Best way to string a baritone uku for GDAE (Octave Mando) tuning?

[baritoneuke]

Hi all,

I just picked up this vintage Marathon baritone ukulele on Reverb — https://reverb.com/item/23918139-mar...e-1960s-walnut — and could use a little help getting it set up for octave mandolin / tenor tuning, GDAE.

I have a Kala that I string up with classical guitar strings; 2 wrapped steel (.043 for G, .030 for D) and two nylon (.032 for A & .028 for E). This seems to work and I love the sound that I get from it, although I'm concerned about the tension being too much for the bridge on this new (old) instrument. The Kala handles it well after 6 years; I believe the Marathon is from the '60s and I don't want to damage it, but I still want to maintain GDAE tuning in some form.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Is there anything I should consider outside of string gauges when setting this up?

[kurth83]

Use a string tension calculator to match or approximate tensions with the uke tuning perhaps?

[EvanElk]

I have a baritone uke built by Kerry Char that I tune GDAE...I use Lava low G tenor uke strings made by Aquila