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String Size Question

Posted by Will King on March 13, 2015 at 11:35am in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion

I just built a 21 inch SL Octave Mandolin (GDAE, 1 octave below a Mandolin) and I found the string sizes on blogs.  I ended up using the strings from a set of Fender 150XL/012. .053E string tuned up G;  .042D D; .024G up to A; and .012E E.  DAE are good, but the G vibrates and flaps around like a happy dogs tail.  So the question is....Do I go up from the .053 string size, maybe to .058 or down to maybe .048?

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Replies

  • Scott aka Farmer Ted March 13, 2015 at 3:16pm

    I have a solid ody electric tenor that I strung and tuned to GDAE. I used a set of electric D'Addario EXL110-10-46's, using the .013, .017, .026, .036 strings. Tension is very comfortable.

  • Will King March 13, 2015 at 1:37pm

    I tried the .042 as a G, but it put too much tension on the neck and loosened the other strings, so I put on a .048 and that did the trick, so I now have 12-24-42-48 for EADG.  Thanks!  I'll post a video....someday.

  • Will King March 13, 2015 at 12:14pm

    Thanks Scott, I'll try the .042 for the G string.

  • Scott aka Farmer Ted March 13, 2015 at 11:56am

    Try this page from Ry Cooder. The string gauges shown are for 23" scale, but they are close to yours, and give a good source of info.
    http://rycooder.nl/pages/tenor_gauges.htm

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