and the banjos stay in tune very well indeed. I'm lousy at knots, so I just thought I'd mention it! Black Jake of Norwich, England.

@Gedagnors 3 года назад

Wow! Thank you so much! I did not know that and it is great advice!

@fingal42 2 года назад

Very useful - thanks, Clifton. I have an English Windsor zither banjo, made in Birmingham UK, and I'm thinking of putting a set of nylon strings on it. Mainly because (and I think this is right) Windsor didn't bother to include a truss rod in its neck, so with metal strings, it's more like an egg slicer than a banjo: I mean, the action is too high. The tailpiece on my Windsor requires a loop, so I just use a simple angler's knot for that.

@corticallarvae 2 года назад

You’ve mentioned Joel hooks several times in your videos, I can tell this is a serious preference your

@corticallarvae 2 года назад

Such useful information here

@kyndramb7050 3 года назад

Great thumbnail! I watch all your videos anyway, but that thumbnail really caught my attention.

@CliftonHicksbanjo 3 года назад

O good! I'd hoped it would be eye-catching.

@blaisegirl420 3 года назад

this was posted on my birthday

@ingersollmusicacademy2698 3 года назад

Super Groovy Dude.

@pamt6829 3 года назад

Thank you 👍

@guitzanin 3 года назад

Thanks!

@MySpottyGirlfriend 2 года назад

There's no need for gut strings, we're past that. Great video man ✌️

@jakeglanville6835 2 года назад

Your J W Hooks bridge looks remarkably like the Clifford Essex bridge for zither banjos I use on all of mine. Some have a raised bit for the 5th string, which I've found very useful for clawhammer. The problem of breaking strings, and mine always break when nothing's happening i.e. overnight when the banjo isn't being played or tuned, can be resolved by not being in too much of a hurry. Give your Nylgut strings a good 8 hours to settle in, Having made sure all grooves are smooth and strings able to move easily, the trick is to dislodge them from their grooves in the top nut and tune them in stages. When you've got them almost there, about three bars under on your electronic tuner, pop them back into the groove for the final bit, I've just fitted Nylgut strings to my Windsor Artiste and Cammeyer zb's with no sign of breakage gCGBD with the 'C' an octave below Middle 'C' i.e. f

@RockStarOscarStern634 3 года назад

Nylon Strings also break less easily than Gut Strings.

@robynlatham6451 3 года назад

Very nice

@professorbootycheeks1 3 года назад

yeah baby!

@paulgrady4183 3 года назад

Hi brother just wanted to say I love your video's and watching you play it's amazing how easy you make it look, I've been playing for 4 month's now and I'm hooked,I've been sober now 16 months and I was telling my sponsor I'd love to play the banjo and he said do it, so I bought the only left handed banjo I could afford an old ozark with a resonator so I took the resonator off and Ive played it every day. I've been looking for a 12" open back but I've only got around £500 to spend I've looked around for weeks now and the only one really is the deering americana and I was thinking of getting the shop put a no knot tail piece and nylgut strings on for me because I love the old time sound, I would love any advice thanks, stay safe and keep smiling brother x

@CliftonHicksbanjo 3 года назад

If you're tuning your banjo up to standard G tuning, I recommend using La Bella No. 17 nylon strings. These are actually superior to the Aquila Nylgut strings, and often cheaper. The only reason I use the heavier nylgut is because, as a singer, I am forced to drop-tune my instruments two frets, meaning that instead of tuning my banjo to gDGBD, I _always_ down-tune to fCFAC, in order to match my singing voice. The La Bella strings don't perform as well as the Aquila strings when playing in lower tunings.

@paulgrady4183 3 года назад

Thanks brother 👍

@farnorthpicker56 Год назад

Love your stuff Clifton! I have an old Framus. I’m thinking about pulling the frets to make it fretless. Also, what would be a suitable tail piece for nylgut strings? I’d appreciate any advice you could give me, or your thoughts on my plans. Thanks for all the info, great old time music and beautiful antique banjos you show us! Best wishes from Northern Canada

@UncleSamWantsBanjoPlayers 3 года назад

Hey, Clif! I really appreciate this video. I think a lot of us are "experimenting" with nylgut. There's one more problem maybe you could address. It's when you tighten the strings up - you get way too many coils around the pegs. Any ideas on solving that?

