balalaikas

[drewsifer]

I have a balalaika that was passed down in my family. the label is all in russian, so i have no idea what kind it is. it also has been repaired by the looks of the neck. I was just wondering if anyone knows how to tune this thing? It has six strings, but there too close together to tune like a guitar. Is it tuned more like a six-string mandolin?

[dolivas]

Originally Posted by drewsifer

I have a balalaika that was passed down in my family. the label is all in russian, so i have no idea what kind it is. it also has been repaired by the looks of the neck. I was just wondering if anyone knows how to tune this thing? It has six strings, but there too close together to tune like a guitar. Is it tuned more like a six-string mandolin?

I just took this off Wikipedia's article on it:

The most common solo instrument is the prima, tuned E-E-A (the two lower strings being tuned to the same pitch). Sometimes the balalaika is tuned "guitar style" to G-B-D (resembling the thinnest three strings of the Russian guitar), making it easier to play for Russian guitar players, although balalaika purists frown on this tuning.