Best String Gauges for a 19 Fret Tenor?

[Dick Glasgow]

I tune my 19 Fret Banjo GDAE & I've just moved from a light gauge to medium gauge strings.

They are these ones - Eagle Newtone

As you'll see, the gauges are: 12, 18w, 28w, 38w.

I'm used to a slightly lighter E String, so I'm finding the E a little hard work, but I suppose I'll get used to it.

So what are your preferred gauges for the GDAE tuning on a 19 fret instrument?

Cheers
Dick

[Michael Keyes]

I used to think that you had to have specific gauges for long and short scale tenor banjos. But now I am much more of a believer in trying out different gauges and materiels to see what fits each individual banjo best. I had a 19 fret Paramount C that responded very well to bronze 36-12 and I have seen how Enda Scahill and others play light strings on their banjos. Other banjos require different string gauges and some banjos can take virtually anything including tuning down a standard 34-10 set.

Part of this is setup and preference due to style of play. My banjos are all over the place as to how I set them up and since I seem to have a ton of single strings from various deals, I am able to try out a lot of setups. I mostly look at what works best for the G string first and move on to the other strings, but even them I can sometimes change the bridge and get a good sounding G string with lighter strings. Some of my banjos are less playable than others and I tend to use lighter strings on those instruments.

My strings have varied from 36 to 48 on the G string on 19 fret instruments. Mostly I use 40-44 (G string) in bronze and nickel plate but I change all the time depending on what I want to get out of my instrument. My test bed is a standard Gibsonoid Masterclone that I made and it is capable of taking a wide variety of strings and setups. Right now it has 42-12 bronze strings with an ebony/sunken wood bridge and a Five Star head tensioned at 91 on my DrumDial. If I change to a Purpleheart/maple bridge it becomes very loud and more treble. If I use a purpleheart/canary wood bridge with less tension (85-87) it is much more mellow. All of the setting are pleasant to my ear (the loud one not so much to my session mates) and are very playable.

I think there is a lot you can do with strings to set the tone of your banjo, but you also have to take into account your other setup variables.

[Skavaka]

I use the D'Addario J80 Octave mandolin strings. Phosphor-Bronze, loop end, gauges 12, 22, 32, 46. Heavy for most, but I like the fat tone on the G.  Also you buy one set and get 8 strings. Makes my Mastertone big and beefy when you need to be heard.

[Bruce Barton]

I've also been using the Newtone Phosphor Bronze with 18w, 28w and 38w, but with 11 for the E for my Epi Rec A 19-fret and find them just about right. I like 'em. I've also tried the same in nickel wound, but I think the PB has a "warmer" sound. I also have a 17-fret TB and find these strings a bit light -- I'd like to try the D'Addario J80s suggested by Skavaka.

[George Mc Cullough]

Hi Dick,I use the same make but buy them as singles from Eagle Music on line.

I keep with a 9 on the E as you say it gets hard work any higher.

9, 18 F/Bronze 28. and 38 but on some banjos up the third and fourth to 30.40

George