The 4-String Plectrum Banjo Discussion Area

Posted by Rand Moore on April 19, 2011 at 5:40am

 

Hi All.

 

There are at least two kinds of 4-string banjos:

1.) The plectrum banjo  (think "5-string banjo, but w/o the 5th string")

2.) The tenor banjo  (which has a shorter neck, VSL and tuning).

 

This area is dedicated to discussions of the plectrum banjo.

Basically, the plectrum banjo is a 5-string banjo without the 5th string.

It is played using a plectrum (pick) instead of claw-hammer or other finger picking styles.

The scale length of a plectrum banjo is identical to a 5-stringer (ignoring the 5th string): 26 inches. Most have 22 frets.

Traditional (standard) tuning is CGBD, but alternative tunings exist, including DGBE (Chicago tuning) and GDAE (Celtic tuning).

Strings for a plectrum banjo are NOT the same as those for a tenor banjo. "Regular Light" string gauges for a plectrum banjo are typically  .009, .011, .013, and .020W for strings 1 thru 4.

 

Here we loosely define plectrum banjos as any 4-stringer with a 26" VSL (scale length) and a twangy banjo sound regardless of what you are using for a sound box.

 

Here's a nice photo of a 4-String Cigar Box Banjo (CBB) built by Ben Kimbler:

 


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Tags: 4-string banjo, plectrum banjo
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Replies

  • Rand Moore May 8, 2011 at 11:12am

    Hi Steve.

    Go ahead and try to build one. I have posted a photo of a Cigar Box Banjo for inspiration (see above). It has a build in drum head to help give it a banjo like sound. Let us know how it turns out. And don't be shy about asking questions.

     

    -Rand.


    Steve Trowbridge said:

    At 25.5" string scale and 4 strings i must have a Plectrum Banjo! love the sound, hope to record a song or three this year (-;
  • Thomas Smith May 1, 2011 at 1:58pm
    My third build turned out to become a tenor cigar box banjo.  I used the neck from an old Roy Smeck Harmony Tenor and a La Finca box.  I was more experimenting and did not cut a sound hole and used a tenor bridge that I had.  I an  novice player/ builder, but this is one of my favorites.

    029.JPG

  • Rand Moore April 21, 2011 at 7:41pm
    Do you have a photo?
  • Slowpaw Steve T April 21, 2011 at 12:03pm
    At 25.5" string scale and 4 strings i must have a Plectrum Banjo! love the sound, hope to record a song or three this year (-;
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