10 String/Blues

[Unseen122]

So the other day I went looking thourgh my dad's guitar books looking for blues stuff found a B. B. King book and arranged "The Thrill is Gone" for a Mandolin playing the guitar lead which for all who don't know a Mandolin G (open) is an octave above guitars lowest G (3rd fret last string) so basicly I wrote it an octave down an changed around the bends and stuff. The tune sounded really cool but I realised if I wanted to continue with the style of music I should get a 10 string because I don't like tuning down anyone know where to find one.

[mad dawg]

David Freshwater, based in Inverness, Scotland, builds a very reasonably priced 10-string mandolin. I have an older 10-string of his he built for a music store a while back, and really enjoy it.

Stephan Sobell from Northumberland also makes 10-string mandolins, which fellow MC'er Dagger Gordon plays, as well as Iain MacLeod, formerly of Shooglenifty. (Someday, wife permitting, I will own a Sobell. )

[Dave Wendler]

I've been thinking about a 10 string FANNED fret...wondering if it would work. Or, might be able to get away with about a 15" scale, use .009's for the first course, and still have plenty of pop for the low strings. The problem is, a "flapping" low string(course)...this is the problem with 5 stringers, whether its a bass guitar or an electric mando.

BUT, I think if we stretched the scale by an inch, we just might get away with it.

I'd be willing to try, anyway....