6 string banjos provide rhythm players who strum and fingerstyle players alike with an ideal solution. Like their guitar counterpart, these banjos can be tuned using either a piano tuning fork or tuning fork by fretting their lowest string over a peg and adjusting it until its pitch reaches your reference pitch.
Many have radiused necks like guitars for easier transition for steel string guitarists and accept metal guitar strings.
Scale length
A banjo’s scale length plays an integral role in its sound and playability, from bright and shrill sounds to deep and richer tones. Selecting the ideal scale length will help improve both playing skills as well as skill development; measuring its nut and tuning up with guitar tuning will be useful here – use an online guitar tuner or ask a friend for assistance if necessary!
Most 6 string banjos follow standard guitar tuning of EBGDAE; however, some use alternative tuning and require specific gauge strings. When purchasing your 6 string banjo, make sure it comes equipped with compatible sets – you’ll find plenty of these in music stores such as D’Addario!
If you want a great-sounding banjo at an affordable price, look no further than the Deering Eagle. A favorite among beginners and professionals alike due to its warm tone, excellent note separation, sustain and power; ideal for bluegrass, Irish tenor or classic jazz music genres alike, its distinctive tone ring provides a distinctive sound.
Strings
While the 5-string banjo was traditionally played with drone strings, a 6-string version called banjitars or guitjos can also be obtained without them for similar effect. These instruments are sometimes referred to as banjitars or guitjos and work very similarly to guitar banjos in terms of sound quality; ideal for bluegrass as well as country, dixieland, and ragtime music styles.
Many 6-string banjos feature radiused fingerboards to make playing chords and bar chords easier, making the transition for steel string guitar players much simpler than having a flat fretboard to work with. Some banjos do feature flat fingerboards however; such as Deering Goodtime Solana and Rogue 6-string banjos.
A tenor guitar banjo (often referred to as a banjoleon) can also be an ideal option for beginners and is available at various price points. It features similar finger action and chording patterns to that of guitars, making the switch an easy one for those familiar with these instruments.
One drawback of a 6 string banjo without drone strings may not sound as full as its traditional 5-string counterpart; this can be corrected with different gauge strings or using a tuning key tailored specifically to banjo tuning; using a guitar tuning key may result in overly-tightened lower strings which cause snapped strings or poor intonation, and could even result in snapped or fractured strings!
Bridge
The bridge is the central component in determining the tone of a banjo and should be carefully considered when setting its tone. Most banjos use maple and ebony materials for their bridges. A properly fitting and adjusted bridge will influence both quality of sound as well as height – taller bridges tend to produce deeper tones while thinner ones offer brighter tones.
There are various kinds of bridges, but a compensated bridge stands out as being particularly popular. This type of bridge features a raised point where strings are placed, providing more accurate intonation as well as improved string action – particularly helpful for beginners.
Adjusting your bridge requires taking two measurements on both sides and marking your center line, then cutting a groove in each side with a saw that is slightly larger than the width of your neck. This will ensure your strings don’t seem tight or loose.
Once your bridge is in place, retune your banjo. Be cautious not to over-tighten resonator brackets; tightening one may cause others to become looser; work around your banjo slowly for optimal results. Once completed, your bridge may look odd but that’s okay!
Fingerboard
Six string banjo fingerboards are often made from maple wood and feature a radiused shape to allow guitarists to play fingerstyle without having to adjust to playing on flat fingerboards similar to their guitars. This feature is particularly advantageous when guitar players needing double banjo gigs need to do double duty with both instruments.
Checking the neck for straightness and making sure the strings are set at pitch is essential to playing well. To do this, pluck a string between the first and second frets to listen for any buzzing. If there is buzzing then they have not been set properly at pitch and must be adjusted.
Many banjos ship with their bridge installed but untightened sufficiently; in such instances, tightening of the coordinator rods may be necessary to correct. To do this, locate the adjustment screw and use a hex screwdriver that fits its end to tighten it slightly.
Once the coordinator rods have been tightened, the bridge will need to be installed and tuned before placing it back in its place. This should usually be straightforward but, if necessary, take additional measures such as taking apart and tightening down on its resonator with its large thumb screws which connect into tiny blocks at its base.