Poll: low g or high G for tenor uke players

wickedwahine11 · Jun 15, 2009

I'm really torn right now on what tuning to use. I have low g Aquila on the Kanile'a (mainly because on a recent trip to Hawaii, everyone I encountered, including Joe Souza from Kanile'a seemed to prefer the low g sound and it was WAY more popular). On my Kamaka, I had some High G Hilo strings on it. I wanted a little bit more volume and tried putting on a Fremont Flourocarbon low g string while keeping the Hilo A, E and C strings. I like the sound of it, but I can't help but think I should keep this one re-entrant.

I bought the Kamaka in large part because it was the most traditional, historic Hawaiian ukulele maker, and I sort of wanted to keep it very traditional, hence the High G tuning. But I got so used to the fuller sound from the low g on the Kanile'a that I missed it on the Kamaka. And right now, I'm playing the Kamaka almost exclusively.

I'm bouncing back and forth, changing the string almost every day (at least every other day) between the low g Fremont and the High G Hilo. I'm now driving myself crazy over this...(I know, a dumb thing to be going crazy about).

I know there was previously a poll about whether people chose high or low g tuning (http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10736&highlight=poll+tuning&page=3) but it included players of sopranos and concerts, both of which are usually High G.

I'm curious for the just the tenor players, which do you use more frequently...

haole · Jun 15, 2009

I wish I had your problem, because that would entail having a Kamaka and a Kanile'a tenor.

Ever since I played menehunenyc's Kamaka tenor, I've had a hankering for my own.

If I had two tenors, I'd definitely have a low G and a high G one. But if you're playing the Kamaka more often and you miss the low G, why not string that one low G and try the Kanile'a in high G instead?

GX9901 · Jun 15, 2009

I have one tenor tuned low-G, with the other, uh, 7 tenors tuned re-entrant. I'm actually not opposed to low-G at all, but I don't really know any songs in low-G, so all I can really do with a low-G uke at this point is strum some chords, which is kind of boring. I've been telling myself to learn some low-G tunes, but I can't get past my re-entrant ukes...

danged · Jun 15, 2009

I actually prefer Low G, so all of my Tenors except one are tuned in low G. I keep my double puka Tangi with high G using Aquillas.

mealfrog41 · Jun 15, 2009

Thanks for this poll, I'm a tenor player and curious as to what others' opinions are on this. I abstained from voting because I've only ever used reentrant.

I would also really like to hear everyone's preferences on using a wound C with either high or low G tuning. I prefer a wound C but I think I may be in the minority on that. I would make a spinoff poll if I knew how..

freedive135 · Jun 15, 2009

Kala Spruce/Maple Tenor High g Pro Arte's
Kala KA-Tenor high g Aquilla's
Kala KA-Tenor wound Low G, wound C, Aquilla E&A (I think the wound G&C sound good together)
Kala KA-Soprano wound Low G, Aquilla C,E&A (yes a Low G soprano)

My other Soprano's are High g.

Some nights I am playing all 8 ukes, some songs high some low, sometimes I'll play a song low then play it again high!!!!

experimentjon · Jun 15, 2009

All my ukes are in high G. But when I do get around to it, I'm probably going to restring one of them in low G just so I can have a low G instrument. I've never been a huge fan of the low G sound though...but I'm willing to try again when I get my hands on a set of strings.

grappler · Jun 15, 2009

i have never played a Low G ukulele.
I will be tuning my ukulele into Low G when i get my new one which will be High G.

GrumpyCoyote · Jun 15, 2009

I like both... I play low G a lot these days, but high G is perfect for some numbers.

puremarkska · Jun 15, 2009

For a long time I was a strictly high G ukulele player. I really didn't like (and still don't really like) the sound of wound strings on an ukulele. Then I found the Worth brown All-Fluorocarbon low G set - swapped out my high G for the Worth low, and now I don't play anything else.

The added low notes that you get with the low G opens up a ton of new possibilities. High G, I'll be back for you soon, but for now, I'm happy gettin' low.

wickedwahine11 · Jun 15, 2009

puremarkska said:
For a long time I was a strictly high G ukulele player. I really didn't like (and still don't really like) the sound of wound strings on an ukulele. Then I found the Worth brown All-Fluorocarbon low G set - swapped out my high G for the Worth low, and now I don't play anything else.

The added low notes that you get with the low G opens up a ton of new possibilities. High G, I'll be back for you soon, but for now, I'm happy gettin' low.

I'm with you, I'm not crazy about the wound sound or feel. I've been doing the Hilo for A/C/E and the Fremont Flourocarbon for my low g on the Kamaka - just to avoid a wound. I don't think the three nylons/one flourocarbon should affect the tension on the neck or anything...at least I hope not.

I'm surprised there are so many more High G fans out there (overwhelmingly so far) - I thought it would be more 50/50, very interesting. I think I definitely like it but I've messed up my ears (low g now sounds normal to me) by only playing low g for the last month or so and so I keep going back and forth...

thejumpingflea · Jun 15, 2009

High G for me.

I do a lot of solo work and the High G actually gives me more versatility when I am playing alone. It sounds better strummed and you can use it as a 'ghost' note as well.

If I were in a band I would probably use a Low G when I play with them for the added range for soloing and the ability to use proper chord inversions more often.

russ_buss · Jun 15, 2009

can't go wrong with having several of each. i prefer re-entrant tuning, but once in a while, a song (or a solo) calls for a low-g tuning. really nice to have the option.

thejumpingflea · Jun 15, 2009

russ_buss said:
can't go wrong with having several of each. i prefer re-entrant tuning, but once in a while, a song (or a solo) calls for a low-g tuning. really nice to have the option.

Too bad you can't make a uke with both....

Oh, wait a minute.... :shaka:

Pippin · Jun 15, 2009

At the moment, I don't have a tenor uke in my "personal" collection. There are tenors sitting here (for the magazine) and they are all re-entrant tuning. When I do buy a tenor for my own use, gigging and such, it will most likely be tuned low-g for the possibilities on leads and other things. I also have a couple really nice baritones so, I really enjoy that sound on a lot of songs, too.

Boozelele · Jun 15, 2009

I go both ways.

DaveVisi · Jun 15, 2009

I play Tenor tuned like a Baritone except for a high "D" does that count? As soon as I can convince my wife I need another Uke, I'll start mixing it up with both high G and low G

Pueo · Jun 15, 2009

It just so happens that I have two tenors, one with a high G and one with a low G. They were strung that way when I bought them and I have left them that way. When I play Hawaiian music I usually go for high G, and when I am playing songs normally played on guitar I usually play low G. But sometimes I specifically switch it up just to hear what it sounds like. I like both to be honest. If I get a concert or soprano I am sure I will leave them high G though.

TokyoUketarist · Jun 15, 2009

I've only got 1 tenor uke. It's a low G because I like to transcribe a lot of music from guitar or other instrumements to the uke. It's a lot easier to just transpose up and not worry about how to compensate for the high G. Like when I play 'Take 5"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sSf1uVZrmA&feature=channel_page I can play it in the original key without having to transpose at all. Or when I play 'Imagine' I can play it straight from the piano music in the original key. Where as on reentrant you have to change the key.

UkuLeLesReggAe · Jun 15, 2009

high G rips it up!!

Poll: low g or high G for tenor uke players

Tenor players: do you choose high G or low g tuning?

I always go re-entrant High G, that is the traditional uke sound. Low g is too much like a guitar.

I go for low g tuning because it allows for a fuller sound. High G is for concerts/sopranos.

I have one ukulele specifically set up for High G, and one for low g tuning.

I can't decide and I bounce back and forth between low g and High G tuning.

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