First off, ukulele strings do not come with the convenient little nubs, rings, beads, loops, etc at the end to make it easy to string. They, like classical nylon guitar strings, are just strings at both ends. This means that you usually have to tie the strings to the bridge or tailpiece and tie in such a way that the knots don't slip or break the string. At first, I thought there was a disadvantage to my banjolele because I couldn't get the knots just right.
In fact, since I have owned the banjo (bought in April) I have gone through five sets of strings. No, I don't play it that often. What has been happening is I would open the case or come in the room after leaving it on a stand overnight and find one (or more) of the strings had popped at the knot. Usually it would be the metal wound strings (I have a baritone with the wound D and G). In fact, during a rehearsal for the musical "Flyer" that I was in this summer, a string popped and I found myself frantically retying it before the next piece started.
So, I got to the research. There had to be a better way of tying these or something I was missing. What I found made me a little excited.
The Goldtone banjoleles use a tailpiece that is not supposed to be tied. That's right, it is what is known as a "no knot" tailpiece. From what I can gather, this was a common tailpiece on '20s and '30s style banjos (especially Gibsons).
There is one small problem that I still have, though. Elderly sent me the banjo with the strings knotted onto the tailpiece. I'm assuming that this is a common thing for them. There must have been some set up after Goldtone sent it to them, but either the manufacturer or Elderly installed the strings wrong. Well, after trying to correct the mistake I can see why it was done.
(Now, let me pull back a second and say I like Elderly and Goldtone. I will still be an Elderly customer and I would buy another Goldtone banjo/banjolele/guitar if I was shopping.)
The Goldtone version of the "no-knot" tailpiece has a big flaw: The pegs are not far enough apart for the strings to fit in between them (see the pic above). The good news: a replacement part is cheap. Stewmac has them for about $10. The downside is: they aren't in stock!
Luckily, my old friend ebay still likes to throw me a bone or two. The new tailpiece not only allows me to properly install the strings, but it also allows me to adjust the tail piece's screw a little more accurately (I hear the closer it is to the head, the brighter the sound).
So, if you happen to purchase a Goldtone banjolele, take a look at that tailpiece. If you are having trouble with strings snapping, a replacement may be the answer.
~DB
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