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Thread: Archtop to mandocello conversion tuning questions

  1. #1
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    Hello,
    I started a tread in the general discussion about converting an old archtop to mandocello or a long octave. I am going to do it, I have decided and wander about the tunings. The archtop I'm using is from the '40s so I wonder if it should be able to take an octave tuning. If it can't take the octave is the mandocello tuning hard to work with? It really shouldn't be too bad but I'm quite lazy and want to stick with one tuning if possible. Thanks for reading.
    Isaac Strap

  2. #2
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    The high E on the OM is the same as the guitar. As long as you adjust the guages to suit the pitches, you should be fine. I wouldn't try to crank an .056 up to G on the bottom!

    Since the box is optimized for a low E, going down to C for the cello isn't too much of a stretch...though it depends on the scale length of the guitar. 5ths tuning and a 24.5" scale require a good stretch of the fingers...again, watch your guages so you don't collapse the top...



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  3. #3
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    Thanks for the great reply. So would D'addario J81s work?http://www.daddario.com/DADProd....lass=AZ #I got a couple packs around for my Zouk. #They range from 0.011 to 0.04.
    I'm with you on Zouks and Cellos being a stretch. My zouk is 22.5 inchs so anything faster than a waltz is painful. Thanks again,
    Isaac Strap

  4. #4
    Full Grown and Cussin' brunello97's Avatar
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    Hi Issac,
    Did you ever proceed with your archtop to octave/mandocello conversion project? I am interesting in taking something like this on in the near future. Any feedback from your process would be extremely helpful. I found the other thread you posted and the related links but would love to hear how yours is proceeding.
    thanks,
    Mick
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