Neapolitan mandolin set, historical setup according to Fouchetti (Paris 1771)
Notes: ee, aa DD, Gg (e: gut; a: brass; D: double twisted brass; G: silk core wound with silver-plated copper wire; g in octave: brass )
This set is manufactured strictly following the data provided by Fouchetti (Paris 1771). Therefore, it’s a useful setup for those who want to rediscover the original sound of the Neapolitan mandolin of the 18th century. According to our research, the Parisian pitch of the time was around 390 Hz so we recommend to tune the instrument to this pitch.
For the fourth string we choose the combination in octave, as described by Fouchetti. Considering that it is a reconstruction strictly based on the original data, this setup cannot be subject to changes in gauges and type of strings. If the fourth course is preferred with strings in unison (an option that is equally described in the original method), please specify it in the order.