- Joined
- Aug 3, 2014
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- 171
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- 3
Thanks Trent. When I was approached with this concept I did some internet searching (probably not enough) and I could only find one old soprano ukulele with a fifth string banjo peg.Really innovative on both counts. I haven't seen many ukuleles w/banjo 5th sting tuner peg; well, I haven seen any ukuleles with 5th string banjo tuning peg. Umm, I haven't seen many fretless ukuleles; well, I haven't seen any fretless ukuleles.
I'm definitely not experienced enough to play a fretless uke so it's not for me but I've fiddled around on it some.Are you so experienced on uke that you don't need frets, or is it for some other reason?
That fifth string is kind of an interesting feature as well, what is the purpose, as against a normal string going to the headstock?
Thanks John. It's louder than I thought it would be but certainly not as loud as my fretted ukes. The owner plays a lot of fretless gourd banjo and the sound is similar though not as eerie. I've added a K&K pickup in case the he wants to be heard in a larger group setting but unplugged it has a sound unlike any of my other ukes. I don't have a clip and you wouldn't want to hear me struggling on this but I'll try to get one from him when he picks it up. I had other players help me with suitable tunings for the instrument but I'm sure the owner will find something different that he likes.That's a very elegant looking uke. I like to frail a high G uke. Having the 5th string would add a whole new dimension. Without the frets I'd be afraid the sound would be weak, like a plucked violin. So, how does it sound?
Here's my latest uke. It's a tenor body with a 5 string fretless banjo style neck tuned to open C at present.
View attachment 98397View attachment 98398View attachment 98399
Thanks greenscoe. This shows how you can bend the notes without pulling down the strings.Its a good looking instrument (as are the other ukes on your site). I struggle to play a conventional uke so this wouldn't be one for me. But there are lots of very musical people out there that can make great music on all sorts of instruments. Here's just one take on the theme, whilst we are wondering how this instrument will play/sound.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYPjOo5HUsE
Written whilst the reply above was being posted!
Here's another one of his:
LOLPutting new meaning to the term "Frank-ken-uke"