Strings for Guitar to Mandocello conversion?

[belbein]

Can anyone tell me what kind of strings I need for a guitar to mandocello conversion? The fretboard is about 17 1/2" long. Initially, I want to string it as a six string, 6x single course instrument, though after I fool around with it, I will switch to 2x4 or 2x5 courses.

[mrmando]

What's the scale length? (Distance from nut to 12th fret, times 2)

If you're doing 6 single strings in straight fifths, what tuning do you expect to use? If it's CGDAEB you'll have a hard time getting a B string that doesn't break. FCGDAE might be better, with an acoustic bass string for the low F. In general, however, it's difficult to tune something to that wide of a range and have it sound good.

[belbein]

Thanks. That's what I needed to know. I get that I use an acoustic bass string for the F. What about the C? And are my GDAE mandocello strings, octave strings, mandolin strings? I'm completely ignorant on this, as you can see.

[n0ukf]

Can anyone tell me the full actual (not scale) length of the D'Addario J78 (or any other brand) mandocello strings? None of the places that sell them I've asked (so far) have been able to tell me yet.

[Jim Garber]

Can anyone tell me the full actual (not scale) length of the D'Addario J78 (or any other brand) mandocello strings? None of the places that sell them I've asked (so far) have been able to tell me yet.

Ask D'Addario. Here is their specs page for J78 strings. Std mandocello scale is 24 inches so I would think that they are more than that, prob the same as guitar strings.

[n0ukf]

But my question is "how much more?" I'm doing a conversion on a guitar but using a tailpiece instead of a regular style bridge (needing more string length).
I just sent them this same question.

[StringScientist]

But my question is "how much more?" I'm doing a conversion on a guitar but using a tailpiece instead of a regular style bridge (needing more string length).
I just sent them this same question.

I was wondering this as well. Please let me know if you find out.

[zoukboy]

As Martin Stillion said, you'll need to know the scale length of your instrument. It is also helpful to compute the total string tension on that instrument as it's currently strung and tuned. This is easily done using one of the handy online string tension calculators. I use this one all the time: http://www.bangzero.org/stringtension/

Once you know the customary/acceptable string tension load on the instrument then you can start experimenting with tunings and string gauges.

It's also really helpful to learn the octave numbers for the tuning range you are considering. For instance, standard guitar tuning is E2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4 (the number of the octave changes at "C"). Bass guitar would be E1 A1 D2 G2. Mandolin is G3 D4 A4 E5. This helps avoid the confusion and ambiguity of a mixture of upper and lower case letters or commas and apostrophes, etc.

-Tuning a standard scale (24.75"-25.5") 6 string guitar in straight fifths is going to be difficult. You will either end up with a low string in the bass range (F1) that will not sound good because the guitar's scale length is too short and the body too small, or with a high string (B4) for which the guitar's scale is too long.

I was experimenting with extended range tunings the other day, just running string gauges and tunings through that tension calculator and it seems the best way to approach it is with a fanned fret multiscale design. Even then, the extremely wide range of the tuning F1 C2 G2 D3 A3 E4 or C2 G2 D3 A3 E4 B4 will be challenging. I suspect the second tuning on a short 22"-23" scale guitar might work best. Has anyone tried this?

[ddawson2010]

Gents - hopefully this info will assist you - don from D'Addario here:

1st, 2nd and third pairs are wound and trimmed at 43”
4th pair – C tuning - Wound strings double wrapped, are tapered at 36”
Under-wrap stops at 36 ¼” and trimmed at 45”

Any questions - you can email me at don.dawson2@daddario.com

Don Dawson
Product Marketing Specialist
D'Addario / Planet Waves

[Charlieshafer]

I have done this with electric guitars, and some manufacturers make a set of strings for drop D tuning, and they get pretty fat. I use just 5 strings, the low low F would be really floppy on acoustic guitars with the action set low (be prepared to raise it a little for fat string clearance). Going above an e on the high end either breaks strings or slices through your fingers like a hot knife through butter. Here's what I used:

Drop D

[Marty Jacobson]

You do need to be careful with those double-wrapped strings. If you trim them before locking them in the post, they will unwind with a nice "Bzzzrrrrr" sound.

[Eddie Sheehy]

I prefer to loop the unused end of the string... especially flatwounds... then if the string breaks near the bridge I've ample spare at the top... from my days as a guitar-playing starving student...

[ddawson2010]

You do need to be careful with those double-wrapped strings. If you trim them before locking them in the post, they will unwind with a nice "Bzzzrrrrr" sound.

We use a hex core with the production of our strings so although, yes you should always be aware of where the wrap and underwrap is, if you cut it, it shouldn't come undone. The softer alloy bites into the edge of the hex. Round core strings are another story....

[n0ukf]

As Martin Stillion said, you'll need to know the scale length of your instrument.

Starting from a guitar for conversion, my most important string concern is the actual length so I know whether I can use the strings as is, add extensions (between the bridge and tailpiece) or find some other string source for longer strings.

the extremely wide range of the tuning F1 C2 G2 D3 A3 E4 or C2 G2 D3 A3 E4 B4 will be challenging.

Why are you talking about a 6 course instrument? The strings I'm asking about only (?) come in 4 courses.

