"Octave Manjo" (or "Octave Banjolin") -- my new OME

[scgc.om]

About two weeks ago I bought an OME Celtic Banjo (AKA Irish Tenor) -- my 1st Banjo. I bought it for the tuning: GDAE (NOT CGDA, as a tenor normally is). I like to call it an "Octave Banjolin" or an "Octave Manjo", depending on my mood.

As a exercise in "lateral thinking", I love playing tunes I know. Having to s t r e t c h the fingers of the left hand makes for new ideas. Hard to go fast but sure is easy to be heard in a herd of players at a noisy jam. So far, no one at my OT jam has complained -- I do NOT plan on bringing it to any BG jams!

Anyone else here play an Irish Tenor Banjer?

[Mike Snyder]

Mine's kinda a no-name Frankenbanjo, mahog neck on a rim that looks older. What strings do you use? I'm assuming yours is 17 frets.
I need a heavier set of wound strings, they are floppy and go sharp with finger pressure real easy. Great fun on old-time and ITM stuff.

[scgc.om]

Mike: Mine is a 19-fret. Strings are D'Add J-63i (Tenor Banjo Irish Nickel) -- check their website for string gauges.

"ITM" = ???

Also, what do you use yours for? Anyone get upset when you play it?

[Mike Snyder]

Irish Taditional Music= ITM. Pretty much mainstream for ITM sessions hereabouts, not that there are many. I've taken it to bluegrass jams only because some old-time players split the jams to play old-time. Never try to play bgrass on a tenor, just don't go there. Most ITM players are using the 17 fret. There is some confusion about 19s and 17s. The longer being called "plectrum" banjos. Wish someone would clear up the "Irish banjo" conundrum.

[ptritz]

Irish Taditional Music= ITM. Pretty much mainstream for ITM sessions hereabouts, not that there are many. I've taken it to bluegrass jams only because some old-time players split the jams to play old-time. Never try to play bgrass on a tenor, just don't go there. Most ITM players are using the 17 fret. There is some confusion about 19s and 17s. The longer being called "plectrum" banjos. Wish someone would clear up the "Irish banjo" conundrum.

No, those 19-fret instruments are not plectrum banjos. Both the 19-fret and the 17-fret critters are both tenor banjos. Plectrum banjos are a bit longer than that. I also don't think it's accurate to say that most ITM players use the 17-fret instruments. Many do, but there are also lots of ITM banjo players who play 19-fret instruments. Some folks think that the longer scale produces better tone.

The vast majority of ITM tenor banjo players use the GDAE tuning. For that tuning, gauges of .40, .30, .20, and .12 are a good place to start, but you'll want to experiment a bit. You may find that you and/or your instrument like slightly heavier or slightly lighter strings. There are a few players who play ITM using CGDA tuning on the banjo. Another approach some folks use with 19-fret instruments is to tune CGDA and capo at the second fret to get DAEB. With that tuning, you're essentially using mandolin fingerings, just moved one string over. Yet another approach with the 17-fret instruments is to tune them to DAEB. You can actually use standard packaged tenor banjo strings for that.

[Jill McAuley]

I'd wager that the majority of tenor banjo players back home are playing 19 fret tenors, including wee kids just starting out (kind of like when your parents buy you a huge bicycle so you can "grow" into it!) I have a 17 fret tenor meself, but played an absolutely lovely OME 19 fret tenor a few months back and would've bought that thing in a heartbeat if I'd had $3000 laying around collecting dust!!

scgc.com - post some photos if you get a chance , I'd love to see that OME of yours!

Cheers,
Jill

[catmandu2]

I started with a 17-fret Bacon, but eventually began playing 19-fret exclusively. Now transitioning to plectrum (22-fret usually, and not 5ths tuning) -- for tone's sake..

[John Flynn]

I have a 17-fret "Concertone," which was made by the Stromberg-Voisinet company (which later became Kay) in Chicago in the 30's. They are not generally well thought of, but the one I have is in great shape and I've done some upgrades, including tuners, head, bridge, etc. It definitely does what I need it to do.

[Mike Snyder]

Kansas is hardly a hotbed of Irish Trad. I should have said that, among us Kansans, mostly 17 fret banjos show up. The 19s have a tonal advantage, no doubt.