@CliftonHicksbanjo 3 года назад

I start with the strings already pretty tight before I start winding. Also, it's better to have too many coils than too few!

@harvdog5669 Год назад

@@CliftonHicksbanjo hello mr.hicks, I am looking for somebody to play a Resenator Banjo with nylon strings to see how that sounds and play it claw hammer style. Would love to see a video on this from you. Thankyou.

@user-sx3sz1yd3j 3 месяца назад

Sure wish you had someone to film you doing that.

@curtissmolen4411 3 года назад

What makes a bridge better for nylon as opposed to steel strings? I would love to see a video on the thimble pick.

@CliftonHicksbanjo 3 года назад

Nylon strings are wider than steel strings, so they require a bridge with slightly wider string slots. Also, a solid maple bridge will sound much better than a modern bluegrass bridge with it's characteristic ebony "cap" running along the top. When using nylons, the ebony cap is unnecessary and only serves to mute the strings.

@gausscone 2 года назад

I came across that same website looking for alternative banjo bridges! Incidentally, for banjo ukuleles, which use non-metal strings. Funny unusual trick about burning the ends into a ball. It makes sense, but personally, the fire came too close to the string at the peghead for my comfort... I figure most people can relate, to say nothing of bringing fire anywhere near their delicates. Have you ever considered fluorocarbon strings? By no means a recommendation, just a logical connection to nylon strings.

@Hopeful_Wanderer 2 года назад

Thanks so much (as always!) I've just put Nyguts on mine, I'm scared of snapping them if I try to tune too tight, I'm struggling to know if I'm in the correct octave when tuning... They seemed really really loose, but if I try to go up to the next octave it feels like I could break them ..hmmmmmmmm

@Boldten 2 года назад

I just put my first set of nylguts on and am wondering the same. Did you go for the next octave?

@richardfalls5633 3 года назад

Hello Clifton have you ever heard a Recording King RK-OT 25 BR Madison strung up with nylon, if so how did it sound

@TimDonk 3 года назад

I've heard the sentiment more than once, so I have to chime in/question it. Are animals being slaughtered specifically for gut strings, or (more likely) are gut strings simply made from byproducts of the slaughter?

@jonwheatley6047 3 года назад

they were already slaughtered. well, even banjo players have to eat

@davideddy2672 3 года назад

I’ve found the Cat Rescue to be a great source of gut strings and skins - all you want for a small donation, couple of tins of food and a bag of biscuits! 😊

@WoodBilly53 Год назад

I like Aquilla Red mediums Nylon

@CliftonHicksbanjo Год назад

The red string _always_ breaks on me. Sometimes while I'm stringing it.

@uncommonsensewithpastormar2913 Год назад

That match trick is pretty cool, although I don’t know how necessary it is. If a string is slipping that much, I would take the string off and put it on again long before it reaches the end. Still, I think I’ll start doing the match trick any way purely for the “cool” factor.

@nathanielrossi9659 3 года назад

Mr. Clifton, What are some good cheap/not much money bridges for heavier nylon strings?

@CliftonHicksbanjo 3 года назад

Joel Hooks makes the best banjo bridges available in the U.S. for nylon strings: www.banjothimble.com/

@NemoNepersonne 3 года назад

Animals aren’t actually butchered to make gut strings. The guts are leftovers being put to good use.

@fennarios 3 года назад

Animales get butchered for 5 minutes of pleasure either way

@Mo11y666 3 года назад

Have you tried the Aquila classic red? And has anyone ever mix matched any of these companies like La Bella to Aquila so on and so fourth and how they blend. Mix matching while staying in the same string gauge that is..

