Could a 12-string be repurposed as an octave mandolin?

[M19]

I've got a Taylor 12 GA string that is very nice, but I do not play it very much. I could sell it, or....
I could get a set of Octave Mandolin strings, cut a new nut (and saddle too, I suppose) and string the middle 4 courses with them. Lots of extra real estate on fretboard of course, but WOULD IT WORK? Is the GA body just too big?
I suppose I could just retune the last four strings (though the first two would have octaves) and give it a try?
Thoughts?

[PaulBFree]

Why not sell the 12 string to fund the purchase of a meant-to-be octave mandolin? Actually, that’s what I’m thinking of doing. But then the 12-string guitar I own is a jumbo body. Waaay too big.

[rcc56]

The current Taylor 12's have scale lengths of 24 7/8" or 25 1/2". It's probably do-able, but that's a lot of territory to cover.
Because of the long scale, I'd go with lighter strings than a standard octave set. Maybe 10 - 16 plain - 30 - 42 to start with.

[Explorer]

Here's a topic from another member, with links to my own topics on my successful experiments.

https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...alf-mandocello

Short answer: Yes, it's easily doable. The scale length is a little long, but it's glorious.

[Mark Gunter]

Guitar scale lengths, especially shorter ones (around 24”) are more suited to mandocello tuning than to octave mandolin tuning.

[Jonathan K]

You could just tune the 12-string to New Standard Tuning and call it a day. 😎 You probably need to build a custom string set.

I agree octave mandolin tuning at guitar scale is iffy. Mandocello would work better.

[M19]

You could just tune the 12-string to New Standard Tuning and call it a day. �� You probably need to build a custom string set.

I perused this on the subject: https://stringjoy.com/new-standard-tuning-explained/

I agree octave mandolin tuning at guitar scale is iffy. Mandocello would work better.

Part of the "octave" logic is that this newbie doesn't have to learn two different sets of chords/fingerings. I did just take my McIlroy and tune E string to G, <skip A> Keep D <skip G> B string to A, Keep E string. You can't really play it with a pick with those skip strings, but you can at least hear how it sounds using fingerstyle. H*** of a stretch to play the F chord the way I do (5401)! I don't think I'm sold on this venture yet...

[mandocello8]

years ago, one of local musicians had a 12-string guitar permanently converted to octave mandolin configuration by a competent guitar luthier. headstock was shortened from 12 tuners to 8 tuners, I do not remember if neck was made narrower and if fixed bridge was replaced by floating bridge with tailpiece (I think they were). I played it, it had nice low action and soft strings, had a tone of a guitar-sounding irish bouzouki, very different from typical A/F-style octave mandolins (I play a Bruce Weber Sage-1 OM). it did not become the owner's main axe, so probably not a success.

instead, tune your 12-string to DADGAD and you will have the only thing acoustically
more powerful than an OM. a video cannot show how loud and powerful it is in person.
(unplugged. when plugged in, even a 1-string guitar will be loud aplenty). more people
should play like this. (musicians in the video are with http://www.blackthornband.com/)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1L4z9qfOqOk

[catmandu2]

If you want more of a small-body sound, rather than a big guitar sound, get an Ovation 12-str for the conversion - which lacks the big bottom end of a full-bodied guitar and provides the thinner sound more like the mandolin bodies.

[M19]

instead, tune your 12-string to DADGAD and you will have the only thing acoustically
more powerful than an OM. a video cannot show how loud and powerful it is in person.
(unplugged. when plugged in, even a 1-string guitar will be loud aplenty). more people
should play like this. (musicians in the video are with http://www.blackthornband.com/)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1L4z9qfOqOk

My McIlroy is in DADGAD or Open G/Gm all the time.