Re: How to tune a tiple?
How do you tune a tiple? Constantly, and unsatisfactorily, in my experience (I own two, a Martin T-15 and a koa-bodied Regal).
The three "lower" courses -- second, third and fourth -- are "octave" tuning, as Stuart indicates. Courses #2 and #3 are triple, three strings each, with the heavier, lower-octave string in the middle of each course, and the lighter strings above and below it. In double course #4 the lighter string is on the "inside," toward the soundhole. At least that's how they're "normally" strung.
So your tuning is sorta "semi-re-entrant," in that the fourth course heavy string is the lowest-pitched string, with an octave-higher string next to it.
I tune my tiples like ukuleles, GCEA, 4th course to 1st course. The octave stringing and short scale cause all kinds of tuning issues, as the heavier strings in each "octaved" course tend to go sharp when fretted more than three frets up. I often use a sort of "compromise" tuning, where the heavier strings are slightly flat to the lighter strings in each course, but sound "close" both unfretted and fretted.
Love the sound of the tiple, but struggle frequently with tuning issues. Unfortunately, Martin and other tiple bridges lack the sophisticated compensated saddle that would reduce the discrepancies between higher- and lower-octave strings. (You find the same problems when you capo a 12-string guitar up a few frets.)
Good luck with yours.
Allen Hopkins
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