How many ladies play tenors?

NatalieS

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Hey everyone!

As my playing skills improve, I'm getting more comfortable with larger sizes of ukes. I learned on the soprano, and in the beginning common chords on my concert were quite a stretch. Now they're much easier. So I'm thinking about getting a tenor (particularly a Pono Mango). I've always wanted a larger uke with low G strings, but I'm afraid the tenor might be a tad too big.

Are there any ladies here who play tenor? What do you think about the larger size? I'm often told that women think concert is the perfect size, with tenor being too large. Is this the case with most of the women on this forum?
 
for a while, I used my tenor flea as my primary uke, now, I use it and my concert uke fairly interchangably--

I prefer the tenor for strumming, and the concert for picking :), I find it easier to hit wierd non-standard chord forms with the concert, just because the spaces are slightly smaller, BUT I don't exactly have the smallest hands. (I wear about a 8 in glove size....) now, the larger sized uke sounds different, but I really enjoy the larger size sometimes...I have a soprano as well...

I s'pose this makes me a woman of all sizes.
 
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I like a concert. I have in the past really wanted a tenor -- to be like Jake -- but I'm slowly weaning myself off that idea. I have a KoAloha concert and the more I play it the more I love everything about it -- except the friction tuners. But I'm working on that part.
 
All sizes are GOOD! I own all of them and jump between my sopranino and baritone all the time. Your brain has an amazing ability to adjust.

Hey Ladies,
While I've got your attention, please check out the thread, SISTERHOOD of the traveling uke, in uke talk, page 6 update. Mahalo
 
I didn't know ladies played a Uke and din't know they had time in between ironing, cleaning, etc:biglaugh:
 
Hehe:p

Can I ask you ladies (the one's that play Tenor or even Baritone) if you had problems with the strings? Not the stretching to make chords so much but the actual tighter tention of the strings compared to a Soprano and Concert?

Personally, I find them pretty tough on the fingers (only tried 1 Tenor) and the pressure you have to do seems very hard to me compared with the S and C.
 
Nearly all of my ukes are concerts. For me it's the perfect size.

I do play my husband's tenor some every day, but it's just a bit too big for my small hands. If I ever get to the point that I can comfortably play the intro to Brown-Eyed Girl on his tenor I may get one for myself. :p
 
size vs strength

I like the tenor size fine. I am OK with the concert, and still working on the soprano. I was used to a classical guitar, which seems absolutely massive in comparison to the ukuleles. I came across videos of a very talented 8 year old boy playing a full sized classical guitar in Berkeley California.

http://www.berkeleymusic.com/robertogranados.html

Are your hands bigger than an 8 year old's? Size might not be the issue as much as building strength. I am having trouble making tighter chord formations on the tighter fretboard. But I think with practice, it will get easier. I think each size requires slightly different muscle control.

–Lori
 
I chord melody, fingerstyle with a concert to make easier chord shapes, just like Cashew mentioned. I do strumming and finger picking on the tenor.
 
Okay, thank you all for helping answer my question! It sounds like those of you with smaller hands have some issue with the tenor. That's my concern-- I wear a glove size 6.5 and have very small hands. I just like the look of the Pono Mango tenor more than the concert because it has bridge pins lol. Also, it's always been a dream of mine to play guitar so the larger uke, the closer to guitar it is. How silly is that...

I need to find a local place to try out both sizes. I might try UkeRepublic since he's two hours away. Thanks all!
 
How is a tenor too big for one's hands when there are plenty of girls who play full-sized guitars and basses? :eek: Just wonderin'.
 
How is a tenor too big for one's hands when there are plenty of girls who play full-sized guitars and basses? :eek: Just wonderin'.

Your right there and I can't understand that either because the Tenor to me is HUGE and a Baritone is like a small car:) So a Guitar would be a no no this stage of the game, but in honesty I don't like the sound of a Guitar as much as a Uke anyway.

So me being a bloke with average hand size wondered how the average woman copes with a Tenor - because I can't:(
 
How is a tenor too big for one's hands when there are plenty of girls who play full-sized guitars and basses? :eek: Just wonderin'.
Exactly, I have very small hand and have no problem with a baritone. I'm not too fond of the guitar but my 13 year old daughter who has hands the same size does great on it.
 
For me it's flexibility in my hands. My joints are not easy to move or stretch. Arthritis is starting to show up in the last 5 years in my hands and playing seems to help with keeping things moving. Sure I dostretcing exercises but I'm still limited but that's OK, there is more than one way to play a chord.

My weak points that get focus each day are barres, 4 finger chordes, scales up to 14th fret, and that infernal pinky mute on all major chord shapes.
 
I've got a tenor...and play it fine (my only problem is occasionally a four finger chord that stretches over three frets...then the stretch is a little tough). But when I go back to my little soprano, I feel cramped now.
 
I'm curious as to what element of the larger uke, say the tenor, is causing the problem with those who have smaller hands. If it is the longer scale which provides greater spacing between frets then I can certainly understand this part of the equation. As far as the width of the neck is concerned most ukuleles have a 1 3/8" width at the nut. Some are wider depending on the builder. For example, I build using a 1 1/2" width at the nut. Just curious.

I have sort of the reverse issue trying to get used to playing the smaller instruments after playing the tenor for so long.
 
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