Thanks for your responses.

I'm building myself a minstrel banjo - I plan on stringing it with Nylgut. I think it will take the higher tension but I want it lower for the more authentic sound. I'll have to experiment when I finish it. I'll have to check some measurements to see what I planned as the scale length but I think it's around 26 - 27 inches.

Any idea of the tuning Bob Flesher uses on "Old Gray Goose?" Or does anyone have a clawhammer transcription of it?

Thanks again,
Jon