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Thread: looking for nylon string instrument 4 strings tuned in 5ths,

  1. #1

    Default looking for nylon string instrument 4 strings tuned in 5ths,

    I have a baritone uke that I am using for this purpose. I was wondering if anyone is using a mando style instrument with nylon, or tenor guitar or uke and which one you liked the best . thanks kevin

  2. #2
    Mando accumulator allenhopkins's Avatar
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    Default Re: looking for nylon string instrument 4 strings tuned in 5ths,

    I have a Gold Tone CEB-4 cello banjo. Marcy Marxer (she's a real sweetheart, by the way) model, tuned like a mandocello with nylon strings in 5ths, CGDA.

    Don't know if you'd want to go that low, but it should be possible to use a combination of baritone ukulele and classical guitar strings to tune a baritone uke in mandola tuning, also CGDA but an octave above the 'cello.
    Allen Hopkins
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    Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello
    Flatiron 3K OM

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    Registered User BoxCarJoe's Avatar
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    Default Re: looking for nylon string instrument 4 strings tuned in 5ths,

    https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...-style-Ukulele

    This recent thread is my experience with that.

    In short, baritone ukes in CGDA work very well using classical guitar strings.

  4. #4
    Registered User Bunnyf's Avatar
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    Default Re: looking for nylon string instrument 4 strings tuned in 5ths,

    I keep a baritone uke tuned in fifths (fluorocarbon 1,2, wound 3,4). I prefer my steel string tenor guitar in all aspects but the bari is an ok smaller alternative, with it’s own voice. I also keep a soprano uke tuned GDAE (using Aquila’s specific set for this purpose). Not crazy about the strings. The lower strings sound choked and anemic but it’s nice for quiet mando practice.

  5. #5

    Default Re: looking for nylon string instrument 4 strings tuned in 5ths,

    thanks

  6. #6
    Registered User John Kelly's Avatar
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    Default Re: looking for nylon string instrument 4 strings tuned in 5ths,

    I too have a soprano uke with the Aquila Nylgut string set (GDAE) and as Bunnyf says, it is fine for playing quietly in the house and very easy on the fingers. I adjusted the nut height on the uke to improve the intonation and it actually sounds much better with the Aquila strings than might be expected for a very cheap instrument.
    I'm playing all the right notes, but not necessarily in the right order. - Eric Morecambe

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  7. #7
    Registered User Bunnyf's Avatar
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    Default Re: looking for nylon string instrument 4 strings tuned in 5ths,

    Quote Originally Posted by John Kelly View Post
    I too have a soprano uke with the Aquila Nylgut string set (GDAE) and as Bunnyf says, it is fine for playing quietly in the house and very easy on the fingers. I adjusted the nut height on the uke to improve the intonation and it actually sounds much better with the Aquila strings than might be expected for a very cheap instrument.
    Just FYI, I’m using quite a nice LoPrinzi walnut soprano and will say that the tuning just does not bring out the best in the instrument just as uke tuning does not do a mandolin justice. I’d like to try a fluorocarbon set but not sure if anyone has them (I think Southcoast may have had them but they closed a while back with the passing of the owner). I’m gonna check out Living Waters, Ken usually has a wide selection of strings and does custom sets.

  8. #8
    Registered User
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    Default Re: looking for nylon string instrument 4 strings tuned in 5ths,

    I have a concert sized uke and assumed that tuning it to GDAE would result in too many string breakages. I bought a set of Aquilla Nylgut strings for mandola tuning (CGDA) umpteen years ago but I've never got round to fitting them.

  9. #9
    Registered User Charles E.'s Avatar
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    Default Re: looking for nylon string instrument 4 strings tuned in 5ths,

    If you google "nylon string mandolin" this comes up...


    Charley

    A bunch of stuff with four strings

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