Banjo Strings
Filters
4 products
More About
About Banjo Strings
Our banjo strings are stainless steel over a high carbon steel hex core, loop end throughout. Stainless is the right choice on a banjo: it is bright and cutting, which is what the instrument is for, and it stands up to the sweat and hard picking that kill a softer string. Loop end fits the tailpiece on almost every banjo made.
Choosing a set
Five-string is the bluegrass and old-time banjo, and the one most players mean. We make it in two gauges: .009–.020 Light for an easier feel, faster action and gentler on an older neck, and .010–.024 Medium for more volume and a firmer feel and attack under a thumbpick. Medium is the more common choice for bluegrass.
Tenor banjo has four strings and a shorter scale, tuned in fifths, and turns up in Irish traditional music and early jazz. Plectrum banjo also has four strings but a full-length neck, and is played with a flatpick in trad jazz and chord-melody styles. They are not interchangeable, so check which one you have before ordering.
Gauges
| Set | Gauges |
|---|---|
| 5-string .009–.020 Light — B5920 | .009 .010 .013 .020 .009 |
| 5-string .010–.024 Medium — B51024 | .010 .013 .015 .024 .010 |
| Tenor 4-string .011–.028 — TB41128 | .011 .014 .024 .028 |
| Plectrum 4-string .011–.026 — PB41126 | .011 .014 .017 .026 |
On the five-string sets the last figure is the fifth string, which is short and starts at the fifth fret.
How Banjo compares to our other specialty sets
These are our banjo sets. If you also play mandolin, our Phosphor Bronze Mandolin sets are loop end too. For resonator guitar, see our Resonator sets, and for lap and pedal steel, Scotty's and our Pedal Steel sets.
Frequently asked questions
How many strings does a banjo have?
Most banjos have five strings, the bluegrass and old-time banjo. Tenor and plectrum banjos have four. We make sets for all three.
What banjo strings should I use for bluegrass?
Most bluegrass players use a five-string medium set like our .010–.024 B51024. The .009–.020 B5920 Light is easier to play and gentler on an older neck.
Why is the fifth string on a banjo shorter?
The fifth string starts at the fifth fret instead of the headstock and is played as a high drone. That is why it is listed last in our five-string gauges.
Are tenor and plectrum banjo strings interchangeable?
No. Tenor banjos have a shorter scale and are tuned in fifths, while plectrum banjos have a full-length neck. Check which one you have before ordering. We make a tenor set (TB41128) and a plectrum set (PB41126).
Are your banjo strings loop end?
Yes. All of our banjo sets are stainless steel and loop end, which fits the tailpiece on almost every banjo. Our mandolin strings are loop end too.
Made in the USA.