The Quintar Project: Popularizing an All Fifths Tuning

[Clay Schaeffer]

Hi Bob and Hans,
Another tuning scheme I use for 5 course Octave mandolins ( some call citterns) is GDAea. The distance between the e and a is only a forth I believe, but it seems to make chord playing a little easier.

[Bob Hammond]

my knowledge of music theory can be written on one 3"x5" notecard. But my ears tell me that for a short - scaled instrument, that a fanned-fret/multi-scale fingerboard is good. It just sounds better.

[Hans Bezemer]

my knowledge of music theory can be written on one 3"x5" notecard. But my ears tell me that for a short - scaled instrument, that a fanned-fret/multi-scale fingerboard is good. It just sounds better.

Regarding your music theory, I think the most important things easily fit on a notecard. At the end of the day it are just 12 notes of which some are either played together and / or proceeding each other, with a certain rhythm and volume.
But getting this in your brain, heart and hands will take up the rest of your live, at least mine....

But I agree on the fanned fret issue, it really helps to balance an instrument.

[Clay Schaeffer]

"But my ears tell me that for a short - scaled instrument, that a fanned-fret/multi-scale fingerboard is good. It just sounds better."

And many people build them for long scaled instruments to improve ergonomics.

[Hans Bezemer]

And many people build them for long scaled instruments to improve ergonomics.

Which is definitely a second advantage.
I think fanned frets are by far the better option for fretted instruments, I have played I lot with them. But building-wise they are a bit more demanding, outlining and cutting the frets require more time and it can cause some trouble at the nut / headstock.
For unfretted instruments an disadvantage is that you have to learn a lot more positions.

[Bob Hammond]

Hans, I looked over what you wrote about string gauges, and thought about it. This guitar is newly constructed, and it's quite unique.

So I installed a heavier 0.054 gauge string. in the A position, and I find that it improves the sound.

[Hans Bezemer]

Great! It really is a beautiful instrument.

[Bob Hammond]

Hans, I'm taking it a nearby guitarist by the name of Alex Rogowski, to see what he can make of it. I think his principal in interests are jazz and Brazilian music, and he has published some exercises and reference material. You can look over his website here: http://www.aguitaristsnotebook.com/home

[Hans Bezemer]

I've made a short video on how to retune a nylon string acoustic to an All Fifths Tuning.
No adjustments have to be made to the guitar.
With adding a piece of 0,5mm monofilament fishing line I can even tune up to a high B (a fifth higher then a high E string).

[Allyson Brown]

This experimental instrument is a small-scale build, based on Scott Antes' tenor guitar plans at about 80% size. It features a 23" length with a five-string configuration and a multi-scale fingerboard for improved playability.