Mousethief:

With nylon or gut, the tone is quieter, less piercing, more "tubby", which is much admired by many banjoists.

Guest, Les.B:

Two steps lower? I think more probably two frets, that is two half-steps lower. Two full steps lower would be, say for a string tuned B in steel, A flat in nylon or gut; that's four frets, quite a throw down, seems to me.

Dave Oesterreich