@CliftonHicksbanjo 3 года назад

I'm sure people have mixed & matched every conceivable string combination. Most serious traditional/early/classic banjoists just stick with "La Bella No. 17 Nylon" strings--these are the closest cheap strings to what most music companies offered 1880-1930. The _real_ snobs, however, order custom diameter single strings directly from La Bella, and that way can achieve the exact mix they're after. Even snobbier folks order custom diameter fluorocarbon strings, or true gut from classical music suppliers like Gamut Inc. As for Aquila's red series strings, I strongly advise you to avoid them like the plague! I have tried several sets, and _every_ time the red strings broke before I could even get one song out of them. Terrible product, in my experience.

@Mo11y666 3 года назад

@@CliftonHicksbanjo well shit..guess this conversation would have been more of a yesterday thing. I got a pair today not knowing A. They are even red. B. The 4th isn't wound. C. I got them wanting to try something alittle different and the description on these strings were saying they are supposed to be alittle brighter and more precise tones within each string compared to others. Ill string em up here later on. Already paid for so why not at least give em hell. Before I did was curious of you or anyone else who has used them and what they thought of them.

@garberwarren 3 года назад

Clifton, how aggressive can you be with the tuning? I have tried the nulgut reds and the ones in the gold package you show. The last time I spent three days getting them up to tune. Just a little bit more tension each day. Every time I try to tune to G, C or D the high D string will always snap. I have smoothed the tail piece, nut and the bridge. I even tried using the second string from another pack as the first string. It still snapped. I am new to this but I really love the way my banjo sounds with the nylon strings just frustrating when they break. Thank you for all of the videos they are all very informative and I look forward to every one of them.

@CliftonHicksbanjo 3 года назад

Warren, I've really only experienced the plain white nylguts breaking on instruments with new nuts, tailpieces, pegs, &c. As I've mentioned before, the "red series" strings are notorious for breaking, no matter what one does. It may just be that I _never_ tune Aquila nylguts up past fCFAC--I really don't enjoy the sound or feel of the strings when tuned up to gDGBD. If you're tuning the instrument up to gDGBD or higher, then you should be using "La Bella No. 17 Nylon" strings instead. These strings are better quality, often cheaper that nylgut, and are designed to play in standard gCGBD & gDGBD tunings.

@garberwarren 3 года назад

Clifton Hicks thanks for taking the time to respond I really appreciate the input. I ordered two sets of the 17’s I am a beginner and most of the online instruction and cord shapes are in either open G, C or D so I have to tune up to those. Thanks again and have a great day.

@maddogmorgan1 3 года назад

@@garberwarren Chord shapes stay the same if you tune down as long as it is relatively tuned eg: GDGBD --> FCFAC

@Leo1903able 3 года назад

I understand that one should use the Bella #17 Nylon strings for a Goodtime banjo. If the banjo has a resonator, would it be OK to leave it on for better projection of sound?

@CliftonHicksbanjo 3 года назад

I always recommend leaving the resonator on. A resonator banjo with nylon strings and a solid maple bridge sounds great.

@PermacultureAppalachia Год назад

👍👍

@JD-rp1fx 2 года назад

I went to put nylguts on a 1908 fairbanks white laydie no. 2 banjo but the 3rd and 4th are too thick to sit in the nut. Since it's a vintage instrument i don't want to mess around with filing the nut. It has the original friction tuners and currrently light gauge steel strings, but hard to keep in tune. What would the original factory strings have been? Any suggestions on good replacement strings?

@CliftonHicksbanjo 2 года назад

La Bella No. 17 nylon strings are closest to the 19th century factory strings.

@kylemorrison8460 2 года назад

How do you feel about aquila red series banjo strings?

@BIG.FUN-BANJO Месяц назад

I have not been able to find a video on tuning nylgut or nylon banjo strings. Any suggestions!

@bluesblabber 3 месяца назад

Hello Clifton, I just recently bought myself an Oscar Schmidt OB4-AU Banjo, and I'm wondering whether I can just put nylon strings on it without replacing the bridge / tailpiece / or the 5th string tree (I hope you get what I meant by the 5th string tree). I would really appreciate your help or anyone here who knows. Thank you very much in advance!

