Tech: Eight string tenor banjos

Subject: Tech: Eight string tenor banjos
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 18 Dec 14 - 10:57 AM

I have much enjoyed playing mandolas and the tenor banjo. I can't think why this has not occured to me before. Does anybody play an eight stringed tenor banjo - ie tuned in pairs like the mandolin family?


Look, here is a really nice one:

Subject: RE: Tech: Eight string tenor banjos
From: Vic Smith
Date: 18 Dec 14 - 11:58 AM

I had one once. It was bloody, bloody loud. Everyone complained that it dominated the session and no-one else could hear themselves, so, reluctantly, I sold it.
It was also very heavy with a steel rod inside the neck to stop in warping.

Subject: RE: Tech: Eight string tenor banjos
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 18 Dec 14 - 12:32 PM

Thanks Vic, sounds almost pornographic and so, so desirable .............

Subject: RE: Tech: Eight string tenor banjos
From: nickp
Date: 18 Dec 14 - 12:40 PM

Interesting, having once had a Weymann 4 string which was the weapon of choice in the Philadelphia Mummers parades - no relation to UK mummers! This would certainly have been a mighty beast for the marching bands playing Golden Slippers!

Subject: RE: Tech: Eight string tenor banjos
From: Jack Campin
Date: 18 Dec 14 - 12:59 PM

A cumbus is a 12-string fretless banjo. I've got two of them:

http://www.campin.me.uk/Music/Cumbus/

Yep, they're loud.

Subject: RE: Tech: Eight string tenor banjos
From: Will Fly
Date: 18 Dec 14 - 01:04 PM

I've played a converted Hofner guitar - turned into an 8-strings mandola - and it was incredibly loud. As Vic says - overpowering at a session!

Here it is in action

Subject: RE: Tech: Eight string tenor banjos
From: Jack Campin
Date: 18 Dec 14 - 01:29 PM

The neck adjustment in the instrument Les linked to is clever - should be much smoother than the adjustment screw on a cumbus. Unfortunately it couldn't easily be adapted to the cumbus, since a cumbus has a spun aluminium body covering the back.

Subject: RE: Tech: Eight string tenor banjos
From: nickp
Date: 19 Dec 14 - 06:31 AM

From personal bruising I can confirm the adjustment fittings are great but do somewhat dig into a less than concave stomach!