nylong strings??

**otterly2k** · Mar-22-2009, 11:44pm

Does anyone know if anyone makes loop-end nylon strings or of a technique for fastening nylong strings to a mando tailpiece with prongs for loops?

I have a little mandolinetto that is not quite up to the rigors of metal strings. I'm thinking of trying to string it up with nylon.

**mandroid** · Mar-23-2009, 12:16am

Not aware of any with pre made loops , perhaps exist in the 'cat'gut strung Violin world,
for Baroque period original instrumentation players. [but then would be leather not nylon]

I Tie a knot. I use Baritone uke strings on my 4 string GDAE tuned banjo-uke, with a 'no-knot' tailpiece , but not heeding that.. tie the knot around the peg on the tailpiece, anyway.

**Tim2723** · Mar-23-2009, 8:39am

You might try tying a knot in the end and slipping that under the tailpiece prong. A similar method is used for ukuleles.

Opps, 'Droid already said that.

**Bob Wiegers** · Mar-23-2009, 9:23am

I dunno what might be officially recommended, but this is what I'd do (just b/c I grew up fishing):
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/conten...mans-knot.html

**otterly2k** · Mar-24-2009, 8:55am

Thanks, all.
There is no tailpiece peg on this particular instrument. I guess I"ll just have to get some strings and try 'em out. The knot website was helpful, thanks Bob.

No idea what gauges to use either... so if any uke players here have thoughts on that, let me know.

**mandroid** · Mar-24-2009, 10:52am

no ukes are tuned like mandolins

you should look for an instrument tech to see the project you have in mind.

Inspect braces inside under the top, for condition and so forth,
But that is beyond the capability of text on a screen,
go to someone with it.

X light steel may still be usable , e strings small as 0.008 are made , for example..

nylon strings will require a rather wide fingerboard, for 8 of those ..

**Paul Hostetter** · Mar-24-2009, 11:51am

I think you're wading into a sea of disappointment trying to string a mandolin with nylon strings, but if you insist, get yourself two sets of classical guitar strings and use the A's, the D's, the B's and the E's, and you can tune them to mandolin pitches. Good luck squeezing your fingers in there, these are fat strings. Try it quick because the tailpiece will cut through the loops in no time. And try it in a very quiet space because a mandolin is drastically overbuilt for the strings you're putting on there.

There are 8-string ukuleles that are engineered for the tensions and the string types you're after, that would be a much better bet. I've done it and it's big fun. I think it works best on a tenor uke tuned CGDA, but it can work at regular mandolin pitches in a smaller uke like this:

**otterly2k** · Mar-24-2009, 3:21pm

Thanks for all the input.
Like I said, it's a mandolinetto. It was already a repair and restoration project that involved major surgery. Upon stringing it up with light steel strings, I started seeing some warpage around the treble side of the sound hole and thought it best to try to reduce the tension rather than go back in.

It's an itty bitty thing, a little shorter in scale than a regular mando, and somewhat fragile. At this point I'm trying to make it playable for a new learner with very small hands, and trying to figure out what would work best. I appreciate the input re: nylon strings... maybe that's not the best solution and i'll look for a set of extra lights... or string it up with 4 instead of 8 strings for now.

Thanks again for the input. That's what this forum is all about... I always learn something.

KE

**Paul Hostetter** · Mar-24-2009, 4:08pm

A mandolinetto is a mandolin shaped like a uke. It was built for steel strings, and if it's having trouble taking them now, I'd suspect there's a brace loose inside, or something structurally wrong. The scale is a normal (by all standards except Gibson's) scale, probably right around 13". Anyway, good luck with it.

**PhilGE** · Mar-24-2009, 5:13pm

Karen, how are your new found lutherie skills playing out these days? Looks like you're into repair/restoration work?

-Phil

**otterly2k** · Mar-25-2009, 12:14am

Thanks for asking, Phil. I got some very good training. Next is to accrue more hands-on experience... so I'm working through some repair projects, old and new. I feel far better equipped and more confident than I used to. All grows with time.

**BlueMountain** · Mar-25-2009, 6:01am

Form a tiny loop with your nylon string, pinching the two ends together with your thumb and finger. Add the end of a piece of thread to those two string ends and wrap the thread around the nylon ends four or five times. Change direction and poke the loose end of the thread through the loop and wrap it between the two nylon ends a couple loops, to snug things up. Change directions, wrap a few more loops around the two ends, and tie. The result is neat, and if you do it right, it will hold. Tying knots in nylon strings is likely to take up too much room.

DO check the bracing inside--loose bracing is very possible.

However, instead of nylon, why don't you simply buy a set of Dogol Calace strings that are lower in tension? I know these are available from Bernunzio Vintage Instruments. http://www.bernunzio.com/listing.php?type=Strings-QR Call them and explain the problem. These are expensive, but made for very delicate bowlback mandolins that can't handle the strings we usually use, or even what we consider light gauge strings. I suspect that they'd sound very good on a mandolinetto, as these are often also very delicate instruments that respond loudly to lighter strings.

**JeffD** · Mar-25-2009, 9:53am

I have never tied a knot in nylon - but if it is anything like monofilament we use for fishing, the standard knots used for conventional string might not hold. Bob's suggestion of a fishing knot may be the answer.

But, I will admit to a fishing prejudice

**Tim2723** · Mar-25-2009, 10:11am

The eight string ukulele refered to above is often called a 'Tarro Patch' uke. Look for it by that name and you'll find many makes.

**allenhopkins** · Mar-25-2009, 11:08am

Second the suggestion of the Calace strings. They are tres light and your mandolinetto may well find them acceptable.

Getting a taropatch is sorta going in the wrong direction, IMHO. Taropatches are tuned like ukuleles, combination of fourths and a third, and would require restringing to a fifths tuning. Besides, I think the point of this exercise is to get Karen's mandolinetto playable, not to acquire another instrument that has doubled nylon strings.

I use an old Regal taropatch as my main ukulele, and it just takes two sets of regular uke strings. I tune it GCEA re-entrant (high 4th course), pretty standard ukulele tuning.

**otterly2k** · Mar-25-2009, 12:00pm

I'll look into the Calace strings, thanks.

**Lee** · Mar-25-2009, 12:15pm

Hi Karen!
Take some wound metal strings, cut off the loops leaving about 2 inches of string. Then use the proper knot (?) to tie the nylon string to the end of the metal string. You'll be positioning the knot midway between the bridge and front end of the tailpiece.
Might be kinda rough on your forearm.