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Thread: Mandola

  1. #1
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    Have been thinking about stringing my mandola like a 12 string guitar. With an octave higher string at the two low strings.
    I am sure some one has tried it. How did it work for you and what gauge strings would I use. Does this make sense? It is early.

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    Registered User zoukboy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by (jaizbones @ April 02 2006, 10:51)
    Have been thinking about stringing my mandola like a 12 string guitar. With an octave higher string at the two low strings.
    I am sure some one has tried it. How did it work for you and what gauge strings would I use. Does this make sense? It is early.
    Steve Smith from Las Cruces, NM does this on his Gibson and it sounds great! What mandola do you have?

  3. #3
    Registered User zoukboy's Avatar
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    If you were using the D'Addario mandola set, say, on a 16" mandola, you could change out one of the G strings for a .016" plain steel string and one of the Cs for a .027 phosphor bronze and come pretty close to the original tension of the lower strings.

    len 16"

    A .015" PL == 25.59#
    D .025" PB == 29.02#
    G, .035" PB == 25.85#
    C, .052" PB == 25.07#
    total == 105.52#

    A .015" PL == 25.59#
    D .025" PB == 29.02#
    G .016" PL == 23.11#
    C .027" PB == 26.93#
    total == 104.66#

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    I have a little Flatiron. It ain't purty but I like it.

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    Registered User zoukboy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by (zoukboy @ April 02 2006, 17:23)
    If you were using the D'Addario mandola set, say, on a 16" mandola, you could change out one of the G strings for a .016" plain steel string and one of the Cs for a .027 phosphor bronze and come pretty close to the original tension of the lower strings.

    len 16"

    A .015" PL == 25.59#
    D .025" PB == 29.02#
    G, .035" PB == 25.85#
    C, .052" PB == 25.07#
    total == 105.52#

    A .015" PL == 25.59#
    D .025" PB == 29.02#
    G .016" PL == 23.11#
    C .027" PB == 26.93#
    total == 104.66#
    maybe you'd want to start with a .025 or .026 on that octave C instead of the .027. little bit less tension.

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    Registered User Bob DeVellis's Avatar
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    If you've got a spare set of mandola strings on hand, you can try using a D string for the C octave and an A string for the G octave. That places the two octave strings a full step below their usual pitch (as D and A unison strings) but it may allow you to get a sense of how things will sound without needing any string you don't already have on hand. If the general sound is appealing you can then fine tune by changing the gauges of the octave strings.
    Bob DeVellis

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    Wow, thank you all I am definitely going to try it out. Roger ...maybe I will see you in Los Alamos Fri.

    Guru Jai

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    Registered User zoukboy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by (jaizbones @ April 03 2006, 13:52)
    Wow, thank you all I am definitely going to try it out. Roger ...maybe I will see you in Los Alamos Fri.

    Guru Jai
    Hope so! Let me know if you have trouble finding strings for the octave pairs - I can bring some if with me.

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    Quote Originally Posted by
    I have a little Flatiron. It ain't purty but I like it.
    Purty is in the eye of the beholder, I guess.

    I got a Flatiron Scout dola today, and I think it's purty! There's something aesthetically appealing about no frills to me.

    I'm even starting to get turned off the F5 style, it sort of reminds me of old guys wearing gold chains (we ladies call them lounge lizards.)

    Paula

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    True true. I can do without the F Style and I love the Flatiron. But I also kind of like a small guitar shape or tulip shape from a builder in the Northwest. Sorry for the lack of details but that adds to the myth quotient.

    Any way thanks and see you around campus.

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