Banjofor 11yr old - advice please

RAFC

I have asked this already - in the wrong place.

My 11yr old son is playing Mandolin in school for 12 months now, and seems to have a talent for music (not from me:cool:). He has asked for a Banjo off Santa (still believes TG) - this is where I need advice. Best 4 string Banjo for an 11yr old PLEASE

fish-head

I don't know about any of the music shops in Cork but the best thing is to go in and see what sort of stuff they have. They'll probably be able to advise you better than we could. I bought my brother a 5 string Banjo in McCullough Pigotts here in Dublin and the staff were very helpful, got a decent one for under €200.

RAFC

Thanks for that, have been to two different shops and they both tried to sell me one for €450 - a bit too expensive for 11yr old I think . It would have to be 4 string because it's played the same as the mandolin, and a fifth string could cause lots of confusion - I think, maybe I'm wrong about that

NoQuarter

but a mandolin has 8 strings;)

ah no but i know where your coming from, have a look here> http://www.thomann.de/ie/banjos.html

ps. i wouldnt worry about upgrading to more strings as a banjo and mandolin are two different instruments altogether, a variation would do him good, if you stuck to a 4 string what would he do if he ever tried to lift a guitar??? basically im saying that the extra string shouldnt make a difference to him...

RAFC

Nice site there, thanks for that. From what I've been told Banjo and Mandolin are tuned and played the same way - each set of two strings on the Mandolin are played as one, gives a lovely sound, you are probably right about the 5 string being OK for him. I think with all the instruments I'll be buying him a hat and plonking him on some street corner tax free earnings (college fund) :D:D:D:D:D

eoin5

RAFC wrote: »

Nice site there, thanks for that. From what I've been told Banjo and Mandolin are tuned and played the same way - each set of two strings on the Mandolin are played as one, gives a lovely sound, you are probably right about the 5 string being OK for him. I think with all the instruments I'll be buying him a hat and plonking him on some street corner tax free earnings (college fund) :D:D:D:D:D

Oops be careful... The 4 string banjo is generally tuned and played the same way as the mandolin but the 5 string is more usually played with the fingers, has a very different tuning and is much more closely related to american music such as bluegrass. That said I know one 5 string banjo player playing trad but hes in the minority by far.

RAFC

Thanks for the heads up on that, I think I will stick to the 4 string - and they even have short and long neck ones so I'm thinking short neck for his little fingers

NoQuarter

well i play mandolin myself and guitar too, tuning is differnt completely and theres no issues once i separate instruments in my head which is no probs.

i would research if the tuning is the same on the mandolin and the 5 string bango(excluding the extra string obviously) so the option of the extra range is there but he can stay on the 4 strings if he feels like it!

RAFC

Just checked tuning - tuning on 5 string is dbgdg - 4 string is as mandolin eadg

NoQuarter

well thats definitely not right because my mandolin is GDAE fat to thin

RAFC

king-stew wrote: »

well thats definitely not right because my mandolin is GDAE fat to thin

Yes mine too but is the bottom string not the first string - thin to fat :cool: