theodoropoulos
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Baroque mandolin strings
I have just finished my new Baroque mandolin but i tried to string it with oud strings....Terrible...the suggested g-d-a-e-b-g tuning cannot be
done...so i am now sad because i cannot find where i can buy the appropriate string set...
Any help please??
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jdowning
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You will likely have to make up your own set of strings (although Pyramid may have sets for the baroque mandolino already made up?). For your tuning
of g", d", a', e', b, g gauges will depend, of course, on string length and string material and the standard pitch you are planning to use (A440 or
lower e.g. A415).
The late James Tyler recommends gut strings for best performance and that the strings should be fairly thin. These early mandolinos did not, of
course, have metal strings.
For economical general purpose (i.e. non authentic modern) nylon stringing for a typical mandolino string length of 29 cm to 32 cm he suggests trying,
course #1 - plain 0.38 mm, #2 - 0.46 mm, #3 - 0.60 mm, #4 - 0.70 mm, #5 - 0.80 mm, #6 - wound Pyramid No 1018. Alternative wound strings might be,
course #4 - wound Pyramid 905, #5 - wound Pyramid 1010.
Plain PVF strings as an alternative to plain nylon (denser material so thinner gauges) would likely be better and brighter in sound than nylon. I
imagine that there would be sufficient length in a single lute string to make a double course.
You could calculate appropriate gauges required for plain (but not wound) strings with Arto Wickla's on line string calculator or by using the Pyramid
slide rule calculator for both wound and plain strings. Otherwise contact forum members who supply strings, (e.g. Brian Prunka or Matthias Wagner) or
string manufacturers such as Pyramid directly for assistance in selecting the correct strings.
The definitive work on the mandolin is the book 'The Early Mandolin' by James Tyler and Paul Sparks and covers all aspects of the early mandolino and
the later Neapolitan mandoline. Recommended reading.
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theodoropoulos
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my friend i will order this pyramid set you suggest!your help is always amazing and very quick...i appreciate it...
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jdowning
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On further checking, Pyramid do indeed supply strings for the 6 course Milanese Mandolin - 32 to 35 cm string length - in plain and wound gut, but a
set is quite costly (110.6 Euros) so worth experimenting first with nylon/PVF perhaps?
Here is their historical strings catalogue with prices. See page 12. Their useful string calculation slide rule is also described (cost 14.6 Euros).
See page 8
http://pyramid-saiten.de/_assets/_pdf/DE_EN_FR_Historical-2013.pdf
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theodoropoulos
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thank you again!!
i think neapolitan mandolin in page 12 is not what i look for..it has metal strings,i think..i am not sure...
this is the oud stings in a tuning i thought it would not damage the instrument...
i think it sounds like a mandolin only in nylon strings.....
test
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jdowning
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The strings listed on page 12 are for the traditionally gut strung Milanese mandolin - not the wire strung Neapolitan mandolin - same tuning as the
'Baroque mandolin'
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theodoropoulos
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ok thank you again Mr jdowning!
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