Grandpa's banjo came to live with me yesterday...

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa

If you're set on tuning in fifths and working with mandolin and guitar, you might want to consider staying with traditional CGDA tenor banjo tuning: IME Irish tuning tends to clash with the guitar's low end once you get down on the G and D strings (with not enough distinction of timbre to keep it from getting muddy), and the fact that traditional tenor tuning is a fifth below the mandolin allows for the same relationship as the violin/viola in a string quartet, as well as lending clarity if you're into harmonized double-lead lines...

There's also the alternative I suggested of drop-G tenor uke tuning, which not only provides you with a different-timbre solo instrument in approximately the same register as the mandolin but offers the convenience of virtually zero learning curve; here's an example with Chuck Romanoff of Schooner Fare (who turned me on to this tuning) on drop-G tenor banjo:

You Gotta Love Schooner Fare--Thanks, Steve!

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

You gotta love Schooner Fare--Thanks, Steve!

My pleasure - FWIW I've been a fan for 40 years: found out about them by way of Pete Fornatale's "Mixed Bag" Sunday-morning acoustic-music show on WNEW-FM radio (NYC) in the early-80's, when he was playing their "Alive" album in its entirety. First song I ever heard was "Day of the Clipper" which, upon hearing Steve Romanoff's driving 12-string rhythm and the late Tom Rowe's virtuosic bass line, led me to believe that ex-Gordon Lightfoot/Jim Croce bassist John Stockfish had joined/formed a new band and gone out on the road - turns out I wasn't too far off as all three were major Lightfoot fans, and they freely admit to his influence on "Clipper" (among others); BTW another excellent example of Chuck Romanoff's deft drop-G tenor banjo work, coming through loud and clear on this live recording:



BTW another excellent example of Chuck Romanoff's deft drop-G banjo work, coming through loud and clear on this recording

[DianeA]

Jim Mills was a great help to me with my Grandfather's MB-11 and he is very easy to get in touch with!!

[H165]

If you want a no-damage susbtitution 5 string neck for a little bluegrass, below is a link to an option. You'll need to specify the flange cut (no-cost option) and add tuners and neck bolts and 5-string bridge that match your Gibson exactly. Those accessories are available many places. You can re-install the original neck (bolt-on) and bridge any time.

https://goldtonemusicgroup.com/goldt...YaAg60EALw_wcB

I believe there are some blemished Gold Tone necks on eBay for even less. Look around for the right model :


https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw...neck+gold+tone