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Thread: changing mandolin to mandolele

  1. #1
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    Default changing mandolin to mandolele

    since i cant get a response from vendors on the mandolele to buy, i am asking for an opinion. thinking to change my mando strings to try the different tuning for mandolele.
    need to change string tuning to GCEA. here is string gauge on mandolele and then comparing that with heavy string gauge on mandolin strings. anyone have a thought on tension on mandolin? would bumping up to mandolele strings be too much tension.
    sure would appreciate it your opinion. thanks

    regular heavy mandolin strings are. strings on the mandolele are
    G .041 G .038w
    D .026 D .028w
    A .016 E .020w
    E .0115 A. .013

  2. #2

    Default Re: changing mandolin to mandolele

    Normal mando gauges would be fine for G and D since same pitch. The E and A are tuned lower so heavier strings are ideal, but you may have to widen nut slots for those two strings.

    Sounds completely doable to me.

    I would use one of the string tension calculators, and go for medium or light gauge (or whatever gauge you prefer on mando). Heavy causes problems on some mandos, and strumming lightly with fingers isn't likely to work well with heavies either. Match the E and A tensions to the same tension for a regular set of that gauge.
    Last edited by kurth83; Mar-24-2019 at 10:52pm.
    Davey Stuart tenor guitar (based on his 18" mandola design).
    Eastman MD-604SB with Grover 309 tuners.
    Eastwood 4 string electric mandostang, 2x Airline e-mandola (4-string) one strung as an e-OM.
    DSP's: Helix HX Stomp, various Zooms.
    Amps: THR-10, Sony XB-20.

  3. #3
    Lurkist dhergert's Avatar
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    Default Re: changing mandolin to mandolele

    Quote Originally Posted by Rocky View Post
    since i cant get a response from vendors on the mandolele to buy, i am asking for an opinion. thinking to change my mando strings to try the different tuning for mandolele.
    need to change string tuning to GCEA. here is string gauge on mandolele and then comparing that with heavy string gauge on mandolin strings. anyone have a thought on tension on mandolin? would bumping up to mandolele strings be too much tension.
    sure would appreciate it your opinion. thanks

    regular heavy mandolin strings are. strings on the mandolele are
    G .041 G .038w
    D .026 D .028w
    A .016 E .020w
    E .0115 A. .013

    I routinely tune my mandolins GCEG, aka open C, slak-key C or taropatch C. Your Mandolele tuning is basically Chicago tuning, the same intervals as the first 4 strings on a guitar, tuned up 5 frets. This is the same concept as my tuning except your first course is tuned up a step to A.

    For my E and G courses (formerly A and E courses) I use .017 and .015 (non-wound) strings. The G and C courses (formerly G and D courses) are the standard mandolin wound strings. You can probably also use the same .017 and .015; I know I have successfully tuned my .015 course to A in the past for guitar players.

    This is very doable and should sound good too. Just be aware that you're going to have to be working pretty independently with non-standard mandolin tunings, there just isn't a lot of experience or documentation anywhere about it.

    That said, I flatpick my mandolins in this tuning all the time, and for the most part, people usually don't know I'm tuned any differently.
    -- Don

    "Music: A minor auditory irritation occasionally characterized as pleasant."
    "It is a lot more fun to make music than it is to argue about it."


    2002 Gibson F-9
    2016 MK LFSTB
    1975 Suzuki taterbug (plus many other noisemakers)
    [About how I tune my mandolins]
    [Our recent arrival]

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  5. #4
    Certified! Bernie Daniel's Avatar
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    Default Re: changing mandolin to mandolele

    Quote Originally Posted by dhergert View Post
    I routinely tune my mandolins GCEG, aka open C, slak-key C or taropatch C. Your Mandolele tuning is basically Chicago tuning, the same intervals as the first 4 strings on a guitar, tuned up 5 frets. This is the same concept as my tuning except your first course is tuned up a step to A.

    For my E and G courses (formerly A and E courses) I use .017 and .015 (non-wound) strings. The G and C courses (formerly G and D courses) are the standard mandolin wound strings. You can probably also use the same .017 and .015; I know I have successfully tuned my .015 course to A in the past for guitar players.

    This is very doable and should sound good too. Just be aware that you're going to have to be working pretty independently with non-standard mandolin tunings, there just isn't a lot of experience or documentation anywhere about it.