Gents - hopefully this info will assist you - don from D'Addario here:

1st, 2nd and third pairs are wound and trimmed at 43”
4th pair – C tuning - Wound strings double wrapped, are tapered at 36”
Under-wrap stops at 36 ¼” and trimmed at 45”

This is the info I was after, thank you. I'm getting a longer tailpiece (made for bass), so length isn't as much a concern as it might have been with a shorter tailpiece. Even so, I might have been able to use these strings (particularly the C, without extensions) with the shorter tailpiece.

[Charlieshafer]

Length is one thing, gauge is another. To go low with a longer scale length, you need a thicker, fatter string, which is where the drop tuning strings come in handy. They do make guitar strings just so you can go low; D'Addario may as well in their guitar line. Just because a mandocello string works with a longer tailpiece doesn't mean it'll work with a longer scale length. If your guitar has a 25+" scale length, the low c on a mandocello would be so loose as to be useless. That's why people have been asking about scale length. As far as 6 courses go, that was the question posed by the original thread creator, you simply jumped in to the conversation.

[zoukboy]

Why are you talking about a 6 course instrument? The strings I'm asking about only (?) come in 4 courses..

nOukf: I wasn't replying to you - that's why I did not quote your post. I was replying to the original poster's question, thank you very much:

Can anyone tell me what kind of strings I need for a guitar to mandocello conversion? The fretboard is about 17 1/2" long. Initially, I want to string it as a six string, 6x single course instrument, though after I fool around with it, I will switch to 2x4 or 2x5 courses.

Perhaps you should have started another thread?

[Eddie Sheehy]

For a guitar conversion you should probably be looking at the the Strings that the Eastman Mandocello uses - I believe they are much lighter than the Gibson Mandocellos use - e.g the Gibson C course is .070 and the Eastman C course is approx .056 (which is a Guitar E string)...

[mrmando]

The mandocello strings I sell at emando.com are 42" long. In case anyone cares.

[Irénée]

Hello !
My advice is to put and use

After that you can also add .014 in order to have the E of the Liuto Cantabile (from Low to High: CC-GG-DD-AA-EE)....
And you could do the same
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEOB...e<br /> <br />

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEOBg8EHF7w&feature=youtu.be

[mrmando]

Problem with the D'Addarios is they're loop-end, and most guitar conversions will require ball-end strings. I doubt our friend in the video is using D'Addarios, but you never know.

[Mandobart]

I have a custom built 26" scale 10 string 'cello. The longest string length from bottom of tailpiece to topmost tuner post is 38". On my Eastman (basically factory built arch top guitar to 'cello conversion) the longest length is 35". I use d'addario guitar strings on both and have never encountered a "too short" string.

I converted my old 6 string Applause to a F-C-G-D-A-E instrument. I used the heaviest guitar string I could get at my local store for the F (think it was a .074) and it is still too floppy. The other 5 strings sound good though. A bass guitar E tuned up to an F ought to work, but check the calculated tension first.

[NotMelloCello]

The mandocello strings I sell at emando.com are 42" long. In case anyone cares.

And they are great, Martin. When I first joined this forum, it was to ask about strings for converting a guitar into a mandocello. I was initially skeptical of strings not made by a big string company, but I've been very pleased with your heavy sets. I bought 2 sets of them, and have yet to install the 2nd set. They last forever it seems, they still sound nice, and they work perfectly on the Washburn electric I converted. For me, it's 2 big thumbs up for Martins' mandocello strings!

[Explorer]

Although the OP was asking for advice two years ago, and might no longer be looking for more...

When I'm putting together a string set for a new instrument set-up, I figure out what strings feel right by first getting in the ballpark in terms of tension, making adjustments, and then ordering bulk strings from any of various online bulk string suppliers. I can put together six string sets for a mandocello for around $40US, or less than $7 a set, and in exactly the gauges I want.

I used to use juststrings.com for this, but the last time I ordered from them, the bulk strings they sent had been clipped, with the plain wire and a section of the wound part completely clipped off. Some of the strings had loose windings due to the clipping. They gave no refund, and just explained that their bulk string supplier was now offering only the clipped strings with possibly loose and therefore useless winds for convenience. I switched to another vendor.

I buy ball end strings because they're cheaper, but if one needs loop end strings, it's relatively easy to hold just one side of the ball in long-handled pliers and crushing it without affecting the loop. You sometimes have to crush the other side of the ball, but that's not a problem. I usually drape a cloth across the string end and pliers so the ball doesn't jump up, as I want to avoid eye injury. If you want to follow this procedure, do so at your own risk and please use safety procedures.

I regularly use a converted 12-string as a unison-strung six-course cittern, as listed in my signature.

[Mandobart]

Explorer - what gages and tuning do you find work best on a six-course guitar-bodied instrument?

[Explorer]

Here's what I've been using since 2009:

B4 - .006 experimental alloy
E4 - .010
A3 - .016 pb wound
D3 - .030 pb wound
G2 - .042 pb wound
C2 - .059 pb wound

I know that the vendor I buy the high B4 strings from is skittish about selling them to people who might not follow directions, because it's easy to break them in the initial tuning if one doesn't follow them.

However, once I got my instuments set up, with all burrs and binding points removed, the only breakages I've had were from people picking up the instrument without permission and going for it. Now, I case the instruments and lock the case, because I'd rather face an outraged "Why do you always put it away, like I would break a string?" instead of "What, it's only one or two broken $8 strings, no big deal! I know you have a replacement!" with no offer to pay for what they did.

On the instrument I use most, I replace the wound strings, but have only felt the need to replace the high strings once. That's 4 years without breakage.