I have a 6-string banjitar (banjo guitar) and I’m having trouble finding a good string-gauge configuration for it. Right now, it has the “Nashville” string setup on it, which is basically the top, or treble, set of a 12-string guitar. I don’t like this setup because the 3rd and 4th strings are just too thin and way too high. Before, it had a set of nickel wound D’Addario electric .010’s on it, but I didn’t like the wound 4th, 5th, and 6th strings because they were too low. Any recommendations?
don’t buy “sets”, buy individual strings of your own size choosing.
While it was set up for mountain dulcimer use, Tom’s string calculator should work for other instruments, too (as long as we’re talking metal strings).
http://www.strothers.com/string_choice.htm
measure the distance from nut to bridge, enter this (in inches) and the note you are tuning to (if you aren’t familiar with the note designation, a capital D is the octave below middle c on the piano, a small d is the note above middle c on the piano, and the “primes” are another octave above or below).
I, personally, thinks this calculator goes a bit on the light side, and you can go a size or two up or down, for personal preference.
Most music stores have a box of loose strings at their front counter, make sure you get loop or ball end, depending on what your instrument needs.
Then, look at a site such as juststrings.com to purchase in bulk the sizes you decide on.