Gold Tone F6 Mando-Guitar... anyone play tuned down?

[freedomfarm]

I searched the mando-guitar on here and read some of the complaints on previous posts. I wonder if anyone here has played around and tuned one down a step or two (or more) and how it sounded? They are saying it's similar to a guitar capo'd at the 12th fret... just wondered how it'd sound tuned down.

[Mandobart]

Interesting to me that people would intentionally buy an instrument which emulates a mandolin, which is tuned in a range an octave above a standard guitar, and then complain that it's an octave above a guitar?

So then they tune it down because they want it to sound like....what exactly?

[Charlie Bernstein]

Originally Posted by Mandobart

Interesting to me that people would intentionally buy an instrument which emulates a mandolin, which is tuned in a range an octave above a standard guitar, and then complain that it's an octave above a guitar?

So then they tune it down because they want it to sound like....what exactly?

Ditto. Well put.

[freedomfarm]

Originally Posted by Mandobart

Interesting to me that people would intentionally buy an instrument which emulates a mandolin, which is tuned in a range an octave above a standard guitar, and then complain that it's an octave above a guitar? So then they tune it down because they want it to sound like....what exactly?

I hear you... I had never heard of such an instrument and was curious about it, looked into it and found some complaints on past posts. My thought on it was to maybe add a different flavor for a few songs on a setlist like I do with my high strung guitar. For me personally It gets way to crowded if I capo at the 7th fret or higher. I also believe a mandolin is too narrow for me but i don't know, it's been decades. This offers a lot of room at the nut and first several frets. With common complaints, I wondered if anyone that actually has or had one ever tuned it down a step, two steps, etc and if they liked that sound any better or if it sounded slack strung worse. So I asked my silly question

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by freedomfarm

...It gets way too crowded if I capo at the 7th fret or higher. I also believe a mandolin is too narrow for me but i don't know, it's been decades...

First thing I'd try is getting all the way up on the fingertips like an orchestral-string player, since many guitar players tend to use a flat-fingered approach these days - fortunately I took lessons from a jazz guitarist as a kid, so narrow/slim necks and close spacing have never been an issue - and I'd also use movable scales/chord inversions rather than a capo to play in flat keys...

[freedomfarm]

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa

First thing I'd try is getting all the way up on the fingertips like an orchestral-string player, since many guitar players tend to use a flat-fingered approach these days - fortunately I took lessons from a jazz guitarist as a kid, so narrow/slim necks and close spacing have never been an issue - and I'd also use movable scales/chord inversions rather than a capo to play in flat keys...

I know there are many a larger handed players that can play any width/spacing well. I'm not one, I'll try harder though I'm already pretty much on my fingertips. I like my seagull's 1.8" and my Taylor and Martin at 1.75" are fine.
I don't think I'd ever purchase this mando-guitar, but would love to play around with one if I come across one somewhere.

[Steely Glen]

I owned one for awhile. Sounded ok acoustically but really shined when plugged in. However, the build quality, fit, and finish left A LOT to be desired. Clearly a Chinese-made budget instrument. I ended up selling it without any regret. I wouldn’t own one again.

[freedomfarm]

Originally Posted by Steely Glen

I owned one for awhile. Sounded ok acoustically but really shined when plugged in. However, the build quality, fit, and finish left A LOT to be desired. Clearly a Chinese-made budget instrument. I ended up selling it without any regret. I wouldn’t own one again.

Thanks for your input! That seems to be the common theme.