Hello! new to TB!

  1. multidon
    multidon
    Greetings everyone! Like your motto says, it had to happen! I was just hanging out at my local music store and they had a Goodtime 17 fret tenor on consignment for 250 dollars. It was out of tune and the employees didn't seem to know much about it. They're total guitar guys, so what do you expect? I tried tuning it up and couldn't get to CGDA, but the tension felt right at GDAE. Not sure what kind of strings were on it but they fit the nut and bridge slots perfectly so I am assuming someone had them enlarged? All I know is the tension felt right at GDAE. Nice sound! Fell in love and had to get it, since I already play mandolin and GDAE tenor guitar.

    Any guesses as to what my replacement strings should be? What's on there now is plain EA and nickel wound DG. I would be just guessing at gauges but they seem to be in the very broad neighborhood of 11-15-24W-36W (again, just guessing. Wish I had a digital caliper!)
  2. Shelagh Moore
    Shelagh Moore
    Hi Don! I still have one of those which I use as a backup... nice little TB. I tend to use a wound A in GDAE tuning with gauges around 12, 20w (or 22w), 30w, 40w because of the short scale (the same as on my 17-fret Whyte Laydie). If you prefer a plain A, 15 or 16 sounds about right.These are my personal preferences built up over years playing and others might vary their gauges a little from this. Hope this helps!
  3. bmac
    bmac
    My wife has a Goodtime tenor, a fine banjo for he beginner, and some folks feel it is the only banjo they will need.
  4. multidon
    multidon
    After having looked at what's available string wise I have come to the conclusion that what's on there is the D'Addario Irish Tuning set. They suit me just fine. I did notice that whoever converted it to GDAE did a lousy job of re-filing the nut. I got out my nut file set to correct the strings that were binding and noticed that the nut did not file well because it seems to be made of some kind of soft plastic and the file does not leave a clean slot. Still plays ok but I am thinking a new bone nut would do wonders.
  5. John Kelly
    John Kelly
    Multidon, if it is a soft plastic nut try polishing the slots with cut off pieces of the strings you are using. The give you an accurate slot width and a nicely-rounded bottom to the slot; with the wound strings I sometimes have put some beeswax on the string. A new nut, as you say, is a better option, but this might help in the meantime.
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