There is no substitute for a good guitar banjo when playing a guitar banjo. Experiment with lighter strings, Nashville Tuning, whatever, and get "acceptable" sound at best.

I know, because I have an early GoldTone guitar banjo. The shell is essentially a drum, not a banjo -- there are eight brackets, I think, and the head is surely a snare-drum head -- and the tone is, well, long on thump and short on zing! Bass-heavy and much duller than the really nice Deering I played at Mandolin Brothers one time, years ago. That one cost $900 (at the time), and mine was around $400. Deans are usually $300 or less, I think, as are some of the off-brand models around.

So I would say to try either light-gauge strings, even electric guitar strings (but not light-gauge electric strings -- "9s" -- those are spider webs with so little tension you won't get much if any volume), and see what results. Or put on standard acoustic lights and live with the thump when you wanted zing.


Bob