tenor string gauges

[cstewart]

I just bought a short scale tenor guitar (19.75") and, while it's tuned CGDA now, I'd like to tune it GDAE.

Current gauges are listed as .009, .015, .024, .036

If I move the strings over and get a new G (maybe .046 or .048) would the increased tension on the neck be too great, provided there's no truss rod?

[WillFly]

Hallo - a late reply from a comparative newcomer to the Forum... I don't think that short scale instruments really lend themselves to mandolin/mandola tuning - the available string gauges are often either too tight or too slack to work properly. Just my ten-c worth. :-)

[Ben Vierra]

You may want to play around with a string tension calculator such as provided by Graham McDonald at:

http://www.mcdonaldstrings.com/stringxxiii.html

Having said that, though, I am a little skeptical that you will be satisfied with the sound GDAE tuning produces on an instrument with such a short scale. (But there's no way to find out but to try it!)

[bolannta]

19.75" is longer than the 450 or 460 mm scale used by Klaus Knorr for octave mandolas. Didn't find string gauges used on his website.

[Brent Hutto]

I have no idea how to string it for GDAE but man, I'll bet that 19.75" scale plays like a dream in CGDA. Wish I had one of those!

Good luck with your string search. It may be tricky but if you find a way to do it'll defintely be worth the trouble.