# Octaves, Zouks, Citterns, Tenors and Electrics > Four, Five and Eight-String Electrics >  Vorson solid body electric ukuleles

## Jacob

Available in *LP*, *S*, and *T* styles.
17 inch scale, fret marker at 10th fret, and huge amount of bridge compensation available to accommodate heavier strings.
Converts to octave mandolin with a little nut slot enlargement.
Would also accept (tenor) mandola tuning.
Pickups are ok, but hotter ones would be better. (NFI.)

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wistah

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## wistah

> Converts to octave mandolin with a little nut slot enlargement.
> Would also accept (tenor) mandola tuning.


What string gauges would you recommend for conversion to mandolin, mandola, and octave tuning?  The price point sure is attractive.

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## darrylicshon

Yea $120.00 is a great price

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## mandroid

17" is too long to get the G and the DAE,  all on the treble clef
 E just too tight to reach pitch.. 

a  Mandola  CGDA is more realistic  its close to an H type mandola scale length

012 022w 032w 044w. with the windings a magnetic  nickel electric guitar, would get a reasonable set. 

that, in bronze, is what I use on my acoustic Mandola...  maybe bump the .044 up to an .048"

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## Jacob

These all have a 17 inch scale.

Tailpieces require ball-end strings. 

I would also strongly recommend nickel or steel electric strings for the pickups.

Mandolin tuning is not a viable option.

Mandola (CGDA) tuning should work with mandolin string sets, but I haven't tried it.

Octave, I use:
G - .052 wound
D - .036 wound
A - .024 wound
E - .014 plain

The .052 G string isn't "floppy".
There is more than enough compensation available at the tailpiece for accurate intonation.

Inexpensive round files that work well for nut slot enlargement are available from C. B. Gitty Crafter Supply (nfi)

A little sanding with a Scotch-brite Heavy-Duty Scrub Sponge yields a nice speed neck.

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## wistah

Well thanks guys.  That's very attractive to me as I play tenor guitar as my main instrument and am familiar with Mandola tuning.  WOuld be fun to add a small solid body electric to the arsenal in that tuning.  Maybe I'll give it a go.

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## vwfye

I play a 17" scale with a dropped E on my Tomo.  Works great!

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## wistah

Well I just ordered one of the little black LP styles with intentions of putting CGDA strings on it.  Will let everyone know my impressions when it arrives.

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Verne Andru

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## wistah

Well, I got it in and had a chance to play around a bit.  The stock strings are GCEA:  .012, .022, .016, .011 thousandths.  Plus or minus a thou as my calipers acting up.  The neck is nice.  The pickups sound good to my ear and have plenty of output but do not appear to be reverse wound for humbucking in the middle position.  I wish there were adjustable pole pieces.  The nut is ill fitted and the slots were too wide, which actually made the switch to mandola tuning easier (no need to widen the nut slots).  The body feels light weight and cheap, probably plywood.  The tuners are dodgy.  I don't like the saddles.  Fixable, really.  The cavity needs some shielding.

Having said all that, I put on CGDA strings (.042, .032, .016, .011) and it was no problem to get the intonation right.  Sounded fine playing through my amps and effects.  String spacing is a little wide for my taste, but its easy to adapt.  I would really prefer a longer scale 19-21, but in any case I think its well worth the asking price to get a 4 string electric mandola.

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## Herman Munster

Ya wow I see what you mean pretty wide spacing . Herman

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