Re: String gauges for GDAE on electric tenor
To me its about starting with a string tension you like and then adjusting for string balance as needed.
If you want to bend, go lighter, if not, heavier may be your thing.
I lean towards the light side, so run 15 lbs per string, very bendable on my 18" scale. On a longer scale a little more tension could work.
Same (15 lb) tension on 23" scale is 10.5-16-26-40 PS top two, NPS bottom two.
NPS - wound Nickel Plated Steel.
PS = plain steel
Run that up to 20 lbs and you get 12-18-30-46 (2 PS and 2 NPS) (or use 20 if NPS for the A string).
Then tune the string gauges to taste to balance strings. PS or NPS on the A is the big choice IMHO, I find a PS A much stronger with a pickup than a wound A of similar tension.
I like to bend, and use one finger BB-King-style vibrato, and find 20 lbs is a bit high for me, so I run 15 lb gauges, although as scale length increases more tension is more tolerable.
You just have to try it. I put 12 lb gauges on a 20" acoustic tenor once, and it was too light, marvelously easy to play though. I have the 15 lb set sitting on my table, but haven't put them on yet..
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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