Need string help

[jgentry12]

I just finished building a 5 string Mandola - calling it that because of the 16.927" scale. She is pretty and has great tone (demarzio hum and lace sensor single coil). I am using a blend pot 500K tone and volume pots with a .47mf cap. Works perfect. She has Schaller mini's and a hardtail bridge. She is neck through mahogony with flame maple top, and is a solid body. Here's my trouble. I have broken 5 E strings trying to get her to tune. I have tried .008 - .009 - .10 - and .13 electric guitar strings and all will tune to D but keep going and she starts to stretch and then break. I finally tuned top to D and started at the bottom with A but the C in the middle means I have to learn all new fingerings for each key. Would really like to have the C at the bottom. I even changed the E tuner thinking there was a burr of something. I need your ideas. Thanks - Joe

[Martin Jonas]

That's a very long scale indeed to get an E to work. I've got a 5-course (acoustic) mandola with 16" scale and just about get a .009 string to tune up to E -- however, it's so shrill that I now tune it down to D anyway. CGDAD is a really useful tuning in any case and I recommend you try that. Lots of Irish players tune their mandolin GDAD, and with your additional low C, you'll have some good options for chords and double stops and a nice range for lead.

If you want to go CGDAE, you may be better advised to look at the 5-string fan-fretted conversion shown here, which will make your instrument much better balanced. As you have an electric rather than an acoustic, you can probably get away with a less extreme fan spread.

Martin

[Jim MacDaniel]

Is 16.9" long enough to tune the bottom course down to F without getting all floppy and wandering out of tune? If so, you could keep it tuned in fifths (FCGDA) if that is your preference.

[Doug Hoople]

As a data point, Jon Mann's 5-string electrics are 15.5", which he's settled on as the compromise for a reasonably good C and an E that doesn't break.

17" is probably out of reach for getting your E to work.

[mando.player]

The Mann 5-String mandolins are 14.5", not 15.5". The extra half inch oes help pick up some the slack. I would think that a 5-string mandola would be tuned FCGDA. With the extra string going down instead of up. Basically a mandola with a little extra thump. Got any pics yet?

For those of you looking for 5-string mandolin strings, I'm having good luck with the strings from emando.com. I've tried about 5 different sets of strings since I got the Mann. These seem to be the best so far. I'm using the light set.

[clem]

Just call it a "long scale" mandolin (or baritone as some do), tune it low G to high B, use a .009 for the B string and something fat for the G (I use a .50 on my Rono) and you're in business. If you capo at the 5th fret, you'll be in "standard" 5 string electric mando tuning.

[Doug Hoople]

The Mann 5-String mandolins are 14.5", not 15.5". #The extra half inch oes help pick up some the slack.

Oops! Wow. My mistake...

I just looked on Jon's website, and you're absolutely right!

Thanks, Charlie, for the correction. Just in time, too, since I was committing to a new fretboard for my electric and had the measurements set to go for 15.5".

That's a new twist on measure twice, cut once, isn't it? A reminder to look it up twice before measuring twice!

That'll teach me to wing it from memory here at the Cafe!

[jgentry12]

Thanks for the help gentlemen. I have tried all the suggestions, and am trying the low G to high B. Seems to fit my style, but the five string is different. The G is floppy with the .046 so will put a .50 on soon. I will get some pics on here this weekend so you can see my new toy. Joe