Want to tune baritone 8 string to low octave GCEA or GDAE

pinkmoon

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I've been trying to find an octave mandolin with nylon strings and it has been pretty much impossible. So I really want to take a Baritone 8 string like this one and put thicker strings on it and tune it to GCEA or GDAE (mandolin) an octave below the standard uke tuning and in unisons for every string not octaves on the first two strings.

Has anyone tried this? What strings would work? What is an ideal string tension for a uke like this?

Thanks a ton!
 
Ooh! I also have been trying to do this. I can get that tuning with a Pono octave mandolin and the top four sets of a 12 string guitar set. But that’s steel string.

On that Kala 8 string baritone, I think if you put the 4 lowest classical guitar strings on it and south coast strings baritone GCEA set it will get that sound.
 
Do you think I'd have issues with the tension being too much?
 
Do you think I'd have issues with the tension being too much?

Tension from the guitar strings? No. The idea is that the G on the 6th string of the guitar is around 20" from the nut, which is the same as the baritone uke. So in theory it should be fine.

That's how I figured it would work on the octave mandolin with steel strings. I didn't have issues with that.
 
Tension from the guitar strings? No. The idea is that the G on the 6th string of the guitar is around 20" from the nut, which is the same as the baritone uke. So in theory it should be fine.

That's how I figured it would work on the octave mandolin with steel strings. I didn't have issues with that.

Are you talking about if I tried to tune all strings in unison so it's GGCCEEAA not GcCcEEAA?

Thanks for your help!
 
Are you talking about if I tried to tune all strings in unison so it's GGCCEEAA not GcCcEEAA?

Oh sorry I misread. I was talking about if you had the regular GCEA tuning and every string doubled an octave below. I imagine you could get two classical guitar sets and use the lowest four strings from each to make the tuning you’re talking about.

I don’t know the specific details. I only eyeballed it and asked a luthier about it (when I did it with my steel string octave mandolin). Maybe the tension of the strings wouldn’t match the baritone? I don’t how to measure that other than putting the strings on and just checking the instrument/tension as you tune up.
 
I ordered some strings based on the tension I added together from Aquila's baritone 8 string set (92.8 pounds of tension). I also decided to go with GDAE tuning (octave mandolin) because I think it'll avoid some muddiness.

2x .043 wound for low G
2x .031 wound for D
2x .025 wound for A
2x .03 nylon for E (same pitch as standard DGBE baritone tuning)

I would have liked to have the A string be nylon / nylgut / titanium nylon but I feel like it would have been too thick.

Any recommendations based on the strings I ordered?

Thanks!
 
I ordered some strings based on the tension I added together from Aquila's baritone 8 string set (92.8 pounds of tension). I also decided to go with GDAE tuning (octave mandolin) because I think it'll avoid some muddiness.

2x .043 wound for low G
2x .031 wound for D
2x .025 wound for A
2x .03 nylon for E (same pitch as standard DGBE baritone tuning)

I would have liked to have the A string be nylon / nylgut / titanium nylon but I feel like it would have been too thick.

Any recommendations based on the strings I ordered?

Thanks!

Hmmmm. I'm no expert, but I'd guess that would work. I'd love to hear what it sounds like when you get it set up!
 
I did this on a Pono Mahogany Baritone uke, using

G ... classical guitar high tension low E tuned to G
D ... baritone DGBE set, move D over one space
A ... classical guitar high tension G tuned to A
E ... baritone DGBE set, keep the E

Good luck with your project.
 
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