prowla Posted March 1, 2020 Share Posted March 1, 2020 (edited) I've got a half-size guitar and am converting it to 4 pairs of strings D,G,B,E. Edited March 1, 2020 by prowla 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave moffat Posted March 3, 2020 Share Posted March 3, 2020 If you tune the 1st D and G strings an octave higher it'll be the same tuning as an 8 string Baritone Ukulele - really nice full chords. I'd be tempted to try an octave lower just to see what that sounds like, though the might sound a bit muddy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prowla Posted March 3, 2020 Author Share Posted March 3, 2020 7 hours ago, dave moffat said: If you tune the 1st D and G strings an octave higher it'll be the same tuning as an 8 string Baritone Ukulele - really nice full chords. I'd be tempted to try an octave lower just to see what that sounds like, though the might sound a bit muddy. I’m thinking of the top 4 strings of a guitar with a capo on the 5th fret. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grahambythesea Posted March 25, 2020 Share Posted March 25, 2020 Why not just use proper mandolin tuning. Should stay in tune better . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted April 6, 2020 Share Posted April 6, 2020 (edited) This sounds like a great project. I've recently changed my tenor guitar to 'Chicago' tuning - equivalent to the top 4 of a guitar (or baritone uke). As the scale length is shorter I used heavier strings than I would for a normal six string . You can get a good idea of which strings should work well with the tool at http://chordgen.rattree.co.uk/tensiontool.php eg for a balanced eight string with a 15" scale length (like a tenor uke) using steel strings: Edited April 6, 2020 by Jean-Luc Pickguard 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt P Posted May 1, 2020 Share Posted May 1, 2020 (edited) @prowla have you managed to get any further on this? i have been debating doing something similar myself if i can find a suitable donor instrument. i was thinking of 4ths/guitar tuning and maybe 5 pairs of strings if the neck is wide enough, what are your plans for the bridge/tailpiece? i was thinking maybe a simple wooden floating type bridge (possibly pinned down) and a wooden tailpiece with pins for the string ends (loop end strings?) and a decorative cover to neaten it up. this might happen if i win the guitar i'm watching on ebay right now. Matt Edit - just had a better look at the picture, can see that you are using a bass bridge, and that it's pretty much ready to go, how is it sounding? Edited May 1, 2020 by Matt P didn't look at the picture well enough! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prowla Posted May 1, 2020 Author Share Posted May 1, 2020 1 hour ago, Matt P said: @prowla have you managed to get any further on this? i have been debating doing something similar myself if i can find a suitable donor instrument. i was thinking of 4ths/guitar tuning and maybe 5 pairs of strings if the neck is wide enough, what are your plans for the bridge/tailpiece? i was thinking maybe a simple wooden floating type bridge (possibly pinned down) and a wooden tailpiece with pins for the string ends (loop end strings?) and a decorative cover to neaten it up. this might happen if i win the guitar i'm watching on ebay right now. Matt Edit - just had a better look at the picture, can see that you are using a bass bridge, and that it's pretty much ready to go, how is it sounding? Hi, @Matt P Yes - I looked around for guitar bridges anything really stood out, but the threaded bass one is quite flexible. However, the string holes are too big and guitar strings pop through, so I need to make a plate with holes in it to fit. I've got to drill holes for and fit the extra pair of tuners. I may also need to put a new nut on it, as I've just added extra slots to the existing 6-string one for the moment, but the string spacing may be too wide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soledad Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 Great lockdown project, and I do love the mandolin anyway (Tim O'Brien is a favourite). This lockdown has me scouring eBay and the like for odd stuff - banjoleles, whatever. Probably buy a tenor Uke on Monday... getting desperate for notes! Let us know how the mandotar gets along👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prowla Posted May 10, 2020 Author Share Posted May 10, 2020 So, I added the couple of extra tuners. There's one more thing I need to sort before I can put strings on it - the string holes in the bass bridge I'm using are too wide, so I need a stopbar or something to catch the ball-ends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prowla Posted May 16, 2020 Author Share Posted May 16, 2020 Right - I think it's built! I have to tune it, plug it in, and do a set-up before it's fully finished. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted August 10, 2020 Share Posted August 10, 2020 Excellent work! I love some of the things that people on here make/mod/re-purpose. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nail Soup Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 On 16/05/2020 at 21:43, prowla said: I have to tune it, plug it in, and do a set-up before it's fully finished. @prowla so it's been a while.............how it going playabiltiy and sound wise? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prowla Posted August 12, 2020 Author Share Posted August 12, 2020 15 minutes ago, Nail Soup said: @prowla so it's been a while.............how it going playabiltiy and sound wise? It sounds great. However, the strings are quite far apart (4 pairs across the width of a guitar neck), so if I were ding another, I'd probably go for a 12-string. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Horse Murphy Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 Hmmm, looks more like a Gundolin than an a Mandotar to me.... Well done 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StickyDBRmf Posted September 2, 2020 Share Posted September 2, 2020 Wild. Should sound good with a fuzzzzz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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