FOR THE SINGER / SONGWRITER / MANDOLINIST LOOKING TO ACCOMPANY THEMSELVES, TO THE GUITARIST LOOKING OT ADD A NEW TEXTURE TO A BAND SOUND OR RECORDING PROJECT THE KR STRINGS/PONO OCTAVE MANDOLIN IS AN EXCELLENT CHOICE. THERE ARE SEVERAL EXCITING OPTIONS FOR TUNING, HERE ARE SOME OF MY FAVORITES: 

GDAE: MANDOLIN TUNING

DGBE: GUITAR TUNING

GgDdAAEE: IN THIS VARIATION THE TWO LOWER CHORUSES ARE TUNED IN OCTAVES. THIS TUNING GIVES THE IMPRESSION THAT MUCH MORE IS HAPPENING IN THE SOUND, GREAT FOR BACKING UP VOCALS. 

DdGgBBEE: 12 STRING GUITAR TUNING, LIKE BOUZOUKI TUNING THE TWO LOWER CHORUSES ARE TUNED IN OCTAVES. 

GDAD/ADAD: "IRISH BOUZOUKI" A POPULAR TUNING IN THE CELTIC COMMUNITY WHERE A DRONING OPEN STRING WORKS WELL BEHIND FIDDLES, FLUTES, PIPES, ETC...

DGBD: SLACK KEY OCTAVE MANO.

CGDA: TENOR GUITAR OR MANDOCELLO TUNING.This requires a .056" or .058" C string, the rest of the octave set moves up to the next higher course. Capoing at the seventh fret returns you to a short scale (15 1/4") octave Mandolin where all your usual mandolin fingerings are easily reached.