String gauges for GDAE

[Will Patton]

At the risk of repeating a query that may be all over the archives:
I'm looking for an appropriate gauge of strings on the medium light side for my National Steel tenor tuned as an octave mandolin - I've been experimenting with single strings and it's starting to get expensive! I don't see a decent set on Elderly or other sites - the (limited) octave mando sets all seem a bit on the heavy side. Suggestions?
obrigado, Will

[Eddie Sheehy]

Will, here's some of what's out there for OM's, zouks, and 'dolas. Use a Tension Calculator to try to figure what will work on the heavier gauges ( 'dola strings) ... I'd lean towards the J72's (or J80's with a 13 on the E).

J79 - 10, 13, 22, 38 with a 10 and 13 as octaves with the 22 and 38
J80 - 12, 22, 32, 46
J81 - 11, 16, 28, 40
PF285 - 12, 22, 32, 44
J76 - 15, 25, 35, 52
J72 - 14, 23, 34, 49
GHS also have a Custom Irish bouzouki set 11, 16, 28, 40 - you can use a 10 and a 16 as octave strings with the 28 and the 40 respectively.

[Charles E.]

G to A , 42-32-22-12.