If you tighten strings up beyond the tension that the instrument is designed for, the top may collapse or other internal damage could possibly result, such as a brace forced loose. If your instrument is overbuilt to begin with, no bad results may happen. So risk your instrument if you want to.
I inadvertently tuned my nice lightly-built Laura Ratcliff mandoiln up a half step on all strings and discovered that my E (now F) string was way too low and buzzing. This was because the additional tension on this mandolin was putting more downward pressure on the bridge than the top was designed for. So the danger can be real. You can change the strings to reduce the tension on those over-tensioned strings. Generally speaking, if the new strings are made of the same material as the old strings, then you will need lighter tension strings. In turn, if you play hard, you may find these lighter strings may break easier than the old ones did, so you may find you have to play a bit lighter. There are several online tools to guess what diameter strings to use. Here's the one I've had best results with: http://www.mcdonaldstrings.com/stringxxiii.html Try to create a set which results in about the same total tension as the old set. Good luck. Topher On Sat, Nov 21, 2009 at 7:53 AM, Mike <[email protected]> wrote: > I meant long term. What's the difference between tuning the G up step > and tuning the D up a step, don't understand that comment. I've done > it, I'd just like to keep an axe tuned up like that. > > On Nov 20, 9:34 pm, Mike <[email protected]> wrote: >> Can anyone tell me if tuning up the G and D strings to A and E present >> any threat to a mandolin. I'd like to keep one tuned up like that all >> the time. Thank you all. > > -- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Taterbugmando" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/taterbugmando?hl=. > > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Taterbugmando" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/taterbugmando?hl=.
