low g verses high g

ukulelegal

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my tenor is set up with a high g...I am thinking about getting a second tenor and setting it up with a low g. What are your (the experts) opinions on this? I don't have enough experience to know if this would be a good move or not...help? ~jody
 
Jody, I'm definitely not an expert, but I do have experience with the issue, since I did just that. I don't use (or prefer) low g enough to keep my ukulele strung that way, so when I got a second tenor, I decided to leave one strung low g, and the one I play more often high g. It is a nice change of pace, to be able to play things that way, as some songs do sound better with the low g.

I'm always in favor of buying more ukuleles anyway!
 
I would String your uke you have now with a low g string and see if you like the sound / extra notes before you go buy another uke. but then again you cant go wrong with more ukes =)

Mine tenor is strung low g.
 
I agree with getting a new uke... no mater the reason.
 
I would String your uke you have now with a low g string and see if you like the sound / extra notes before you go buy another uke. but then again you cant go wrong with more ukes =)

Or maybe get a concert instead of a tenor. That way, if you don't like the low-G, you'll have two differently-sized high-Gs. (Or if you do, string your existing tenor low and make your concert high... so many options!)

JJ
 
I just bought some low g Worth Brown's for my Kala Tenor. They're all florocarbon, so the low g string is not wound, like some others i've seen. I'm not sure if it's just me but everything sounded wierd(i know very vague, but I cant explain it). I compared it to some of the video's on youtube, like UkuleleCraig because he plays a lot of great low-g tunes, but something didn't seem right. I put the high-g back on because all the songs I play use that tuning. When I get my next tenor, i'll give them another chance.
 
I really love the low G tuning just as much as the high G. Half of my ukes are tuned to Low G using non-wound Worth Clears. Even on my Kanile'a, which has Aquila strings on right now, I have chosen a Worth non-wound for the Low G. I don't like the squeaky sounds that come from sliding your fingers over wound strings. I don't like it when it happens on the guitar either, but I have no choice there.

If you like fingerpicking songs, the Low G gives you more range for both melody and harmony notes. For strumming, it gives a fuller, deeper tone.

For a second uke you might also want to try a different size or wood type. My feeling is that low G works best on Tenors and Concerts. If you like the tenor scale roominess, maybe a long neck concert would be a fun choice. My first uke was a Kala Mango Tenor, and second was a Kala Long Neck Soprano (Spruce/ Maple). They are both currently tuned to low g.

–Lori
 
Thanks everybody for the great feed back! I Know...2 ukes are always better than one! I wanted to see how many people had multiple ukes tuned both ways because I didn't know if I would want to play low g tunes enough to bother. the problem is that I really don't want to change the string on my current uke in order to see how I like it.... besides it's a good excuse to justify buying another. :D;)
 
Thanks everybody for the great feed back! I Know...2 ukes are always better than one! I wanted to see how many people had multiple ukes tuned both ways because I didn't know if I would want to play low g tunes enough to bother. the problem is that I really don't want to change the string on my current uke in order to see how I like it.... besides it's a good excuse to justify buying another. :D;)

I didn't know it mattered if the g was low or high for songs. I have one tenor high g and one low g. My mahghany uke was tuned low g and I prefer the low g on mahghany vs koa. It is good to have 2 or more ukes. I started out on a low g uke and it took me about 6 months to like the high g sound. Now I prefer the high g but that could be b/c my koalohas are strung high g.
 
I keep threatening to make myself a double neck with a 12 fret tenor scale neck with the low G and a 14 fret concert scale with the high G. Someday...
 
I keep threatening to make myself a double neck with a 12 fret tenor scale neck with the low G and a 14 fret concert scale with the high G. Someday...
I would like to see a ukulele with 5 strings. The G string would be doubled with high and low g, and the rest would be normal. I suppose that might make the intonation adjustment difficult at the bridge, but I would love to try one. I think I would string it low G, high G, C, E, A.

–Lori
 
I would like to see a ukulele with 5 strings. The G string would be doubled with high and low g, and the rest would be normal. I suppose that might make the intonation adjustment difficult at the bridge, but I would love to try one. I think I would string it low G, high G, C, E, A.

–Lori

That sounds interesting...:D
 
my tenor is set up with a high g...I am thinking about getting a second tenor and setting it up with a low g. What are your (the experts) opinions on this? I don't have enough experience to know if this would be a good move or not...help? ~jody

:stop:
Don't do it!!! You're supposed to pick one or the other and defend it to your last breath! Of course, I'm kidding. If I had two ukes, I would string one low and one high. Then, if I had three ukes, I would tune the third one down a whole step, and the fourth would be down a step & a half with a low G. #5 will be tuned to a slack key, low G. #6 would be a pineapple soprano, tuned up a half step. # 7 would be an 8 string, #8 a resonator... No, wait... #7 the reso, #8 the 8 string (8 & 8 - makes sense...). I'm actually going to get my cigar box project moving shortly, and I'm planning to make that my low G axe.
 
:stop:
Don't do it!!! You're supposed to pick one or the other and defend it to your last breath! Of course, I'm kidding. If I had two ukes, I would string one low and one high. Then, if I had three ukes, I would tune the third one down a whole step, and the fourth would be down a step & a half with a low G. #5 will be tuned to a slack key, low G. #6 would be a pineapple soprano, tuned up a half step. # 7 would be an 8 string, #8 a resonator... No, wait... #7 the reso, #8 the 8 string (8 & 8 - makes sense...). I'm actually going to get my cigar box project moving shortly, and I'm planning to make that my low G axe.

ahhh....the possibilities! I didn't even think about the alternate tunings....btw I do want to get a resonator at some point. I looked at a Mya-Moe tenor resonator the other day...I picked it up and messed with it then I looked at the price tag....1250$ I set it back on the pegs very carefully....and I would love to see you make that uke Rick.
 
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