Why A Tenor Long Neck?

VegasGeorge

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I understand the desire for more fretboard real-estate, especially for those with chubby fingers like me. But the standard Tenor neck seems very comfortable with plenty of room. In fact, the Baritone seems just a tad too big. So, the question: Why a Tenor Long Neck? Is there some advantage, sound wise, from a slightly longer string? I know there is one more fret. But is that really important to anyone? I'm just curious as to why anyone would want the longer neck, bigger case, etc.
 
There are probably people who, to paraphrase your post, might think: "the standard concert neck seems very comfortable with plenty of room. In fact, the tenor seems just a tad too big. So, the question: Why a concert Long Neck? Is there some advantage, sound wise, from a slightly longer string?.... I'm just curious as to why anyone would want the longer neck, bigger case, etc."

My point is that different people have different preferences about just how much of a fretboard constitutes enough "fretboard real estate." So one reason might be personal preference; a larger fretboard without the other stuff that comes along with playing a baritone ukulele. Another reason is that there are differences in tone among scale lengths. Compare a soprano, concert, and tenor, all tuned the same and playing the same notes. A soprano sounds more "plinky" while a tenor has a richer tone, and a concert falls somewhere in between.

I own a long-neck baritone that was build by as luthier who had built it at the suggestion of Kimo Hussey, who thought that it might have a richer tone than a conventionally-scaled baritone, and it does. it sounds like a nylon string tenor guitar tuned DGBE and has a somewhat richer (but not deeper, if that makes any sense) tone than other baritones. The extra fretboard space might have taken some getting used to, but I play tenor guitars so that hasn't been a problem for me.
 
if I had to guess, the longer neck gives a slight longer scale so little more sustain on top of the extra space on fretboard. I know a soprano longneck makes way more sense for more fretboard space. I like what mds says to "why even a concert longneck" why not just play a tenor right? it could be they like the concert (mid) sound but the playability of a tenor scale. I went the opposite, since I play only concert scale most of the time, i have a custom tenor body with concert neck ukulele and i love it.
 
I understand the desire for more fretboard real-estate, especially for those with chubby fingers like me. But the standard Tenor neck seems very comfortable with plenty of room.

My point is that different people have different preferences about just how much of a fretboard constitutes enough "fretboard real estate."

I have long fingers that do not taper nicely....opposite in fact.......and the D chord smush did not work well on a 17" scale tenor.
I now have a couple of 19" scale tenors and the D chord (as an example) is much more accessible, although still a challenge esp. when finger picking.
I've just measured the distance between the 1st fret wire and the 2rd fret wire, where the fingers have to be smushed for the D chord.
The 19" scale gives me 3.5mm more than the 17" scale which translates into an area of 150 sq.mm more "real estate" ( 825 v. 975).
This is good solution for the shape & size of my hands.
 
Good questions because I'm also very interested to hear how other people end up to get a long neck tenor.
For me it s more about how versatile it actually is.

Extra fretboard space has a cost which mean need more ability to stretch your fingers and its not necessary comfortable for all people. Extra tension gives more sustain but it's also more difficult to use longitudinal vibration technique especially if you are using fluorocarbon strings.

It sounds you always get something but lose something, but in this case we always can play other way around. Tune your long neck tenor one or half step down and use your capo to bring it back to regular gCEA tune then you will instantly return to regular tenor feel. You can also use baritone strings to "convert" your long neck tenor to become small sweet baritone. That's the versatility I mentioned before.
 
It's easily tuned and sounds nice GCEA (linear or re-entrant) or DGBE (also, linear or re-entrant).
 
In fact, the Baritone seems just a tad too big. So, the question: Why a Tenor Long Neck?

You can get used to the baritone scale pretty quickly, especially if it's the 19" scale rather than the 21". I even play tenor guitar with a 23" scale.

I don't see much advantage in long necks after trying a few. They combine a small body with a longer scale - and frankly the small body isn't up to producing the full tonal range that the longer scale can offer. In fact, what I'd rather see is a baritone body with a tenor neck. A sort of dreadnought tenor.

I bought a baritone from Bruce Wei and it came with a smaller than expected body, barely larger than a tenor, making it very much like a long-neck tenor. Sounded thin and weak compared to both my tenors and other baritones. I've also owned a long-neck concert uke (tenor scale, concert body). Same observation.
 
Hello Vegas,

It does sound like there’s no reason for you to consider one. If the fretboard size is most important and the 17” scale is what fits you, then stay right there.

These kinds of Ukuleles are near and dear to us – we build a number of complete and “integral” long scale instruments – among them what we call a Tenor Largo. By integral, we mean designed from the ground up for the longer scale.