@alanstarbuck5203 Год назад

Hi , I have a 4 string 17 fret tenor banjo which i have altered the tuning to the same as a ukulele/banjolele but have steel strings on it, can you tell me if its possible to put nylon strings on to get the same tuning, gCAE and if so which ones

@dannychetwode949 3 года назад

did he mention the 5th string?

@jwscience9897 3 года назад

I have a cheap fender bluegrass banjo that I am in the thought processes of converting it into an old timey clawhammer style banjo. So far my ideas are to scoop out a section of the fretboard for playing, switching out a nylon head for a skin head and putting nylon strings on it. I like that lower key that you can get from the nylons with a skin head. My only fear is the frets not being made for that key and hoping it doesnt go too far out of tune. Do you know anyone who has ever converted a resonator (bluegrass) banjo into a clawhammer style banjo? I plan on keeping the resonator on just out of curiosity and personal flavor.

@CliftonHicksbanjo 3 года назад

No need to alter the banjo beyond _maybe_ having to widen the nut slots in order to accept nylon strings. Many of the real "old time" banjo players of yesteryear played unmodified resonator banjos: Dock Boggs, Lee Sexton, Morgan Sexton, Charlie Poole, Wade Ward, Dave Macon, Grandpa Jones, Stringbean, Ralph Stanley, Gus Cannon, Phoebe Parsons, Creed Birchfield, Cousin Emmy, George Pegram, Ed Teague, Guy Bruce, Mabel Cawthorn, Dink Roberts, Lawrence Eller, and many others.

@HiNinqi 3 месяца назад

Has La Bella made thicker vague strings to compete with Aquila yet?

@Heathharris508 2 года назад

Just got another banjo that was made in the 1810s or something like that idk what kind but is there away I can send you a photo?

@mikegager 3 года назад

hey clifton, any advice on how tight to get the head for good sound?

@CliftonHicksbanjo 3 года назад

Mike, the bluegrassers (and maybe the classic pickers as well) will tell you to "tune" the head to the same pitch as the banjo. In essence: if you tune the banjo up to standard gDGBD tuning, then flick the head, the ringing sound produced by the drum should produce a G note. I almost always down-tune to fCFAC, so (by their logic) I'd tighten or loosen the head until it produced an F note when flicked. I think this is a good rule-of-thumb, but in truth their is so much variance in material/quality/condition of banjo heads that I don't use this method myself. It really depends on the player and the instrument. I used to prefer a loose calfskin head, but lately I have switched to a Remo frosted head which I keep very tight.

@mikegager 3 года назад

@@CliftonHicksbanjo thanks clifton i will give it a try!

@stewartapplegath2783 5 месяцев назад

I've been enjoying your videos- watched this one today, as I was wondering about changing my Goodtime to nylon/ Nylgut strings- could you comment on the following quote from a Deering rep I received today?? "Our Goodtime Americana banjo is designed for light gauge steel strings, so we always recommend those as the standard strings to be used on the Americana. While some people will swap them out for nylon strings, It would be recommended to keep an eye on the neck for any unwanted movement that could occur from the difference in tension that those strings provide compared to the standard light gauge steel strings." Was wondering whether this is a legit worry, and as a newbie, whether I would notice such "movement" before it became a problem? Do I really have much to worry about with the nylon strings you mention (Bella etc for Goodtime)?? Thanks for the Videos- love seeing that woodstove in the background!

@CliftonHicksbanjo 5 месяцев назад

If the banjo neck goes wobbly from having nylon strings installed, that means the neck-to-rim joint is loose. Deering is a very dishonest company that builds very mediocre instruments.

@stewartapplegath2783 5 месяцев назад

This makes sense-thanks for the quick response! For future purposes, if you were starting again, what would be your go-to choice for a starter banjo that was the same cost (or less) of a Deering Goodtime? That would be good enough quality to give you some room to learn and enjoy with good sound, even if you wanted to move up or change to a conversion/ better-quality instrument later on? @@CliftonHicksbanjo

@CliftonHicksbanjo 4 месяца назад

I try to steer people toward Gold Tone. They currently offer the best balance between price and value.

