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I'm just about done with a short-scale solidbody electric to four string tenor conversion. The scale length is 21.5" (533mm), and I'm going to try CGDA tuning instead of OM tuning. I'm looking at the McDonald string calculator, but I'm not really sure what tensions to shoot for - more than the tensions being important, the intonation has to work with the existing Tun-o-Matic position. Anyone have experience and/or a rule of thumb? Thanks in advance.
20-22lbs per string would be a good starting point, the strings will need to be real thin for CGDA tuning on that scale though - you may find that the top string is too thin, weedy, breaks, and/or produces little output.
Update - A little messing around suggests 10, 15, 24, 35 would be in the right ball park - better than I thought actually! Looks like half a pack of nickel wound lightweight mandolin strings would do the job?
They'd need to be ball-ends.
Thanks Tavy, that seems like a good starting point. I might go back to GDAE, but who knows? The experiment will be fun.
Nickel wound tenor banjo strings, or the same gauges in electric guitar strings?
Wrong continent, but these might do: http://www.cliffordessex.net/index.p...&productId=779
I'm sure there's something similar in the US.
Since I'm in Spain, I'm a bit closer. :) I'll take a look at those, heard good things about their strings.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tavy
Newtone Strings offers five nickel wound ball end tenor sets.
Stockists from the Newtone website.
I was actually able to make up custom sets of CGDA & GDAE gauges on an American distributor's site I've used before, and with shipping, it's 10EUR cheaper than the Newtone equivalent sets. Shipping from the UK to the mainland is really high (plus the dollar is weak).Quote:
Originally Posted by Jacob