4 String Mandolin

[{JM}]

Well I just took my 8 string acoustic tearshape mandolin and made it just 4 strings. I'm getting the same sound and everthing just completely out of tune at the moment.

I just have to wait for my tuner to come in. The tuner I got is mean't for volins cellos and mandolins lol.

[{JM}]

So I am guessing making my 8 to a 4 ain't a bad idea? :disbelief::))

[MikeEdgerton]

You really hadn't asked that question.

[man dough nollij]

I did that to a beater I had last year. The nut slots were cut so funky that it was unplayable. I took off the second G string, the first D string, the second A string and the first E string (IIRC), and it was an okay-spaced four string.

The biggest thing I noticed was how much easier it is to fret four strings cleanly.

The other thing I noticed was that it totally shredded my fingers! I had to develop a whole new level of callusses. Yep.

BTW, why did you do it?

[{JM}]

I actually did it because I was bored off my rocker and I don't see the point of having 2 of the same string, I also figured it would be easier to tune each time just so many knobs lol.

[mandroid]

I have a few set up as 4 strings , the nut and bridge re notched to have the string where the gap was, between the courses .

IMHO: It frets, plays better, when the spacing is right. Melody Man-jo/ Banjo-lin , and
particularly on the CGDA tuned electric 4 string.