Tiple or 8 String

Help please....

I'm considering buying either a Tiple or an 8 String uke. It would be used as a rhythm instrument (strummed) most all of the time. Occasionally, I'd probably play arpeggios (coming from the Peter Buck school of guitar playing). I do want more of a full guitar like sound.

My thoughts are...I'm leaning toward the Ohana Tiple. On YouTube it seems to be fuller and more jangly, but I don't want to deal with another tuning or instrument. Any Tiple tuning tips? Is it similar enough to the uke so I can just pick it up and play?

Any recommendations on 8 string ukes? I'd like an acoustic electric and want to stay under the $500.00 price point.

And advice is appreciated.

Tim

I play a Tiple, but like some other players, I use 8 steel strings. I tune mine gCEA, but I tune it with the 1st and (2nd), 4rd, 6th and 8th in standard reentrant tuning and the 3rd and 7th down an octave. The 5th string (c) is up an octave. This tuning makes it much more balanced and playable for finger style or rhythm. I don't know anyone that uses this tuning, but it works for me.

Hey timmit! I have played a few tiples and it's a very intriguing instrument.

I have only seen them with steel strings.

I have never played an 8 string uke, but hope to acquire one soon.

My reasoning is that due to hand issues and the bear of tuning a steel string triple, the 8 string uke will be easier on me but still give that nice chimey sound.

Man, I love Peter Buck. We need to talk music someday. I may well show up at the library for the next uke meetup.

At any rate, I am planning to shell out for the Oscar Schmidt OU28T eight-stringer. It's all I can afford. I started a thread about that instrument recently and there were several suggestions for other 8 strings which look beautiful but are out of my price range.

One sec and I'll link that thread here. No tiple discussion in it, but some ideas for 8 string uke options.

@timmit--

Here you go. Good luck wrestling with your decision. I expect the outcome will be positive and joyous for you either way:

http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com...-Hope-to-hear-from-Oscar-Schmidt-OU28T-owners

PS: Seriously, I bet we have a lot of music tastes in common. I have a LOT of music.

PS#2: Here's a link to the Amazon search page for "8 string ukulele." I usually like to try before I buy, but Amazon reviews have been helpful to me in the past.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/s/ref=is_s?k=8+string+ukulele+

Again, good luck and I hope you'll keep us posted.

Ohana makes a nice 8-string tenor, TK-70-8 with spruce top, I have several friends with them and one plays hers all the time, less than $300 from Mim or UkeRepublic, they both have the new concert 8-strings too...

Great... thanks for all the input!

I'm guessing that this is not the Tiple that everyone is talking about here.



That is what a Tiple was to me until I started reading this thread and got the idea that everyone is talking about something else. I had the same problem when people started talking about Cuatro as well.

I thought a Tiple has 10 strings rather than 8. I can't imagine all the tuning one would have to do. And changing strings would be a nightmare. An 8 string is bad enough, and i hate to change strings.

I strummed a tiple in a store, and it had a very nice sound--sorta jangly. But i didn't buy it! ld: