Set-up mandolin as ukulele ?

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Mar 26, 2026 - 4:05:59 AM

1 person likes this

swervinmervyn

1 posts since 3/26/2026

Hi
I'm hoping that someone here can help me. I have recently bought an Eastman mandolin and I love the sound of the mandolin but I'm really struggling to play it any sense. My usual instrument is the ukulele which I have been playing for quite a while and am reasonably proficient at playing.
My Question is this: Can the mandolin be strung to the same tuning as the ukulele (i.e. GCEA) and if so, which strings would you recommend to give an even tension ?
My ukuleles are mainly strung with a low G instead of the normal "re-entrant" G.
I do hope that you are able to help as if I can't restring it I may have to sell it !

Mar 26, 2026 - 4:51:08 AM

1 person likes this

Maurice Mcmurry

USA

112 posts since 3/29/2019

There are interactive string tension calculators on the web. You can look at values for: Type of string, Scale length, String gauge, Pitch, and Tension. I would not be surprised if a set of strings for the tuning you seek has been put together as a "Customer Custom Concoction" at one of the online string specialty stores. You will have to re-slot or replace the nut and bridge. If you decide to use nylon strings you may need a new tailpiece too. Your Eastman is built for steel strings and won't respond to nylon strings in the same way a lightly built Ukulele does.

from the web;

Mandolin: The standard scale length (nut to bridge) is typically 13 7/8 inches, though some range from 13 to 14.5 inches.
Soprano Ukulele: This is the closest size, with a scale length often between 13–14 inches, making it very similar to a mandolin in playable length.
Concert/Tenor Ukulele: These are longer, with tenor ukes often closer in scale to a mandola (roughly 16–20 inches).
String Tension & Feel: Even when scale lengths are identical, the mandolin feels significantly different due to its high-tension, 8-string setup compared to the low-tension, 4-string setup of a ukulele.

Edited by - Maurice Mcmurry on 03/26/2026 05:06:36