Experimenting with Mando on Steroids ?

[Abendicum]

I am so new to Mandos that "Newbie" isn't even close... I need to throw out an idea... You purists will ask what is he doing "this" for, but the adventurous types will see where this is going quickly...

I have a VERY unusual tuning request... Plz keep in mind I have never played a Mandolin in my life...

I started playing the 5 string Banjo, I got rid of the drone 5th string as all I want to do is play chords not pick individual notes like most banjo players...

I mastered the right hand 3 finger style in a roll that hits all 4 strings, no biggie there... Here comes the cool part...

I found that in addition to strumming all 4 strings like Dixie Land style I could play all 4 strings in successive rolls and cover all the notes of any chord, (i.e.) no full strum, just repeated roll patterns while changing chords with my left hand...
Speeding up and slowing down with the music… Problem was I needed more room for my fingers up top cuz they are fat and short...

So rather than buy a custom wide neck banjo, I bought an Ovation Celebrity CC026 6 string guitar and got rid of the 2 heaviest strings... I liked the feel of Radiused necks also, and the Ovations have a 10" constant fretboard radius...

I tuned it down to a CGBD or "C Tuning" when I found the "Open G tuning really wasn't made for playing chords, but picking... The C Tuning was easier to play chords and the voice was cool enough, but many of the chords have to far a stretch, with my short fingers...

Now we are getting to the real reason I posted here on a Mando site:

I found that the of the 6 string minus 2 strings had a "voice “ like a Ukulele on steroids... Great Uke sound, but lacking still the same... Fun to learn on, but I wanted to push the envelope...

So I went out and bought a 12 string Ovation and used the thinnest 4 paired strings again, in Banjo C Tuning, with guitar strings... I had to make a few string changes to get the tension in the right range (I try to stay with in 15-25lbs tension) The largest base string was a 39wound C tuned string... Again the sound was way cool like a cross between a piano, harpsichord and guitar ,with the paired strings. Thinnest string was paired with identical strings, while the other 3 were paired and octave apart…

New problem, again I am stopped by not being able to form many of the C Tuning banjo chords because of finger stretches...

I tried the Mandolin tuning of CGDA, paired octave strings, using online chord finder progran for Mando chords and the voice was lousy... (linked below)

http://chordfind.com/4-string/

Is there something unique about paired identical strings, that Mandos use vs. the differential of the octave strings used on a 12 string guitar (C,G and D,were paired with a thinner tuned down one octave string, while the A, string was 2 identical strings)???

I could try Bouzouki Tuning or Pipa Tuning they have longer, 4 string scales, than the Mando and may transition easier, to the paired 25-1/4 scale full bodied guitar...

What string gauges do the Bouzouki and Pipa use

Are they the same strings doubled up or are any of them an octave apart... Are they wound or plain steel Any comments would be welcomed…AB


AB

[otterly2k]

Yes, or an Irish bouzouki ... you could keep the lower courses strung in octaves if you really like that sound. 'Zouks are typically tuned GDAE or GDAD (although I also really like ADAE). They are more used for chords and accompaniment (including the arpeggiated chords you mention, via crosspicking) because the scale is a little long for melodic work.
KE