Oh boy - this is exactly why I get so cross with people who won't use the correct names for these instruments.

If you want to read my rant (when you've solved the problem) then you can have a laugh at my expense here

There is of course technically NO SUCH xxxxx THING as a Tenor Mandola, and no-one should be selling you strings with that name on! That said, some good luthiers and specialist shops, who are otherwise splendid people, are perpetuating this confusion, shame on them.

The fretboard length is irrelevant.

The Mandola is an alto instrument, so if you ever did want to qualify the word you would use Alto Mandola, but this is wrong, because this is the parent of all the Mandola family (Mandolin means little Mandola) so should never be insulted with an adjective.

The Mandolin is usually about 35cm, and carries strings around the 10-14-24-34 mark (there are variants in all these cases). GDAE

The Mandola usually has a scale length of about 43cm, and is fitted with strings around 12-20-30-42. CDGA I suspect you have one of these?

The next size up is the Octave Mandolin, usually around the 54cm mark. I don't have one (well I do, but I string it and tune it all wrong) but I think gauges would be 14-22-34-50. GDAE (or often GDAD).

It looks like you've been sold strings for this tuning - if so and your scale length is nearer 43, they'll be no good full stop. If, however, you have the longer scale they can probably be tuned to GDAE (the G being the bottom G on a guitar), but not CDGA.

The shop have got it doubly wrong. The fictitious title Tenor Mandola is usually wrongly applied to the Mandola, to differentiate it from the fictitious Octave Mandola, but they should NOT be selling strings under this name because people buy in error,as you did.

Octave Mandola for the Octave Mandolin is equally wrong by the way - because that would imply an octave BELOW a Mandola - which is, of course, a Mandocello.

(You would be technically correct if you called an Octave Mandolin a Tenor Mandolin, however, because it IS in the Mandolin family and it IS in the Tenor range, the same as the Tenor Banjo or Tenor Guitar. But no-one ever uses this term for this instrument unfortunately).

The next size up is the Mandocello (a baritone instrument), one octave below the Mandola. Size about 63cm, strings about 19-32-46-64? CDGA

The Bouzouki is a bit of a hybrid (Bouzouki is Turkish for 'A thing badly done'). Usually the same scale length as Octave Mandolin or Mandocello but strung in various other ways, including octave courses. Citterns are somwhere in between. Mandobass is even bigger and rare as chocolate rocking horse teeth.

Teas ready

Tom