I would like to string my cello D, G, B and E like the four top strings on a guitar. The G in the new string set up would be the bottom line on the Bass Staff. That's the octave I'm aiming for.

I know that I can't do this with standard cello strings, as it would damage my cello. I'm hoping that I could buy different gauge strings that would enable me to do this.

Does anyone have any idea if this is possible? Could anyone suggest which gauge strings to buy?

Thank you for considering my unorthodox request. - Paul

Let's consider: Your fourth string would be a major second higher; your third string would be the same; your second string would be a minor third lower; and your first string would be a perfect fourth lower. That means that if you used conventional cello strings, only the fourth string could possibly damage the cello because only this one would add extra tension. I doubt a mere major second is enough to hurt the instrument, however, but probably you should be sure to start with a low-tension C string. Your D string and especially your A string will necessarily be pretty floppy.

P.S.: I get the idea you might be another guitarist desiring to take up the cello while mistaking it for a big guitar. If this is the case, you should probably just bear in mind that grappling with an unfamiliar tuning will be the very least of your worries. If this is not the case, if in fact you are already an experienced and accomplished cellist, then maybe you could divulge what you're actually trying to accomplish.

Well, I am a guitarist, but that doesn't factor into this.

I also played the double bass for about a year. I am certainly not accomplished. But I had to give it up due to back problems.
I bought the cello, primarily because I truly enjoy cello music. Secondarily, I bought it in the hopes that I could learn to play it and not surrender my, perhaps ill-fated, desire to play classical strings to some degree. I started at the age of 57.

What I seek to do is turn the cello into a small bass that I can play sitting down. From your first post, it seems that it may be unlikely. Guitar strings come in so many gauges, wound and unwound, that you could set up a guitar in nearly any configuration you might choose. Although I didn't expect anything near that kind of flexibility, that's what made me think this might be possible.

I do thank you for answering my question. At least now I know the truth.

Best wishes,
Paul

I did occur to me to buy a 2/4 bass. But finances do not permit.
Retirement came early to my wife and I, catching us not fully prepared.

But we are each where we are due to our choices, I find.

Who is rich?
He who is content with his portion.

I don't want to discourage you from playing the cello. I just think that 1) it's a good idea to learn to play it the conventional way before you start experimenting and that 2) you should accept that a cello is not a guitar or a bass or, for that matter, a trombone. It's a cello. Value it for what it is.

Re: "Retirement came early to my wife and I [sic]": Grammatically this is no different from saying, "Retirement came early to I". Would you say that? A compound object is still an object and still requires the object form (me) of the first-person singular pronoun. I met Henry (because I is the subject in this case, the one meeting Henry) thus Clara and I met Henry, but Henry met me (because me is the object in this case, the one being met) thus Henry met Clara and me.