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Post by Pickers Ditch on Dec 29, 2023 11:45:36 GMT
A fair few months ago I got my hands on an old flat back mandolin.
Having seriously struggled with conventional mandolin tuning I've decided to have a crack at setting it up with top four Spanish type tuning (relative to D G B D) so I can try some slide.
Scale length is 13.5"ish.
Advice and suggestions re. strings, guages and tuning would help, please.
Many thanks and a Peaceful New Year to you all.
PD
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Post by pete1951 on Dec 29, 2023 15:28:40 GMT
Mandolin top strings are generally 010 or 011s. If you want to use a guitar tuning you could follow the gauges of a standard guitar set. So 010 014 017 022w or close to those gauges, the double strings mean you can have slightly lighter strings for slide without rattling on the frets.
Strangely standard mandolin sets usually have an 014 on the second string, even though it is a 5th below the 010 top.
Alternatively you could use a standard mandolin set and tune GDGD, with the top strings going down a tone,. This gives a ‘modal ‘ tuning ( is that what it’s called?) neither major nor minor which can simplify things . If the top strings are too slack they could be replaced with a gauge up from standard mandolin.
Pete
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Post by pete1951 on Dec 29, 2023 15:29:13 GMT
I think I made a video of me experimenting with GDGD or AEAE, will look.
Pete
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Post by Michael Messer on Dec 29, 2023 15:57:50 GMT
Indian mandolin players tune to 1 5 1 5 - D A D A / E B E B / C G C G
It's nice for slide, as are D F# A D and G D G D
Shine On
Michael
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Post by mitchfit on Dec 29, 2023 21:08:08 GMT
OK, PD you really got me with the thread title...had to Czech if Goliath played a mandolin on the internet.
season's greetings,
mitchfit
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Post by pete1951 on Dec 30, 2023 8:42:08 GMT
If you are just playing lead licks then DGBD may be the way forward, ( as an open G player this would make for easy crossover) however for more rhythmic stuff I think I would choose a tuning with a pair of strings a 5th apart . So 1515 or 5151 .
Pete
Bret Marvin and the Thunderbolts used slide mandolin not sure what tuning
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Post by Michael Messer on Dec 30, 2023 10:27:53 GMT
Apologies for sidetracking this thread. Is it just me because I have never understood the appeal of this band that have always been highly regarded and had a cult following. For me they were a very poor imitation of Captain Beefheart & the Magic Band with some Bonzo Dog Doo-dah Band thrown in. Their timing is all over the place, the vocals are out of tune and the mandolin playing is not clever, musical, avant garde, or off-the-wall, it is just out of tune nonsense. The only person playing well is Graham Hine on the slide guitar. What Jo Ann Kelly ever saw in them I have never understood. Maybe it made more sense in 1969. Captain Beefheart, on the other hand, was an incredible artist that surrounded himself with some of the world's great musicians and made a handful of albums that are timeless masterpieces.
Oops.... back to mandolin tunings!
Shine On
Michael
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Post by pete1951 on Dec 30, 2023 14:33:32 GMT
Apologies for sidetracking this thread. Is it just me because I have never understood the appeal of this band that have always been highly regarded and had a cult following. For me they were a very poor imitation of Captain Beefheart & the Magic Band with some Bonzo Dog Doo-dah Band thrown in. Their timing is all over the place, the vocals are out of tune and the mandolin playing is not clever, musical, avant garde, or off-the-wall, it is just out of tune nonsense. The only person playing well is Graham Hine on the slide guitar. What Jo Ann Kelly ever saw in them I have never understood. Maybe it made more sense in 1969. Captain Beefheart, on the other hand, was an incredible artist that surrounded himself with some of the world's great musicians and made a handful of albums that are timeless masterpieces. Oops.... back to mandolin tunings! Shine On Michael I never said that were any good, just that they had slide mandolin! Pete |
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Post by pete1951 on Dec 30, 2023 14:52:54 GMT
Posted this 4years ago,
Pete
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Post by Michael Messer on Dec 30, 2023 15:52:57 GMT
Apologies for sidetracking this thread. Is it just me because I have never understood the appeal of this band that have always been highly regarded and had a cult following. For me they were a very poor imitation of Captain Beefheart & the Magic Band with some Bonzo Dog Doo-dah Band thrown in. Their timing is all over the place, the vocals are out of tune and the mandolin playing is not clever, musical, avant garde, or off-the-wall, it is just out of tune nonsense. The only person playing well is Graham Hine on the slide guitar. What Jo Ann Kelly ever saw in them I have never understood. Maybe it made more sense in 1969. Captain Beefheart, on the other hand, was an incredible artist that surrounded himself with some of the world's great musicians and made a handful of albums that are timeless masterpieces. Oops.... back to mandolin tunings! Shine On Michael I never said that were any good, just that they had slide mandolin! Pete Pete, I wasn't commenting on the fact that posted their video, it was just that in many circles they are spoken of with reverence. It's hard to tell how it's tuned, or even if it is tuned. Shine On Michael |
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Post by chromatic on Dec 30, 2023 16:44:06 GMT
Haven't checked but I seem to recall that James Burton used guitar tuning (top 4) on mando while he was a session player.
There's also the tale of him turning down a Dylan tour on account of his session work drying up while he was away...
Seasons Greetings to all
Cheers
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Post by Pickers Ditch on Jan 6, 2024 10:17:44 GMT
Thank you all for your help.
Order going into Newtone for a set of unison 11s.
... and then the fun will begin.
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