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Question,

How do you tune a mando?

Thanks!
LK

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

Depends.....

You tune it GDAE, same as a violin, G being the "bass" string pair.

When I say "depends", I sometimes play in GDAD tuning, just for a laugh. But the GDAE is the common tuning for a mando.

Thanks Sam!

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

I use GDAD for my bouzouki. But I think GDAE is the standard on a mando. If you need a chord chart for GDAD, let me know. I'll send you one. Or ask Dave White, he is the one who sent me mine. Do you have a mandolin now Lance? What gives?
Tracy

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Tracy
http://www.luthiersuppliers.com

Lance, now you know why you should always have my card in your wallet.


If you don't have one or have never flipped it over, here's the back.



The one typo I know of is the baja sexto, for which I think I listed a tuning
more common with the bajo sexto. I haven't had too many people
complain about it though.

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Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.

David, you left off the most important of all, the Lute.(8-course) Dd,Ff,Gg,Cc,ff,aa,d'd',g'! for 7-course, omit the Ff. Dear, dear.

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

Plus your Irish bouzouki is an Octave bouzouki, and some of us would dispute the 6 string guitar tuning shown

And where's the cittern

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Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

/\

Dave, you'd need an Encyclopedia Brittanica, not a wallet card to fit all the Cittern tunings in!!!!

The key is the first word - Common... This meaning if a player
does not specify otherwise, the most likely tuning(s) to consider as a
default. I may replace some of the Central American instruments with
more middle Middle Eastern and Mediterranean since moving to SE
Michigan. Amazing what a 70 mile relocation can do to your client base.

Still, as Sam said unless I give a magnifying glass with each card or work
in some fancy origami, the cittern would be a tough to squeeze in (unless
someone can give me one or two tunings that will fit most
cittern players ). The pages-long list I keep at my bench is a little
more complete.

For a what you can legibly fit on the back of a business card it makes
a handy pocket reference for many. It costs a bit more to get them
printed, but certainly makes a lot of people want to keep one in their
wallet.

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Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.

David-
That's a cool idea.
Thanks for posting the back of your bus. card.

Is the 'pages long' version in a computer file that you could post somehow?
It would be a useful reference, though I doubt I'll come across many instruments that aren't in the 'short list' !

Thanks

John

David Collins, I have one request....as does JohnAbercrombie...

PDF file, please!!! PDF!!!!

i would like a listing as well david, though i've never laid eyes on about 40% of the items on your card.

what i will include though are the violin family as i do see a lot of them.

you're so very right about how the instrument mix varies between different regions, in brands as well as types.

My lists are pencil on paper, photo copies, and generally disorganized scrawl
stuffed in to a three ring binder. Typing them in to some organized list is
long over due, and seems like a good job to hand off to my apprentice this
week. I'm sure everything I have written down is available somewhere on the
web, but getting it all in one easy-to-grab list is the tough part. I'll try ot get
a list and post it this week.

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thanks david, i know it will be much appreciated!!

[QUOTE=David Collins] My lists are pencil on paper, photo copies, and generally disorganized scrawl
stuffed in to a three ring binder.[/QUOTE]

David,

You use that system too

That list will be great to have so thanks.

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Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

David, I understand that business cards in Oriental Cultures are sized based on the importance of the person handing them out.  Since you have attained revered status, you should be able to have a much larger card than the average builder.  Therefore, you could adopt the custom, and up-size your card to hold more information.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

David (Collins):

Thank you.

John