What is an “A Scale” or “C Scale” banjo????
I hear this question quite often. The answer requires knowledge of the definition of “scale length” of a banjo (or any other stringed instrument). The scale length is simply how much distance is required to play an ordinary 8-note scale. In practice, this is the distance from the nut to the 12th fret – the octave – times two. For example, if the measurement of the distance from the nut to the 12th fret of your instrument is 13 1/8″, the scale length is 26 ¼”. Twenty-six and one fourth inches (plus or minus 1/8″) is a fairly common scale length for many modern banjos. Very old minstrel banjos tended to be longer, maybe 28″ or so and some banjos from the late 19th and early 20th centuries tended to be shorter, generally on the order of 25 to 25 ¾”. There is no standard so each maker is free to make the scale length whatever they like. Most players these days use the open G tuning (gDGBD) at least part of the time. Some go so far as to call this the “Standard Tuning” although there is not
