Bouzouki Octave Strings

[dadbeat2002]

Just purchased a used Trinity College TM-375 online. The previous owner installed unison strings in place of the factory installed octaves, but didn't make any alterations to the nut or the bridge. I'd like to restring with octaves and see how I like them. Does anyone know the gauges of the strings the factory would have installed in 2011?

[Steve L]

Don't know what the factory ships with, but Elderly sells 2 sets of GHS strings I've used on mine with good results.

https://www.elderly.com/ghs-custom-i...3.htm?___SID=U

https://www.elderly.com/ghs-custom-i...t.htm?___SID=U

[allenhopkins]

Here's what Gold Tone lists as gauges for their BZ-500 bouzouki with octave stringing:

Strings: .016, .016, .018, .018, .035w, .016, .045w, .018

These are significantly heavier than the strings Steve L linked above, which have .010 or .011 for first-course strings, etc. –– heavier all the way down. You could try the lighter strings and see if you like them.

Note that the higher-octave string Gold Tone uses in the third course is the same gauge as the first-course strings, and the higher-octave fourth course the same as the second-course strings.

[Steve L]

I find that .016 high D string on a long scale like that hard to believe. That's got to be a typo. I wouldn't string a TC bouzouki with those, I don't think the top could take it.

[Niall Anderson]

I'd think that 16 is a typo too - the bouzouki is essentially the same tuning as Mandolin and octave down on double the scale length, so needs similar gauges. An 11 would be about right (maybe a 12 to tune the top course to D?).

I'd always suggest referring people to a string tension calculator. Helps enormously (aim for 9-10kg of tension per string for a Medium to Medium/ Heavy gauge, approximately).

[Daniel Grenier]

Quite late to this party but this may help? I have a Trinity College TM-375 like the OP as well and the factory set is:

12-12, 16-16, 26-12, and 40-16.

I know of no Mfr to sells a complete set like that so you have to buy singletons or bastardise a set close to that.

And, as mentioned, 16-16 on the hi D would not work.

[zoukboy]

Shorthand is to make the octave 1/2 the gauge of the lower string in the octave pair, so if the lower D course is a .026w then you use a .013 pl, and if the lower G is .040 then use a .020w (I prefer nickel wound for this even though the .040 is phosphor bronze). String manufacturers often use an extra high D and A strings for the octaves just so they won't have to have add different guaged strings to the set.

Here is what I use on my Herb Taylor zouk:

len 25.4"

D4 .0125" PL == 19.99#
D4 .0125" PL == 19.99#
A3 .017" PL == 20.71#
A3 .017" PL == 20.71#
D4 .0125" PL == 19.99#
D3 .026" PB == 19.66#
G3 .020" NW == 19.25#
G2 .039" PB == 19.98#
total == 160.27#

[zoukboy]

Here's what Gold Tone lists as gauges for their BZ-500 bouzouki with octave stringing:

Strings: .016, .016, .018, .018, .035w, .016, .045w, .018

These are significantly heavier than the strings Steve L linked above, which have .010 or .011 for first-course strings, etc. –– heavier all the way down. You could try the lighter strings and see if you like them.

Note that the higher-octave string Gold Tone uses in the third course is the same gauge as the first-course strings, and the higher-octave fourth course the same as the second-course strings.

.016s for the high D course is not the only incorrect thing on that page... ;-)