baritone tuning on a tenor

gteague

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hi folks: i know there's some long threads on this topic since i searched all of them about 3-4 weeks ago and found a ghs rep who said they had some strings that you put on a tenor so you could tune it like a baritone. i can't find that post again.

i ordered a couple of sets from their site and by the time i'd gotten them in i'd forgotten this was actually what they were for. neither the packaging nor the site makes it clear enough for me who am a total newbie to ukes and expecting my first one in tomorrow--a tenor.

the code is 'cu-btr' and the sizes are: .032 / .040 / .028w / .032.

totally unfamiliar with uke string diameters, but since the sizes are the same for two of the strings, i'm (ass)uming this means these won't give you 'linear' tuning and that one string will be an octave above where it should be. ?reintrant?

are my guesses right about these strings? i'm finding out that ukes are much much more complicated than other stringed instruments when it comes to putting strings on them and you don't want to go with the default. hopefully eventually i'll memorize the string sizes for concert, tenor, and baritone.

tks, /guy
 
hi folks: i know there's some long threads on this topic since i searched all of them about 3-4 weeks ago and found a ghs rep who said they had some strings that you put on a tenor so you could tune it like a baritone. i can't find that post again.

i ordered a couple of sets from their site and by the time i'd gotten them in i'd forgotten this was actually what they were for. neither the packaging nor the site makes it clear enough for me who am a total newbie to ukes and expecting my first one in tomorrow--a tenor.

the code is 'cu-btr' and the sizes are: .032 / .040 / .028w / .032.

totally unfamiliar with uke string diameters, but since the sizes are the same for two of the strings, i'm (ass)uming this means these won't give you 'linear' tuning and that one string will be an octave above where it should be. ?reintrant?

are my guesses right about these strings? i'm finding out that ukes are much much more complicated than other stringed instruments when it comes to putting strings on them and you don't want to go with the default. hopefully eventually i'll memorize the string sizes for concert, tenor, and baritone.

tks, /guy

First, fellow UU brother 'Jon Moody' is here on the forum and he works for GHS and can help you as well, in case he does not find this thread, later on you might send him a PM.

Second, the tip off of how those strings likely go is in the 28w, or 28 'wound', which is likely the 3rd string, as in 3rd string UP from the floor as you hold the uke in playing position...

so going from there if you are doing a re-entrant tuning, the two 0.032" are on the outside and the 0.040" is the 2nd string, as in second UP from the floor.

If this is DGBE baritone tuning on a tenor at those gauges, you are then tuning to D4-G3-B3-E4 in re-entrant as opposed to D3-G3-B3-E4 for linear, yes the 'D' or 4th string is an octave HIGHER in re-entrant tuning here....
 
Living Waters also has a dgbe set. It is a reentrant set, I don't believe you could get a low d on a tenor scale.
 
I am using an Aquila set, 11U, on a tenor (dGBE). It is labeled "tenor, high D." It used to come with a wound 3 (G), but now ships with a Red unwound. I thought it was OK ( the sound and the feel) at first, but it is really growing on me. I would have ordered GHS as well if Elderly had had them in stock 2 months ago.
I don't know the diameters, but I don't think a comparison would be of any use anyway, as, IIRC, the Aquila Nylguts are in between fluorocarbons and regular nylons in size.
 
I've used standard Hi G sets of Worth Brown Fats, D'Addrio Carbons and Fremont Blacklines tuned dGBE, they all worked out fine and had a somewhat soft tension but very playable. The Worth Brown Baritone sets have a 0.358" D string and the Fats had a 0316" d String, so I'd bet Worth Brown Baritone strings would work out for a low D on a tenor. tension would be lower than a Baritone scale, so I'd try that too.

I did a review of my two Tenors Here http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/showthread.php?120705-Two-Zebra-Tenors-dGBE

And a review of the Aquila 11Us here http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com...mel-CT-301-Spruce-Top-tenor-dGBE-Aquila-11U-s
 
I am using an Aquila set, 11U, on a tenor (dGBE). It is labeled "tenor, high D." It used to come with a wound 3 (G), but now ships with a Red unwound.

If you don't like the Red unwound (which I don't), you can still order the Aquila set and use a classical guitar D string for the 3rd string on the ukulele. Works beautifully.
 
If you don't like the Red unwound (which I don't), you can still order the Aquila set and use a classical guitar D string for the 3rd string on the ukulele. Works beautifully.

I must have seen your video, Doc, because when I put the Aquilas on, I decided to move the existing 4th string (Fremont smooth wound G) to 3rd, saving the Red to eventually replace a low G (Red) on another tenor when the year-old string breaks. I have come to the conclusion, however, that if I could play really well, neither I, nor any listener, would care about string squeeks. :)
 
First, fellow UU brother 'Jon Moody' is here on the forum and he works for GHS and can help you as well, in case he does not find this thread, later on you might send him a PM.

Second, the tip off of how those strings likely go is in the 28w, or 28 'wound', which is likely the 3rd string, as in 3rd string UP from the floor as you hold the uke in playing position...

so going from there if you are doing a re-entrant tuning, the two 0.032" are on the outside and the 0.040" is the 2nd string, as in second UP from the floor.

If this is DGBE baritone tuning on a tenor at those gauges, you are then tuning to D4-G3-B3-E4 in re-entrant as opposed to D3-G3-B3-E4 for linear, yes the 'D' or 4th string is an octave HIGHER in re-entrant tuning here....

Booli is correct; the CU-BTR is the Craig Chee "Bari-Tenor" re-entrant set that he and I worked on. String gauges in relation to strings are as follows:

1 - E4 - .032
2 - B3 - .040
3 - G3 - .028w
4 - D4 - .032
 
I've used standard Hi G sets of Worth Brown Fats, D'Addrio Carbons and Fremont Blacklines tuned dGBE, they all worked out fine and had a somewhat soft tension but very playable.

I use Worth Clear Fats for dGBE on my tenors. As you say, very playable with lowish tension. I am not fond of high tension so the tension suits me fine and the tone is spot on. You are getting something of the tone of a linear GCEA tenor but with the re-entrant tuning and without the high tension of GCEA strings on a tenor which I really don't like. Neither the tone nor that I find it uncomfortable to play.
 
I use Worth Clear Fats for dGBE on my tenors. As you say, very playable with lowish tension. I am not fond of high tension so the tension suits me fine and the tone is spot on. You are getting something of the tone of a linear GCEA tenor but with the re-entrant tuning and without the high tension of GCEA strings on a tenor which I really don't like. Neither the tone nor that I find it uncomfortable to play.

Yep, I agree tension is nice, makes tenors easier to pay and I like the re-entrant Uke sound. Do you think the Clears are 'brighter' than the Browns?
 
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