@stewartapplegath2783 4 месяца назад

Thanks for taking the time. Fascinating to see all of the banjos you play! I look forward to digging deeper into your catalogue. @@CliftonHicksbanjo

@stewartapplegath2783 4 месяца назад

Could you please confirm whether or not there is still space in your course? You mentioned 1000 on the wait list, but that you only wanted to deal with 50 at a time.. thanks@@CliftonHicksbanjo

@banjoboy01 6 месяцев назад

hello, in your opinion what makes the La Bella a "superior string"? more of a banjo twang response? I can see how the nylgut would be warmer sounding especially tuned lower

@CliftonHicksbanjo 6 месяцев назад

Nylgut sounds dull and muted to me. La Bella strings sound and feel more like real gut strings. It's also difficult to find Nylgut in appropriate gauges; most are way heavier than anything used by 19th-century banjoists. The only type of Nylgut I recommend are the 1892 "New Nylgut" sets, which are actually copied from old gut strings.

@banjoboy01 6 месяцев назад

thanks so much, I'm experimenting with Aquila nylgut on a homemade lute and I had to swap out the lower course bass strings to something wound because they were so fat and dull. real gut is not an option at this point. I switched my jo to nylon this year for xmas (aquila) my songbook is half bluegrass and half clawhammer, made sense to me. cheers@@CliftonHicksbanjo

@banjoboy01 6 месяцев назад

one more thing, did they really use cats? because in the lute world it means "cattle"@@CliftonHicksbanjo

@corticallarvae 2 года назад

Appalachian musicology should have always looked Like this

@barbarajacobs5549 5 месяцев назад

What if you have a “no-knot” tailpiece ? Would you illustrate making the knot for that?

@CliftonHicksbanjo 5 месяцев назад

No need to tie a knot on those. You wrap the string under itself. There are instructions.

@barbarajacobs5549 5 месяцев назад

I will look for that, unless you show it somewhere. Thanks.

@barbarajacobs5549 5 месяцев назад

@@CliftonHicksbanjo thank you that worked. 🙏

@mikew3194 6 месяцев назад

Hey folks, I'm trying to put these same strings on what was a steel string with metal tailpiece and pegs. The 1st string keeps snapping before I can get it close to tuned, and I even tried using a thicker blue/2nd string in that place with the same result. I've read about stretching them bit by bit, and working it into tune that way. The ends of the strings are angled, which makes me think it could also be a rough point on the tail piece cutting them. Help please and thank you!

@CliftonHicksbanjo 6 месяцев назад

It is probably a rough spot on the tailpiece. Use a thin drill bit wrapped in fine sandpaper to smooth out all the contact points on the tailpiece.

@mikew3194 6 месяцев назад

@@CliftonHicksbanjo Will do, thanks for the response and merry christmas.

@stephgaspardquagliata4086 3 года назад

It seems that Aquila change their nylgut strings in "new nylgut strings" are they really differents, have you try these?

@CliftonHicksbanjo 3 года назад

There's a "new" nylgut now? I have _not_ tried them. After the "red series" fiasco and general lackluster performance of regular nylgut, there's certainly room for improvement.

@stephgaspardquagliata4086 3 года назад

@@CliftonHicksbanjo I found many references for classical and minstrel banjo ("new nylgut", "super nylgut"...), curiously not on the Aquila website but on many retailer's websites.

@rosemariek2309 Год назад

Can I tune to GCAE ?

@debrasue2793 2 года назад

anyone have any hard opinions on regular aquila vs aquila reds? i can't tell if it's just an aesthetic difference or if they're supposed to have different sound qualities.

@CliftonHicksbanjo 2 года назад

Personally, I have learned to avoid Aquila Red Series strings. Those red strings are so soft, you can break them with your bare hands. I've never had a red string last very long. Aquila Nylgut 5B (heavier) or La Bella No. 17 Nylon (lighter) are the two I use.

