Can I tune my Puerto Rican Cuatro like a Cittern?

[leofrom5to7]

hi everyone!

I got a puerto rican cuatro but I'm already very familiar with the mandolin tuning so I was thinking if it would be possible to turn it into a cittern by changing the string gauges, tuning and the top two string pairs to unisons. The scale of the instrument from the bridge to the nut is about 20.5", would this be possible? Any advice?

[zoukboy]

hi everyone!

I got a puerto rican cuatro but I'm already very familiar with the mandolin tuning so I was thinking if it would be possible to turn it into a cittern by changing the string gauges, tuning and the top two string pairs to unisons. The scale of the instrument from the bridge to the nut is about 20.5", would this be possible? Any advice?

The short answer is probably not without changing strings. How is it tuned now? How would you like to tune it?

[leofrom5to7]

Thanks for replying! Yeah I thought I would have to change the strings and also make the nut accept unison strings on the two top/lower strings. I want to tune it to CGADE, the original tuning is BEADG, so the current strings won't work, how can I find out which strings to buy? I should probably leave the nut for a pro too.

[zoukboy]

Thanks for replying! Yeah I thought I would have to change the strings and also make the nut accept unison strings on the two top/lower strings. I want to tune it to CGADE, the original tuning is BEADG, so the current strings won't work, how can I find out which strings to buy? I should probably leave the nut for a pro too.

Yes, you might want to have a pro do the nut.

Do you really mean CGADE? BEADG is straight fourths ascending. You won't be able to tune straight ascending fifths on that scale length. Why not tune it to one of the open tunings that are frequently used on five course mandoids, like GDGDG or ADADA or GDADG or GDADA? Even a G course on that short scale will be a challenge, you'll have to use a heavy string.

BTW, what are the string gauges on it now?

[leofrom5to7]

I'm sorry I meant CGDAE! I wanted to tune it that way because I've been playing the mandolin and the bouzouki for a while using GDAE, I've found it a very versatile tuning. I very much like the resonance of this cuatro, more than either my mandolin or my bouzouki, but I'm not very keen on the tuning. The current gauges I think are 11-11,14-14,24-24,32-14,42-24, but the action feels as though it could use lighter strings. I was trying ADADA and only had problems on the 1rst string, its too droney for my taste, I'm not sure about chords and range in this type of tuning but thanks for the suggestion!

[zoukboy]

I'm sorry I meant CGDAE! I wanted to tune it that way because I've been playing the mandolin and the bouzouki for a while using GDAE, I've found it a very versatile tuning. I very much like the resonance of this cuatro, more than either my mandolin or my bouzouki, but I'm not very keen on the tuning. The current gauges I think are 11-11,14-14,24-24,32-14,42-24, but the action feels as though it could use lighter strings. I was trying ADADA and only had problems on the 1rst string, its too droney for my taste, I'm not sure about chords and range in this type of tuning but thanks for the suggestion!

You could tune it like an octave mandolin GDAE with another high note on top, like an A or a B if you want straight fifths, but you won't get a low C to work on that short of a scale.

You might also try F C G D A

Sort of mandola tuning with a low F, but I don't think you could go much lower than F.

Your current string gauges have these tensions:

len 20.5"

G .011" PL == 17.93#
G .011" PL == 17.93#
D .014" PL == 16.3#
D .014" PL == 16.3#
A, .024" PB == 24.62#
A, .024" PB == 24.62#
E, .032" PB == 24.86#
E .014" PL == 20.54#
B,, .042" PB == 24.38#
B, .024" PB == 31.02#
total == 218.51#

So, if those gauges are correct and I have the tuning right, you're looking at a lot of tension. If you go here: http://www.bangzero.org/stringtension/ you can use the string tension calculator there to find gauges for a new tuning. For instance:

len 20.5"

G .011" PL == 17.93#
G .011" PL == 17.93#
D .014" PL == 16.3#
D .014" PL == 16.3#
A, .024" PB == 24.62#
A, .024" PB == 24.62#
D, .035" PB == 23.81#
D, .035" PB == 23.81#
G,, .050" PB == 21.4#
G,, .050" PB == 21.4#
total == 208.14#

As long as the overall tension is less than what you have on there now you should be OK.

[leofrom5to7]

Awesome valuable information. Thanks.
The F C G D A sounded really interesting , I tried it but I think I will need way heavier strings so I'm not sure. I tried the GDAEB and broke one of the first strings lol, I think I'll only have to get maybe some 08s or 09s for it and perhaps go a bit heavier on the lower two pairs, I'll try the calculator, although that interface is terrible (maybe I'll make a better one)..It should yield an interesting sounding instrument, maybe I'll post a video of the result. Thanks!

[Jacob]

Other string tension calculation resources:
The McDonald Patent Universal String Tension Calculator - online
Universal String Tension Calculator - download