My Uke Came ALIVE!

strat4me

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I own a stunningly beautiful Pono RTSH-PC-S (TENOR). I didn't love the tone. Very quiet Renntrant. Mostly fingerstyle. Currently strung with Fremont Blacklines and a Soloist 4th. Tried Worths and others before.

Dropped tuning down two semitones to FA#DG (Bb tuning) and I have an entirely different uke: Loud, sustains forever, superior tremolo, and ALIVE!. Not being in a band it conflicts with no one. Just play chords and TAB identically as before.

My wife was astounded at the difference hearing it from another room.

Southcoast talks about the importance of different string tensions. I think that is it but THIS uke LOVES the lower tuning. I've seen this phenomena on other ukes.

IF you're at all underwhelmed with your uke's tone, you might try moving the tuning up or down a semitone or two. YMMV but I absolutely LOVE this uke now!!! Simply blown away.
 
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Glad you were able to improve your experience! I will keep this in mind if I ever find I am underwhelmed by a new instrument.
 
Tenor often sounds great in Bb. That is why some folks like having unique tunings for each size.
 
Tenor often sounds great in Bb. That is why some folks like having unique tunings for each size.

:agree:

I am glad you found the sweet spot for your tenor. In my experience, most tenors I have played sound better in Bb tuning.
 
I kept a tenor in A tuning for months but shifted it down to G tuning (dGBE) so I could play with my neighbor's Bari. The Fremont Bari-Tenor strings work well in DGBE with a Soloist as a low D fourth on a tenor too.
 
Fantastic you have something you're much happier with. Now all you need to do is find which strings you like best at that tuning.

All of my tenors are tuned Bb, except my Farallon which sounds better in B.
 
I think tenors are strung too tight normally, that's why I use concert strings on mine, for GCEA, plus I also like them tuned to DGBE. Glad to hear you've made friends with yours. :)
 
Strat4--Good thread. I've experienced the same thing this week. As some on here know, I couldn't find a baritone ukulele under $600 that played well. So I did what any red-blooded kid would do--I built one (with a LOT of help from the good people at Crow River Guitars in Paynesville, MN). I've had my own ukulele for just over a year, and I've dinged with the setup here and there. Then this week, I got some Martin strings I had ordered from Sweetwater (DGBE linear tuning) and WOW!!!!!! I can't put the instrument down!!!

I had always liked the baritone I had built, but today, it, too, has come alive. Great thread--
 
hello,

I always tune all my ukes one whole tone lower but I recently found out that when the strings begin to wear out and loose their brightness and intonation, I have to raise up the tuning to normal pitch to avoid intonation issues...
 
I have a tenor that always felt muted and dull. Slides or hammer-ons were hard to hear. After reading this thread, tuned it down then BOOM! My ears almost hurt in my small room, a completely different instrument for free!!
Thanks for the tip.
 
I'm so happy for you. Seems like such a simple idea that can literally alter one's view and experience with ukes. I'm now trying to tune each one to its sweet spot - seems to usually be one or two semitones lower than standard.

I thought I was having fun before. Like going from black and white to color!
 
I like some of my tenors tuned down a half step or more, and my baris up a step, depending on strings. My Collings tenor sounds best a full step down, it's way more resonant. Same thing with some guitars. The one I put in DADGAD really found it's calling there!
 
I like some of my tenors tuned down a half step or more, and my baris up a step, depending on strings. My Collings tenor sounds best a full step down, it's way more resonant. Same thing with some guitars. The one I put in DADGAD really found it's calling there!

You caught me. I have guitars kept in five different tunings. So expressive.
 
I just did this on my soprano maple Brueko, and it sounds awesome. Thanks for the suggestion.
 
Very interesting to hear that B flat tuning sounds so good on a tenor's 17 inch scale length. I have a Hoffmann Bari with a 20.25 inch scale length that I keep tuned to B flat and love it. When I play with friends who use GCEA tuning I just capo on the 2nd fret (being inherently lazy and not wanting to learn new chord shapes).
 
Is this only for re-entrant, or low G also?

Inspired by this thread, I just tuned my laminate tenor (Islander) down to Bb. I had just switched it from low G to high g, and never liked a low G tenor tuned down (which was on solid body tenors) – they sounded thuddy, droney, something. But the high g tuning on this tenor works for me, adding depth. Maybe it being a laminate is a factor, too.
 
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