@debrasue2793 2 года назад

@@CliftonHicksbanjo thanks for the info!

@yeshualyon5329 3 года назад

Is it possible to retrofit a modern banjo to use nylon strings?

@CliftonHicksbanjo 3 года назад

Yes. Many modern banjos will accept "La Bella No. 17 Nylon" without altering the nut. You will, however, have to get a bridge made specially for gut/nylon strings. I recommend ordering one from BanjoThimble.com

@duncangibb123 3 года назад

I recently put nylon strings onto my deering goodtime americana - a steel strung modern instrument, and I'm not too precious about it. All I needed to do was smooth the nut notches (they were big enough already, so it was just smoothing it out with 600 or 1000 grit aandpaper). I also sanded down the notches on the bridge so that the fatter strings are about half in the slot. All I needed was sandpaper folded onto itself to take off a small amount of material, and then just smoothing that with 600+ grit paper. I didnt do anything with the tailpiece as its was pretty smooth chrome so I figure its smooth enough and I didnt want to damage the chroming.

@duncangibb123 3 года назад

Obv if you have a more expensive or historic instrument you may want to look at higher quality solutions for the nut and bridge...!

@Leo1903able 3 года назад

@@duncangibb123 What do you mean by "I'm not too precious about it"? Are you saying that you are not happy with the sound after replacing your Goodtime Americana with nyon strings. Did you replace your strings with the brand that Clifton recommends...the La Bella No. 17?. I have a Goodtime II and am considering switching to nylon to get the more "old time" sound but wanted to tap into other experiences if possible before ordering.

@duncangibb123 3 года назад

Hi Leo - to clarify, by saying not too precious I mean that when I did it I wasn't too worried about damaging the nut or bridge and requiring buying new ones. If I had a vintage instrument then I would have been more worried about damaging the instrument as it was my first time doing it. I actually used the Aquila Nylgut medium gauge that Clifton uses here rather than the Labelles as I did it a few days ago before this video. I tune up to the standard G unlike Clifton who says he is usually a full step down from this. I'm very happy with the results and the sound of the instrument! There is a difference in both left and right hand feel when making the switch which takes a bit of getting used to, but if you have the fundamental muscle memory then it is just a slight tweak in your technique. In an ideal world I would like to have a second banjo with steel strings as they offer a different benefits. Overall I am very happy with the result - and ultimately if I didn't like the result I could easily switch back to steel

@Popcorn_Kernel 3 года назад

i use labella strings and i tune to long neck banjo tuning I don't remember what that was

@Popcorn_Kernel 2 года назад

I also have a different prosses at the tuners but id need to show via video as its hard to explain

@Atalanta1313 3 года назад

How far do you down tune it to?

@CliftonHicksbanjo 3 года назад

Usually just one octave. So my standard gDGBD tuning is _actually_ in the neighborhood of fCFAC. I usually tune by ear to my own voice, so it's not exact. I have noticed that after a few hours of playing and tuning by ear, when checked with an electric tuner, that my ear-tuning sometimes creeps up as high as F#, but I _never_ tune all the way up to G.

@SkeeterMcBeater Год назад

Do they really kill an animal for the gut & throw the rest away? That's what you're making it sound like.

@johncohen4996 3 года назад

No need to use a match... just tie a simple self-tightening knot at the pegs.

@CliftonHicksbanjo 3 года назад

Sure. But the lit match makes for great click-bait, no?

@elijahbruton2136 2 года назад

Yes lol

@rob-cooks Год назад

you don't butcher an animal to make a few strings. It actually makes more sense, the animal they slaughter for meat gets used in its entirety. You know large companies will slaughter animals no matter what we do. Even after their short life, they still live in the songs you play; a tribute to them if you will.

@theeclecticbanjo Год назад

Great tutorial, loved the bits about pushing strings down on tuner shafts and melting ends. And nice politically correct gender comment at end (not that I care)!