Stringing my OM?

[Ashville Picker]

When I picked up my new octave mandolin at the Bluegrass Musicians Supply in Columbus, Ohio I was surprised that it was not strung exactly like my mandolin. The music shop had strung the G and D strings with strings that were an octave apart. I have spent some time researching this on line and have come to believe that while OMs can be strung like this that they can also be strung like a mandolin with each set of strings being of the same diameter. Am I correct in this? If so, I plan to re-string it to be just like my mandolin, only an octave lower, right? I have ordered two sets of J80 OM strings (I think) and in the picture each set of strings appear to be the same diameter.

I will be playing primarily folk, old time, and bluegrass music, probably very few Irish tunes. Any guidance is appreciated here. Thanks. Larry

[Bill Lemerise]

gg dd aa ee one octave lower than a mando, octave at fret 12.

[Ashville Picker]

gg dd aa ee one octave lower than a mando, octave at fret 12.

Thanks Bill. The instrument came strung Gg Dd aa ee, if that makes any sense.

[Ashville Picker]

Thanks Bill. The instrument came strung Gg Dd aa ee, if that makes any sense.

This from Wikipedia answers my question, if it s correct:

"The octave mandolin is a fretted string instrument with four pairs of strings tuned in 5ths, G, D, A, E (low to high), an octave below a mandolin. It has a 20 to 23 inch scale length and its construction is similar to other instruments in the mandolin family. Usually the courses are all unison pairs but the lower two may sometimes be strung as octave pairs with the higher pitched octave string on top so that it is hit before the thicker lower pitched string."

I think I chose the tuning in unison pairs because that is what I am used to with my F5G.

[allenhopkins]

Make sure the nut and bridge slots (if there are significant slots in the bridge saddle) are large enough to accommodate the heavier G and D strings with which you're replacing the thinner "octave" strings.

Also, the Wikipedia article is pretty much OK on stringing, but not all OM players (or bouzouki players) who "octave" their lower courses put the higher pitched string "on top." (Check out Posts #10-13 of this recent thread.).

If you're planning on "unison" stringing, that discussion's irrelevant to you, but not everyone strings their octaves the same way.

[bratsche]

"The octave mandolin is a fretted string instrument with four pairs of strings tuned in 5ths, G, D, A, E (low to high), an octave below a mandolin. It has a 20 to 23 inch scale length and its construction is similar to other instruments in the mandolin family. Usually the courses are all unison pairs but the lower two may sometimes be strung as octave pairs with the higher pitched octave string on top so that it is hit before the thicker lower pitched string.".

Shouldn't that read "...with the higher pitched octave string on the bottom so that it is hit before the thicker lower pitched string"? I understand what it's saying, but it already acknowledges the G and D strings as being the "lower two" pairs, so that reads inconsistently. I'm just being nit-picky, I guess.

And yes, you'll likely have to make the relevant nut and bridge slots bigger to accommodate the unison pairing.

bratsche

[Ashville Picker]

Shouldn't that read "...with the higher pitched octave string on the bottom so that it is hit before the thicker lower pitched string"? I understand what it's saying, but it already acknowledges the G and D strings as being the "lower two" pairs, so that reads inconsistently. I'm just being nit-picky, I guess.

And yes, you'll likely have to make the relevant nut and bridge slots bigger to accommodate the unison pairing.

bratsche

Thanks for the info. I believe I have a handle on how I want to string it. Now, if I can get the hang of playing it. Thanks again. Larry

[jmp]

Shouldn't that read "...with the higher pitched octave string on the bottom so that it is hit before the thicker lower pitched string"? I understand what it's saying, but it already acknowledges the G and D strings as being the "lower two" pairs, so that reads inconsistently. I'm just being nit-picky, I guess.

bratsche

It's Wikipedia, so feel free to go on there and change it so that it makes more sense.

[Eddie Sheehy]

Firstly, in the world of OM's, Zouks, Citterns etc., there are NO rules. Everyone does their own thing and even the luthiers that make them use conflicting names and "standards". Here's what I do:
I prefer OM's strung unison - GG DD AA EE - because I use an OM primarily for melody and fretting octave pairs sounds terrible because the intonation goes off as you move up the fretboard - different string diameters)
On Zouks I use both unison and Octave strings on the bass courses - GG DD AA DD (ignore the caps and lowercase - just for display) - I'll leave it to a musical theorist to put in the G2D2A1E1 etc. since I tend to tune by ear - fifths apart). I like the Octave pairs on a Zouk for their nice drones, and I drop the high E to D - also for droning.
When I use Octave strings I place the lower octave on the Bass side so it is struck first - this reduces the jangliness (as in a 12-string guitar when the higher octave is on the bass side) and produces a more harmonic sound.

If you don't want to mess with recutting nut slots then get an instrument with a zero-fret or tune it down a half step and capo on 1.

On Citterns I mix and match the above. The terminology I have adopted from others is:
Zouk - 24"+ scale length - 4 courses with octave or unison basses. - GGDDAADD
OM - 24""- scale length - 4 courses with octave or unison basses. - GGDDAAEE
Cittern - any 5 course instrument - CCGGDDAAEE, DDGGDDAAEE, GGDDAAEEBB, AADDAAEEBB, AADDAAEEAA etc.

But that's just me...

[Lord of the Badgers]

Wouldn't be without my octave pairs on the zouk. Often I capo it either 5th or even 7th which makes for a nice sound. Base tuning is GDAD- yeah it's great for drones and modal chords (don't pick me up on that! LOL). It's the ethereal progger in me.
I wonder what a (shortscale) OM would sound like in comparison? Isn't it higher tension a la mandolin?

[Eddie Sheehy]

My 21" OM is boomier and not so jangly as my zouk - I use heavier gauge strings on the OM to get rid of the 'loosness' in the bass courses - not a problem with lighter gauges on a zouk because of the longer scale length. Expect a 'duller' sound moving down to an OM from a Zouk - with or without octave courses.

[tmsweeney]

for octave I prefer the d'addario J80 set ( which is identical strings each course)

this may be a little on the lite side for some

John Pearse also has an "octave mandolin" set - a little heavier than the d'addario

[Eddie Sheehy]

Depends on the scale length. J80's are probably better suited to 22" plus scales... I'd go with J76 or J72 (mandola strings) for the under 22" scale lengths - but it's really up to perception of the player...

for octave I prefer the d'addario J80 set ( which is identical strings each course)

this may be a little on the lite side for some

John Pearse also has an "octave mandolin" set - a little heavier than the d'addario