String Spacing Question

I just received a brand new tenor Kala from MGM and I love it, but the string spacing is sooo much different than my only other uke (Oscar Schmidt tenor). The strings run almost parallel, whereas my other one's strings widen out substantially at the bridge.

I'm not sure which is more common, or if it just varies. I play a lot of fingerstyle stuff and it is really going to take some getting used to the much narrowing spacing. I find it quite a bit more difficult at this point.

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on this. What do you guys prefer? Has anyone changed the size of the saddle due to their preference? Thanks for your input!

Something doesn't sound right. Messing with the saddle wouldn't have any effect on the spacing. You'd have to change bridge. Have you taken measurements? I would measure the distance between the bridge holes for the 1st and 4th strings and compare them.

I also wonder if your ukes are strung with different strings. Aquilas are a lot fatter than Worths, for instance. This may effect the spacing enough to be bothersome.

I should've said bridge, not saddle.. you're right. Is that not what sounded right, or do you mean the spacing? I can take measurements, but the 1st-4th distance is clearly shorter on the Kala than the OS just by eyeballing it. Do you know what a typical distance is?

The strings are both aquilas.

I don't know what is typical, and to my knowledge that spec is not typically in manufacturers' literature. I'm wondering if the luthiers out there are going to chime in. I think this is an interesting question.

I did notice that Mya-Moe lists the width of their fretboards at the nut as 1 3/8" which is typical; and the width at the 12th fret as 1 3/4". My Lanikai concert is the same. How about your ukes?

I think a quick and dirty way to check is to look at the outside strings (1st and 4th/a and g) and see if they are parallel to the edge of the fretboard.

The distance from the edge to the string at the nut and the 18th fret should be about the same. If the distance gets larger as you move up the fretboard, you can move the strings out on the saddle. You may have to compensate the saddle for changes in scale length.

If the strings are parallel to the fretboard edge and the edge space is about the same up the neck, what you have is what you have because you can't move them wider than the fretboard will allow.

The next decision is whether you want to adjust to the spacing or not.

John

String spacing on Kalas has been an issue for some others in the past. It's narrower at the bridge than most makers- at least most of the ones that I have played or read about. Here is some info for you. The UU thread has a photo from someone that put slots in the saddle to make the strings a little wider. Not sure how well that works.

http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/f...cia-Tenor-Just-Ordered&highlight=kala+spacing

http://www.fleamarketmusic.com/bulletin/bulletin-nonpop.asp?BulletinID=24264

I believe string spacing at the nut and bridge are a feel thing and is part of the "what I am looking for" in a ukulele.
Folks with short fat fingers are probably more comfortable with a wider neck. Finger pickers are usually more comfortable with wider spacing at the bridge.
One thing I have noticed while strumming with wider spacing is the individual notes of a chord ring out as opposed to all blending together.
I like that sound and the fact I can easily finger pick and strum on the same uke in the same song. I have guitars with necks in all sizes and shapes just as my ukuleles are, when I switch between them is takes an adjustment short period.
String spacing does not seem to bother me as much as scale length, going from tenor to soprano is harder for me.

My suggestion is to play your new uke and see if you adjust. After you are used to it the transition between the two may be easier.
When I first got my DaSilva it was so different than my KoAloha I really struggled, but after a while I can now switch between the two easily.
I am still getting used to my Mya-Moe, but believe the samething will happen.

I think it's perfectly normal for the strings to be more or less parallel at the bridge. I have an Oscar Schmidt concert (I really hate it, but needed something with a pick-up and it was $60 at the pawn shop, lol), and I have noticed that the string spacing at the bridge is NOTICEABLY wider than on any of my other ukes. I think it's just an Oscar Schmidt trait.

My Kamaka tenor and Kamoa tenor have the same basic distance between the 1st and 4th string. However, that distance is about a quarter inch more in difference than my Lanakai tenor and Kala tenor, which also share the same basic distance between the 1st and 4th string. The difference appears to be at both the nut and the bridge, making the strings on all four instruments parallel. The difference is in the spacing between the strings. I too have a period of adjustment when switching instruments since the quarter inch difference is noticeable when fingering or switching chords. I prefer the wider width of the Kamaka and Kamoa (I have large hands). I also have a Lanakai concert with the same width as the Lanakai tenor. I also think there is a slight difference in the way the individual strings ring during strumming since the strings are a little wider apart. In the future I will consider the string layout before purchasing another uke and will lean toward the wider width between the 1st and 4th string which I find a little easier for me to play.

Thanks for all your input. I was thinking the Oscar Schmidt was probably the oddball, given the popularity of Kalas, but I really prefer the strings widening at the bridge. I'm almost considering trying to return the Kala, but I think I'll get used to it with time. I hope so anyway, it's really tempering my enthusiasm over my new purchase so it's kind of a bummer.

Ukulele Dude said:

String spacing on Kalas has been an issue for some others in the past. It's narrower at the bridge than most makers- at least most of the ones that I have played or read about. Here is some info for you. The UU thread has a photo from someone that put slots in the saddle to make the strings a little wider. Not sure how well that works.

http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/f...cia-Tenor-Just-Ordered&highlight=kala+spacing

http://www.fleamarketmusic.com/bulletin/bulletin-nonpop.asp?BulletinID=24264

Click to expand...

Thanks for posting those links. The Flea Market link features the best info IMO with specs on a good number of tenors.

This is a great thread. I had no idea that there was so much variation. I just measured my Lanikai S-C and found the measurements in line with the fleamarket link. My Tangi soprano was on the longer end of the spectrum at the bridge.

Interestingly, when I measured the spacing of the 1st four strings of my classsical guitar, I found it was much narrower than I expected, approximately the same as the Lanikai.