Our scale is 20” and the body is designed to be proportional to the neck, as opposed to the standard way of doing things – just sticking a longer neck on a standard body. The standard bodies tend to be short and wide. As far as sound goes, it will work pretty much the same either way, but we think a longer, narrower body just looks better with the longer neck.

If you play up the neck a lot, then one big advantage comes there. Properly strung, you'll get clearer notes when you play up high. Even if a 17" scale is more comfortable for you in 1st position chords, chords up the neck can get cramped - 20" feels pretty good to most folks who "play up" a lot. And you get the fretboard of a cutaway (ours has 16 frets to the body - 20 total) on a traditional body shape.

There aren’t any sorts of generalizations you can make about sound until you factor in the tuning / strings. Apart from the comfort factor, these are the real reasons for a longer scale. In the case of a Tenor, and without going into all the particulars, if you like tuning to a reentrant C, the huge majority of players will prefer what they’ll get from a set-up on the 17” scale.

Tune down, and things start to change. Your options for stringing start to give better tensions, more clarity and better projection. At reentrant B flat either scale can be nice. Down to A tuning and the advantage starts to go to the long scale. Tune down to G and there’s no contest – long scale, all day, every day. If you consider that most Tenor bodies can handle a g note and that the Tenor was originally “designed” for that tuning, then the real question becomes “why weren’t they built with a longer scale from the start?”

As far as Linear tuning, it depends on your preference in sound. If you’re tuning to C, your low note is again a g, so generally no problem there. If you like wound strings give a slight edge to the 17” scale though on 19-20” a wound set-up is still good. If you like plain strings, however, then once again, long scale, all day, every day. The flubby, loose or dead plain 4th string g note you get with the 17” scale improves dramatically at 20”.

There are those that think of putting a linear G tuning on these instruments - like a traditional Baritone. That's where you get into the sort of thing Ian was likely referring to. The body is still a Tenor, so your notes won't ring clear below a g.

By the way, we’ve always felt that for plain string g notes, 20” does a better job than 19”. The reason you find 19" most of the time, is that there are cases out there that will fit them - the extra inch puts you in a custom case.

That’s our take.
 
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Wow! There is a lot of great information here. Thanks guys, and a special thanks to Dirk for that detailed response. It really is changing my thinking about long necks.

I probably should mention that I have a Baritone, but it is one of several other Ukuleles I own. I try to rotate through my collection, playing a different Uke each day. I have 3 Tenor size, 5 Concert size, and 3 Sopranos. So, the Baritone only gets played every 12 days, more or less. It's no wonder that it feels kind of big to me. I should probably add it into the mix more often just to get better acquitted with the longer fretboard.
 
When I ordered my six-string tenor from Mr. Bader, he suggested to me that he build it as a long-neck. I declined, as I wanted just the regular tenor scale. Now I am thinking that I might have received an instrument with a really unique sound, especially strung low G and low A. Oh well, maybe someday!
 
imho, it is better...more room...different sounding...unique [Kamaka was one of the first to do it<if not the first>] The sound is just a little different as was previously discussed...i have big fingers...so the fit is awesome...with plenty of room...and if I wanted a 21 inch scale I would head toward a guitar/baritone. It is a personal preference...listen to the videos from HMS...Corey does a great job comparing them...better yet try them in person, and while subtle, the difference is noticeable.
 
Hello Vegas,

It does sound like there’s no reason for you to consider one. If the fretboard size is most important and the 17” scale is what fits you, then stay right there.

These kinds of Ukuleles are near and dear to us – we build a number of complete and “integral” long scale instruments – among them what we call a Tenor Largo. By integral, we mean designed from the ground up for the longer scale.

Our scale is 20” and the body is designed to be proportional to the neck, as opposed to the standard way of doing things – just sticking a longer neck on a standard body. The standard bodies tend to be short and wide. As far as sound goes, it will work pretty much the same either way, but we think a longer, narrower body just looks better with the longer neck.

If you play up the neck a lot, then one big advantage comes there. Properly strung, you'll get clearer notes when you play up high. Even if a 17" scale is more comfortable for you in 1st position chords, chords up the neck can get cramped - 20" feels pretty good to most folks who "play up" a lot. And you get the fretboard of a cutaway (ours has 16 frets to the body - 20 total) on a traditional body shape.

There aren’t any sorts of generalizations you can make about sound until you factor in the tuning / strings. Apart from the comfort factor, these are the real reasons for a longer scale. In the case of a Tenor, and without going into all the particulars, if you like tuning to a reentrant C, the huge majority of players will prefer what they’ll get from a set-up on the 17” scale.

