I just purchased a Kala KA-FMT tenor from HMS. I had them set it up with Worth BT low-g strings. I liked the Worths so much I decided to put a high-g set on my KA-T (purchased from HMS about a month ago, but with the stock Aquilas). This was the first time I ever changed strings. The high-g strings I put on my KA-T feel way tighter than the low-gs on the FMT, like the tension is greater. With the exception of the G strings, the gauges are identical. Could I have done something while installing the strings to increase the tension? Or is it just the difference between the two ukuleles? I love the sound of both, but the difference in the feel of the strings is very noticeable.
Same strings, different tensions. Did I do something wrong?
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kypfer
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I'd guess the action on the KA-T was higher, everything else being equal. It doesn't take much to make a big difference in feel if one instrument is especially well set up with a very low action!
Try measuring the gap between the string(s) and the first fret and again at the 12th fret ... no need to be technical, multiple thicknesses of business card or similar will do to demonstrate if there's a substantial difference between the two instruments. Obviously feeler gauges might be easier if you've got them (and know how to use them), but card will do in the first instance to compare.
Good luck
Try measuring the gap between the string(s) and the first fret and again at the 12th fret ... no need to be technical, multiple thicknesses of business card or similar will do to demonstrate if there's a substantial difference between the two instruments. Obviously feeler gauges might be easier if you've got them (and know how to use them), but card will do in the first instance to compare.
Good luck
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Jim Hanks
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Sounds like a great excuse to try Bb flat tuning on the KA-T.
Sounds like a great excuse to try Bb flat tuning on the KA-T.
Re-entrant tuning, low-g, Bb flat.... I'm gonna need more ukuleles! :music:
k0k0peli
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Just wait till you want to try GcEa and GceA and fifths stringings. And then you'll encounter 5-, 6-, 8-, 10-, and 12-string 'ukes. Not to mention various sizes (but baritones don't count -- they're only 4-string guitars unless they're strung AdfB). And banjo- and reso-'ukes, and fretless and Tahitian 'ukes, and franken-'ukes, et al. Charangos, too. There is no end to the madness. Resistance is futile.
Jim Hanks
Well-known member
Not necessarily. As you're seeing, strings can make a big difference and are a great way to experiment without having to buy new instruments. OTOH, it's also a great UAS justification.
k0k0peli
Well-known member
New strings and variant tunings (like slack and drone and straight 4ths tunings) are fun. But I don't want to constantly restring one 'uke from gCEa (standard hi-G re-entrant) to GCEa (linear lo-G) to GceA (Venezuelan cuatro style) to GcEa (I dunno what it's called) to a#FCg (standard re-entrant, flipped and tweaked) to gDaE (mutant 5ths) to whatever -- I obviously need one 'uke for each stringing. In soprano, concert, and tenor. (Baritones aren't really 'ukes IMHO.) And I didn't even mention the 6- and 8-string possibilities. No, UAS is quite justified for the intrepid sonic explorer. Onward!As you're seeing, strings can make a big difference and are a great way to experiment without having to buy new instruments. OTOH, it's also a great UAS justification.
igorthebarbarian
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It's weird that the action would be high from a HMS set-up uke, right? I thought theirs were always pretty low action
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