Boom Boom Low G

I switched to a Worth Brown low G set of strings on my tenor yesterday and Boom, Boom, these babies can belt it out!

This weekend we are having Peter Luongo’s MaxUke workshop here in the lower mainland and his recent email suggested we bring along a tenor and it would be preferable if it had a low G.

Now I am usually a soprano player and I have played a high G for years. I did recently get a tenor so I could hear myself play in our rather rambunctious ukulele circles. The tenor, strung high G, sounded like a volume-dialed-up soprano and I liked that.

Last night I took the newly strung, now low G, tenor to the uke circle and felt that low G rumble right through the body of the instrument and into my bread basket! Wow’sa, what a difference! It was as if the uke was amplified.

Funny thing was that I rather missed the sweet and unquie chime sound of the re-entrant tuning that I am used to.

Will I leave the low G on after the weekend workshop with Peter Lunongo? The strings are a brand new set so, yes, I think I’ll leave them on for a while but, geez, it will take some adjusting to hear that rolling boom coming from the top string!

How about you, can you relate, have you had a similar experience when switching g strings on a uke?

This is why you need 2 tenors.

Martinlover said:

This is why you need 2 tenors.

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Yes! At least two of everything.

I found out that I prefered a low G a looooooong time ago.

Yep, leave your tenor low G, use your soprano re entrant.

Croaky Keith said:

I found out that I prefered a low G a looooooong time ago.

Yep, leave your tenor low G, use your soprano re entrant.

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Hey Keith, can you say specifically what is it about the low G that your enjoy so much?

Yes - I prefer low tones - middle C & lower, to me they just seem right.
I also use orchestra tuned & tenor tuned harmonicas too.
My flutes are Boehm C & keyless low D.

However I do have some high tuned instruments, like my piccolos, fifes, & whistles.
I like them for their different sound.

Croaky Keith said:

Yes - I prefer low tones - middle C & lower, to me they just seem right.
I also use orchestra tuned & tenor tuned harmonicas too.
My flutes are Boehm C & keyless low D.

However I do have some high tuned instruments, like my piccolos, fifes, & whistles.
I like them for their different sound.

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You have a lot of choices for music, Keith, and clearly have the high and low tunings covered!

Yes, I found out that I like the challenge of learning to play different instruments, as much as I like playing them.

Down to personal preference, I changed to low g on my tenor, but dont enjoy playing it anymore. I much prefer re entrant, so will change it back ( or even sell it as with re entrant it doesnt sound much different to a concert re entrant)

Dansimpson said:

Down to personal preference, I changed to low g on my tenor, but dont enjoy playing it anymore. I much prefer re entrant, so will change it back ( or even sell it as with re entrant it doesnt sound much different to a concert re entrant)

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Yes, you are right, majorly personal peference and I too have experienced how just changing to low G can change a tenor from a charming choice to a less favoured uke.