Tune down, and things start to change. Your options for stringing start to give better tensions, more clarity and better projection. At reentrant B flat either scale can be nice. Down to A tuning and the advantage starts to go to the long scale. Tune down to G and there’s no contest – long scale, all day, every day. If you consider that most Tenor bodies can handle a g note and that the Tenor was originally “designed” for that tuning, then the real question becomes “why weren’t they built with a longer scale from the start?”

As far as Linear tuning, it depends on your preference in sound. If you’re tuning to C, your low note is again a g, so generally no problem there. If you like wound strings give a slight edge to the 17” scale though on 19-20” a wound set-up is still good. If you like plain strings, however, then once again, long scale, all day, every day. The flubby, loose or dead plain 4th string g note you get with the 17” scale improves dramatically at 20”.

There are those that think of putting a linear G tuning on these instruments - like a traditional Baritone. That's where you get into the sort of thing Ian was likely referring to. The body is still a Tenor, so your notes won't ring clear below a g.

By the way, we’ve always felt that for plain string g notes, 20” does a better job than 19”. The reason you find 19" most of the time, is that there are cases out there that will fit them - the extra inch puts you in a custom case.

That’s our take.
Dirk, as always, you are full of great info. BUT, I have not had any trouble fitting any of my baritones in a standard baritone case, from my 19" favillas to a 21" Pono. the Favilla is slightly deeper bodied so it is a squeeze to close the zipper on the foam cases. for me , the 19" scale works great on those Favillas, plenty of room, esp up the fretboard, and a beautiful tone, whether tuned G or C[especially with your linear set]
 
I call them Franken ukes, from a comfort and playability standpoint, I prefer to go either
With a standard baritone or tenor, it make no sense to me size wise to go in that configuration.
Even tone wise, it's my preference not to go there if you're thinking of sacrificing for comfort.
 
Dirk, as always, you are full of great info. BUT, I have not had any trouble fitting any of my baritones in a standard baritone case, from my 19" favillas to a 21" Pono. the Favilla is slightly deeper bodied so it is a squeeze to close the zipper on the foam cases. for me , the 19" scale works great on those Favillas, plenty of room, esp up the fretboard, and a beautiful tone, whether tuned G or C[especially with your linear set]

Hello ss -

Thanks for the kind words! I wasn't too clear on the cases. What I meant was that there are a few "Tenor" cases that will handle up to a 19" scale. For Baritone cases the length would never be a problem, they'd just be too wide. Still that's one approach if you have a 20" scale "Baritenor" - just get a Baritone case and add padding on the sides.

I call them Franken ukes, from a comfort and playability standpoint, I prefer to go either
With a standard baritone or tenor, it makes no sense to me size wise to go in that configuration.
Even tone wise, it's my preference not to go there if you're thinking of sacrificing for comfort.

Love me some mm, but stan, you have a certain type of "traditionalism" that a lot of folks share. Just remember, though, that unless you're playing a standard Tenor tuned to a reentrant G (d' g b e'), then you're not playing that instrument as it was originally designed; you’re not as “traditional” as you might think.

Some people today have gone back to that tuning, but it only works now on a “short-neck” because string technology has improved. The Tenor bodies usually handle that range of notes beautifully; it was the short scale that combined with the sound of the only available strings then: heavy nylon and unpolished wound that made the original design intent a failure. The longer scale makes the original tuning work very nicely, and even with our modern stringing, I think most would prefer the original tuning on a longer scale.

Of course you could simply put that tuning on a Baritone. It works just fine there. A fellow named Benny Chong likes that arrangement and he makes it sound awfully nice. But a Baritone has more body than a tuning like that actually needs. You don’t get a bad sound as result, just a different one. Typically putting a tuning on a larger body than you need gives it a sort of a “reverb”, or in other words, it holds the notes longer. Put that tuning on a Tenor body, especially with the firmer tensions of the longer scale, and you get a quicker attack – the notes “get out of the box” faster. Some will prefer one sound, some another.

That's just one example. It's really impossible to say you don't like a certain "tone" on any Ukulele configuration unless you specify the strings and tuning. Changing scale or body size will be more attractive to some in certain applications and less attractive in others. It’s no different in that respect than saying you don’t like the “tone” of a Concert, let’s say, as well as a Tenor. A lot of those preferences are personal, but mostly it depends on the tuning and the style of playing, or better to say “the use”.
 
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I don't get the long-neck models either. Nothing wrong with them, I just don't get it.
 
I am quite tall. I have a long neck, arms, legs, and fingers. I shop at the Tall, Skinny store section of Eddie Bauers.

I think I should get a Long neck everything.

:iwant:
 
I got to ukuleles from classical guitars. There is a considerable difference between a classical's fretboard and a steel-string acoustic guitar, much less any sized uke. It takes a bit of acclimation. Even a tenor requires serious scrunching. And after a while, going back from the uke to the guitar? That fretboard feels awfully wide.
 
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