CGDA tuning

Lapyang

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Hi fellows,

I play Cello and Ukulele. I plan to devote one uke (either a concert, or soprano, I wish I had a tenor to spare) to CGDA tuning to help me visualize the fingering easier on a cello. The cello board is unfretted and is difficult to visualize at times, especially in higher positions.

I read in this forum before about the CGDA tuning. Much like the Mandola or Tenor Guitar. But I don't really want to get another instrument. Any set of strings I can get specially for that?

Someone even posted about the gauges of each string. I just cannot find it anymore.

Please help.
 
Aquila 30U for GDAE on soprano or Aquila 31U CGDA for concert.

Otherwise you can use 'normal' GCEA ukulele low-g string set and reverse the C & G strings, making it re-entrant, and then the 'E' string you just never tune higher than D4 and you're all set.

If not the above you are going to be monkeying with custom string gauges from classical guitar strings.
(been there, done that, not worth it IMHO)

I've got links to a few threads about stringing for fifths tuning from the LINK IN MY SIGNATURE below.

Hope this helps. :)
 
Aquila makes a Concert set—it’s 31U. I have a set on my Lanikai concert banjolele, but they should be okay on a regular uke.

I also have a Gold Tone tenor banjolele tuned to Hi-C GDA for singing accompaniment. Oops! Too late. :eek:ld:
 
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Aquila 30U for GDAE on soprano or Aquila 31U CGDA for concert.

I wonder about the E string in the 30U set. Sort of tempted to try it out just to see what sort of tension it has and whether it is prone to breaking. Then again, I don't want to get mandolin-curious. :)
 
I just ordered a set of CGDA to try on a Chambered Electric tenor. Amazon has the 31U in stock. I think they'' work on the tenor, we'll see.
 
I just ordered a set of CGDA to try on a Chambered Electric tenor. Amazon has the 31U in stock. I think they'' work on the tenor, we'll see.

From my own personal experience, the 31U set also works fine on tenor in CGDA, and ALSO on baritone as GDAE (for octave mando tuning, i.e. G2-D3-A3-E4), yes the sets of these that I've bought (also from Amazon myself) are long enough and the tension/diameters of the strings give decent intonation.
 
The strings arrived today. I’m pleasantly surprised that they tune up as GDAE. This is for my chambered electric Koolau. Now I can quietly practice mandolin tunes while watching tv.
 
The strings arrived today. I’m pleasantly surprised that they tune up as GDAE. This is for my chambered electric Koolau. Now I can quietly practice mandolin tunes while watching tv.

Sounds great! What is the scale length of the Koolau?

If tenor and in GDAE, you are likely not going to have enough tension to intonate properly at that scale length, especially the A, i.e., A3 note really wants a wound string, like an 0.026"-0.028" classical string with about 15 lbs of tension at that pitch. WIthout enough tension, you will be at least 20 cents sharp intonation all up the neck.
 
Sounds great! What is the scale length of the Koolau?

If tenor and in GDAE, you are likely not going to have enough tension to intonate properly at that scale length, especially the A, i.e., A3 note really wants a wound string, like an 0.026"-0.028" classical string with about 15 lbs of tension at that pitch. WIthout enough tension, you will be at least 20 cents sharp intonation all up the neck.

At the seventh fret, it is fine. With CGDA there was way too much flopping around.
 
At the seventh fret, it is fine. With CGDA there was way too much flopping around.

I'm still not clear, IIRC, Ko'olau /Pono makes both a tenor and bari solid-body electric uke.

Which one do you have?

So GDAE, is that G2-E4 as octave mandolin, or G3-E5 same as mandolin?

I am just trying to understand how you are tuned and what scale length.

Please share as much detail as possible.

Mahalo. :)
 
I'm still not clear, IIRC, Ko'olau /Pono makes both a tenor and bari solid-body electric uke.

Which one do you have?

So GDAE, is that G2-E4 as octave mandolin, or G3-E5 same as mandolin?

I am just trying to understand how you are tuned and what scale length.

Please share as much detail as possible.

Mahalo. :)


I traded for it as a used instrument so I don't have any of the original paperwork. Nut to saddle it measures just under 17". It is a Ko'olau CE1, I'm pretty sure it is an early model. It has a built in active pickup. The Aquila strings say they are for a concert.
Ukulele site says the CE1 tenor has a scale length of 16 15/16 so this is a tenor.
I checked intonation at the 12th fret this morning and its on the money. The strings are still stretching out. I'm not planning on taking this out for anything. This is so I have a fifths tuned uke for the seasons.
 
I traded for it as a used instrument so I don't have any of the original paperwork. Nut to saddle it measures just under 17". It is a Ko'olau CE1, I'm pretty sure it is an early model. It has a built in active pickup. The Aquila strings say they are for a concert.
Ukulele site says the CE1 tenor has a scale length of 16 15/16 so this is a tenor.
I checked intonation at the 12th fret this morning and its on the money. The strings are still stretching out. I'm not planning on taking this out for anything. This is so I have a fifths tuned uke for the seasons.

Ok. Thats great. Thanks for all the details. :)

Wish I had more time to get back to the Seasons....[sigh]...some day....
 
My 1930s uke tutor suggests using D & A violin strings for tuning a soprano uke ADF#B as they were of better quality than the (gut) strings then sold as ukulele strings.

A full size violin has a scale length of 12.8", pretty close to that of a soprano ukulele. Would modern violin strings work for GDAE on a smaller uke and maybe viola strings for CGDA?

Just a thought. I don't know the answer but if they were OK in the 30s maybe they're OK today.
 
Tootler - you know, when I couldn't find anything else right away for a C on my tenor uke (CGDA), I put a viola C string on. It was just long enough. And it sounded good, and the tension was right. But (and you knew there'd be a "but") it didn't hold up. It lasted a very short time. One of these babies will last a year on my viola, but it disintegrated in a few weeks. I do not think the windings on violin family instruments are strong enough for frets. I now have a Thomastik classical guitar string (.035) as my C string and it is much more durable. It's been on there a few months with no sign of the windings going bad.

bratsche
 
Tootler - you know, when I couldn't find anything else right away for a C on my tenor uke (CGDA), I put a viola C string on. It was just long enough. And it sounded good, and the tension was right. But (and you knew there'd be a "but") it didn't hold up. It lasted a very short time. One of these babies will last a year on my viola, but it disintegrated in a few weeks. I do not think the windings on violin family instruments are strong enough for frets. I now have a Thomastik classical guitar string (.035) as my C string and it is much more durable. It's been on there a few months with no sign of the windings going bad.

bratsche

Interesting. I wondered if that might be a problem. The ukulele is plucked and there are those bits of wire across the finger board :)

My experience with wound ukulele strings (Aquila, I think) that came with my baritone ukulele wasn't any better. They started to wear at the frets in a very short time. I fairly quickly replaced them with an all plain fluorocarbon set and am much happier. OTOH the wound low A on my 6 string tenor seemed to last a lot better but I have since replaced that with a plain fluorocarbon string.
 
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