I have recently acquired one of David Freshwater's great Octave Mandolas, with a scale length of 21.5 inches. (This is as distinct from his Octave Mandolins with their slightly longer scale length). I have it tuned DAEA using 0.38/0.24/0.16/0.13 - my best guess, as it is designed to be tuned GDAE.
I'm starting to think that the strings I am using are too heavy, and the the sound is suffering as a result, but using trial and error to find the best gauges could be costly and time-consuming.
Can anyone offer suggestions on gauges which might be more appropriate?
If you're tuning fourths and fifths up from GDAE your instrument might be suffering more than your tone. I wouldn't do that, at least with those gagues if I were you. I'm not sure that scale length can handle that tuning at all.
You should check out the CBOM section of the message boards at
themandolincafe.net
Search the archives...lots of good tips from great players and happy posts from Freshwater owners. Someone there will be able to help you.
Don't worry about your sound--worry about your instrument. Tune down immediately. Contact Freshwater and see what they say. Use a capo if necessary. Hate to see a nice mandola get all bent up prematurely.
If you wanted to tune to DAEA, you probably should have a regular mandola. Brian McDonagh of Dervish tunes his mandola to CGDG (standard tuning is CGDA) and capos at the 2nd fret to get DAEA.
If you are really intent on this tuning, try out this string gauge calculator.
Tensions between 8.5 kg and 11.5 kg should be okay, although I'd try to keep it as close to 9 & 10 kg as possible. I have one of Dave's octave mandolas and use the following gauges for GDAE tuning: 45, 32, 21, 13. Based on this calculator, for a DAEA tuning you would need a set no heavier than this: 34, 22, 14, 11. I'd try something more like 32, 21, 13, 10. You are going to have to use a certain amount of trial and error in order to find which gauges work best for you.
I have the same instrument and have it strung GDAE using 42,32,24,14. These are the gauges that Dave suggested to use and I find that it works fine for me playing melody.I have tried using different types of strings and have settled for D'addario bronze wound guitar strings .But I can see where your at if you are backing. I am sure Dave would be only to happy to give you advice just give him a ring he is a mine of information and always willing to help.
Phil
Phil,
Regardless of what Dave said, try out a 13 for the E and a 21 or 22 for the A. I think you will be very pleasantly surprised. I used 14 & 22 for a long time on my Freshwater, but then backed off each string by .001. Maybe it was my imagination, but I seemed to hear more harmonic overtones with those slightly lighter gauges with no noticable loss in volume. It was as if the instrument opened up a bit more, moving just a little bit closer to a bouzouki-like sound. I use a heavier G string (45 or 47). This helps with backing yet doesn't interfere with melody, which rarely gets down to that 4th string anyway.
Incidently, I also replaced Dave's single foot bridge with a two-footed one I made myself based on Red Henry's designs.
This also opened up the sound of the instrument. Dave's extra long bridge actually dampens the top of the instrument, as does the common single-foot design.
I was extremely happy with the new bridge, but then when I tweaked the string gauges, I feel in love with my Freshwater all over again.
I will try out a set of the string gauges you suggest.craymcla Try anything once is a good motto.I was once accused here of having a closed mind but sin sceal eile.I dont really want to tamper with the bridge as I am happy with the instrument setup as is.Might try one of these on my older trinity college mandola though they look interesting.Thanks Mick
Octave Mandola string gauges
Octave Mandola string gauges
I have recently acquired one of David Freshwater's great Octave Mandolas, with a scale length of 21.5 inches. (This is as distinct from his Octave Mandolins with their slightly longer scale length). I have it tuned DAEA using 0.38/0.24/0.16/0.13 - my best guess, as it is designed to be tuned GDAE.
I'm starting to think that the strings I am using are too heavy, and the the sound is suffering as a result, but using trial and error to find the best gauges could be costly and time-consuming.
Can anyone offer suggestions on gauges which might be more appropriate?
# Posted on August 24th 2006 by John Joe
Re: Octave Mandola string gauges
If you're tuning fourths and fifths up from GDAE your instrument might be suffering more than your tone. I wouldn't do that, at least with those gagues if I were you. I'm not sure that scale length can handle that tuning at all.
You should check out the CBOM section of the message boards at
themandolincafe.net
Search the archives...lots of good tips from great players and happy posts from Freshwater owners. Someone there will be able to help you.
# Posted on August 24th 2006 by Steve L
Re: Octave Mandola string gauges
Don't worry about your sound--worry about your instrument. Tune down immediately. Contact Freshwater and see what they say. Use a capo if necessary. Hate to see a nice mandola get all bent up prematurely.
# Posted on August 24th 2006 by Audeamus
Re: Octave Mandola string gauges
If you wanted to tune to DAEA, you probably should have a regular mandola. Brian McDonagh of Dervish tunes his mandola to CGDG (standard tuning is CGDA) and capos at the 2nd fret to get DAEA.
If you are really intent on this tuning, try out this string gauge calculator.
http://www.greenmanhumming.com/html/StringCalc/Multistringcalc.html
Tensions between 8.5 kg and 11.5 kg should be okay, although I'd try to keep it as close to 9 & 10 kg as possible. I have one of Dave's octave mandolas and use the following gauges for GDAE tuning: 45, 32, 21, 13. Based on this calculator, for a DAEA tuning you would need a set no heavier than this: 34, 22, 14, 11. I'd try something more like 32, 21, 13, 10. You are going to have to use a certain amount of trial and error in order to find which gauges work best for you.
# Posted on August 25th 2006 by Craymcla
Re: Octave Mandola string gauges
I believe at one time Mr. McDonagh had a vintage Gibson mandola he was tuning to DAEA and the top collapsed.
# Posted on August 25th 2006 by Steve L
Re: Octave Mandola string gauges
I have the same instrument and have it strung GDAE using 42,32,24,14. These are the gauges that Dave suggested to use and I find that it works fine for me playing melody.I have tried using different types of strings and have settled for D'addario bronze wound guitar strings .But I can see where your at if you are backing. I am sure Dave would be only to happy to give you advice just give him a ring he is a mine of information and always willing to help.
Phil
# Posted on August 25th 2006 by Dphil
Re: Octave Mandola string gauges
Phil,
Regardless of what Dave said, try out a 13 for the E and a 21 or 22 for the A. I think you will be very pleasantly surprised. I used 14 & 22 for a long time on my Freshwater, but then backed off each string by .001. Maybe it was my imagination, but I seemed to hear more harmonic overtones with those slightly lighter gauges with no noticable loss in volume. It was as if the instrument opened up a bit more, moving just a little bit closer to a bouzouki-like sound. I use a heavier G string (45 or 47). This helps with backing yet doesn't interfere with melody, which rarely gets down to that 4th string anyway.
Incidently, I also replaced Dave's single foot bridge with a two-footed one I made myself based on Red Henry's designs.
http://www.murphymethod.com/redbridge.html
This also opened up the sound of the instrument. Dave's extra long bridge actually dampens the top of the instrument, as does the common single-foot design.
I was extremely happy with the new bridge, but then when I tweaked the string gauges, I feel in love with my Freshwater all over again.
# Posted on August 25th 2006 by Craymcla
Re: Octave Mandola string gauges
I will try out a set of the string gauges you suggest.craymcla Try anything once is a good motto.I was once accused here of having a closed mind but sin sceal eile.I dont really want to tamper with the bridge as I am happy with the instrument setup as is.Might try one of these on my older trinity college mandola though they look interesting.Thanks Mick
# Posted on August 25th 2006 by Dphil