artcrocker wrote: Does anyone know if I can retune my banjo gDGBD , to ukulele tuning GGCEA without damaging the strings?
You most likely can't re-tune your banjo up that high (from gDGBD to gGCEA) with the existing banjo strings without breaking them. (There is no getting around the laws of physics.) I'm not sure you can find any gauge of banjo string that can survive tuning up to high A with the regular long 26" scale (not even the high octave-G of a 12-string guitar is tuned that high).
Your best option is to get a short-scale "travel" banjo, which is normally tuned higher, to cGCEG. Otherwise, with your existing banjo you'll need to tune the high D up to E to get gDGBE tuning, and then use a banjo capo at the 5th fret. You'd also have to have either a 5th string capo or model railroad spikes to have the 5th string match the new tuning.
If you want to play this travel banjo as a banjo uke, just remove the 5th string.
Hohner HTB 5-String Short Scale Travel Banjo (Matte Walnut Rosewood Fretboard)
http://folk-instruments.musiciansfriend.com/product/Hohner-HTB-5String-Short-Scale-Travel-Banjo?sku=512514&src=3WFRWXX&ZYXSEM=0&CAWELAID=26042132
http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/Shubb-Original-C-Series-Banjo-Capo?sku=361507
Last edited on Thu Oct 23rd, 2008 01:33 pm by Will
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