    That said, I flatpick my mandolins in this tuning all the time, and for the most part, people usually don't know I'm tuned any differently.
    Well that kinda blows my mind. Are you aware of any videos of folks playing mandolins in these tunings?
    Bernie
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    Due to current budgetary restrictions the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off -- sorry about the inconvenience.

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  7. #5
    Lurkist dhergert's Avatar
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    Default Re: changing mandolin to mandolele

    Bernie, no, unless someone has video'ed me playing; probably not very likely. When I went to this GCEG tuning I spoke with one person in a uke forum who knew the tuning as Taropatch C tuning, used for mandolin and uke among some folks in Hawaii over the decades. But I've never personally met anyone else who uses it. Feel free to let me know if you have any other questions about this.
    -- Don

    "Music: A minor auditory irritation occasionally characterized as pleasant."
    "It is a lot more fun to make music than it is to argue about it."


    2002 Gibson F-9
    2016 MK LFSTB
    1975 Suzuki taterbug (plus many other noisemakers)
    [About how I tune my mandolins]
    [Our recent arrival]

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  9. #6

    Default Re: changing mandolin to mandolele

    I found a few vids on googling for mandolele, one guy had an actual 4-string mandolele and a mando tuned as one. He finger strummed them both, same fingerings, etc.
    Davey Stuart tenor guitar (based on his 18" mandola design).
    Eastman MD-604SB with Grover 309 tuners.
    Eastwood 4 string electric mandostang, 2x Airline e-mandola (4-string) one strung as an e-OM.
    DSP's: Helix HX Stomp, various Zooms.
    Amps: THR-10, Sony XB-20.

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  11. #7
    Lurkist dhergert's Avatar
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    Default Re: changing mandolin to mandolele

    Quote Originally Posted by Rocky View Post
    ... anyone have a thought on tension on mandolin? would bumping up to mandolele strings be too much tension.
    sure would appreciate it your opinion. thanks

    regular heavy mandolin strings are. strings on the mandolele are
    G .041 G .038w
    D .026 D .028w
    A .016 E .020w
    E .0115 A. .013
    Rocky, I'm not sure why you selected to go with "heavier gauge" for the GCEA mandolin tuning. You can use the same normal mandolin G and C (formerly G and D) strings, and I'd recommend staying with non-wound .017 and .015 strings for your E and A (formerly A and E) strings if you want a sound that is more similar to normal standard tuned mandolins. In my experience having a wound E (formerly A) course only makes that course more prone to early string failure because the windings are so thin.

    So for GCEA tuning I'd recommend your standard mandolin G and D strings, and .017 for your E strings, and .015 for your A strings. Using this string combination for GCEA tuning will have lower tension on your mandolin than all of the strings for normal mandolin tuning, except for the low G strings which will be the same as standard tuning for mandolin.

    I use D'Addario Flat Tops (medium EFT-74) wound .039 and .026 for my G and C (formerly G and D) courses and D'Addario custom gauge .017 and .015 loop end selections for my non-wound E and high G (formerly A and high E) courses.
    -- Don

    "Music: A minor auditory irritation occasionally characterized as pleasant."
    "It is a lot more fun to make music than it is to argue about it."


    2002 Gibson F-9
    2016 MK LFSTB
    1975 Suzuki taterbug (plus many other noisemakers)
    [About how I tune my mandolins]
    [Our recent arrival]

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  13. #8

    Default Re: changing mandolin to mandolele

    I'm confused...which string for the C strings for gCEA tuning?

  14. #9

    Default Re: changing mandolin to mandolele

    I have been looking for this for like months.

  15. #10

    Default Re: changing mandolin to mandolele

    Quote Originally Posted by PhilUSAFRet View Post
    I'm confused...which string for the C strings for gCEA tuning?

    Was writing this up for someone else so I thought I'd copypasta here.
    I would recommend using normal loop end mandolin or guitar strings.

    I'd go with:

    g (re-entrant tuning - G above middle C) - plain loop end steel, 0.016"
    or 0.017"
    OR
    G (non-re-entrant tuning, G3 192hz) - normal mandolin bronze wound, 0.036" - 0.038"

    C (middle C) - bronze wound loop end, 0.023" - 0.024"

    E (E above middle C) - plain loop end steel, 0.018 - 0.019"

    A 440hz - plain loop end steel, 0.014" - 0.015"

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