Who plays ukes with more than 4-strings?

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Knit-wit
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While at UWC2010 earlier this month I saw a wide variety of ukuleles. I saw every size represented; soparanino, soprano, concert, tenor and baritone. I saw every tone wood I'm familiar with; mahogany, cedar, mango, spruce and others. I saw acoustics and electrics, as well as acoustic/electrics.

What I did not see was anything other than four-string instruments. No six strings or eight strings. I'm sure it's possible that there were some there that I missed, but certainly there weren't many.

Is there really that small of a following for these ukes? Or could it be that folks opted to travel light and picked a standard four string as their only carry on?

I'm really intrigued with the possibilities of a 6 string (I love the sound of a 12 string guitar, for example), and had hoped to be able to hear or maybe try one. No such luck....
 
I'm also drawn to the 6 & 8 string ukes, especially the Lanikai Spruce tops. But as you said I've never seen one in person much less had the chance to play one, and since I've picked up 4 ukes in the last few months my UAS should be in remission! But I do find myself looking at them quite often.
 
I had an 8 string Lanikai which sounded amazing, but that many strings was just too difficult for me to play. Too much pressure required for some chords.
I got rid of it, and now have a 6 string Lanikai which is much easier to play and sounds almost as good. Really a great uke, and find myself playing it a lot.
I strung mine like an 8 string: Low G and doubled-up the A's (usually the A's are an octave apart on a 6 string).
I've got the Koa lam with cutaway and electronics. It sounds great plugged-in too.
The laminate on it is as thin as the stuff used on my Kiwaya, and is quite loud.
 
I have the Lanikai LU-8 8 String Tenor,and love it.Mind,I was a 12 string guitar player for
thirty years,so it's not surprising I love the 'jingle jangle' sound,as Roger McGuinn Once
put it!
 
I've got a Lanikai 6 string as well, and I love the sound. It's completely different from a 4 string, and a lot of fun to play. However, that being said, they're a little more specialized than a standard 4 string, and so people might not have taken them to UWC because they aren't as versatile, especially when it comes to finger picking. I got my Lanikai for well under 200, and at that price, it's not too hard to swallow. I really can't recommend the Lanikai 0-6 high enough.
 
I have one of these that Oscar Schmidt sent me to review
http://www.elderly.com/new_instruments/items/OU26.htm
It is called a lilli'u I think. it is weird that it is a concert. Most 6 strings are tenor.
I like it for most strumming songs.
I had it with me at the UWC2010, sorry you did not see it.
I can bring it with me to the Bluestone Open mic on July 9th if you are there.
 
I forgot to mention ... IMO my 8 string sounded similar to a 12 string guitar, while the 6 sounds like 6 string guitar. Fuller than a regular uke, but not that really cool ringing sound of an 12 string. If you have the finger strength, definitely go with the 8. Unfortunately I couldn't even make some chords on it :(
OTOH I have no problems finger-picking on the 6, which was very difficult on the 8.
 
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I'm learning lots, here....thanks! I thought Lanikai was the only option, but now I see that Kala and Oscar Schmidt have 6 srtings, too. I was very surprized to see that the OS OU6 is a concert size (which is my current preference), and only $75 at Elderly! I also thought (mistakenly) that all the 6 strings were spruce tops. I have a spruce top Kala already, and I'm not really wanting another.

Wish I could really try a 6 and an 8 string first to actually hear the difference, and to feel how much hand strength the 8 string requires. Alas, I live in a ukulele-deprived area. Maybe someday....
 
I'm learning lots, here....thanks! I thought Lanikai was the only option, but now I see that Kala and Oscar Schmidt have 6 srtings, too. I was very surprized to see that the OS OU6 is a concert size (which is my current preference), and only $75 at Elderly! I also thought (mistakenly) that all the 6 strings were spruce tops. I have a spruce top Kala already, and I'm not really wanting another.

Wish I could really try a 6 and an 8 string first to actually hear the difference, and to feel how much hand strength the 8 string requires. Alas, I live in a ukulele-deprived area. Maybe someday....

The Kala and the Lanikai are made in the same factory... possibly the Oscar Schmidt too :)
 
You might even consider a Charango. I have one. It's a 10-string (five courses of two). It's tuned like a uke with an extra high E string.
 
I play a 8 string quite a bit. though its hard on my fingers.

FrontSpruce.jpg
 
There are a handful of 8 string Lanikai's on youtube. I have decided I am buying the O-8E in August. If you haven't bought one by September I can do a sound sample for you.
 
You might even consider a Charango. I have one. It's a 10-string (five courses of two). It's tuned like a uke with an extra high E string.

The extra high "E" is a pain for chords. My Mom brought a charango from Equador a few years ago. It is real armadillo, looks & sounds cool.
It is tuned GCEAE.
I have played many 6 & 8 string ukes, as long as they are set-up properly they don't (to me anyway) play any harder than a 4 string.
Sometimes the neck is a little wider and thicker (for strength) which will feel different than a 4 string too.
 
I had a Mele 6-String for a while, and it was an interesting experience. I really loved the sound, but I sold it because it wasn't getting the play time it deserved. In my experience, the 6 was great for strumming, but not so much for lead work. I'd love to try an eight string, but that won't be in the cards for a while. I'd be curious to see if they were "extended range" ukuleles (i.e. 5 + strings, but not doubled) like there are 7 or 8 string guitars. Anyone heard of those?
 
I recently blew more money than I even have on a Maui Music Lili'u.

IMG_1514.jpg


The 6-string sound is incredible. I love playing melodies up and down the A string because they're doubled an octave lower. Not sure why most folks think 6-string ukes are just a niche instrument for strumming; they sound great fingerpicked too.
 
I recently blew more money than I even have on a Maui Music Lili'u.

IMG_1514.jpg


The 6-string sound is incredible. I love playing melodies up and down the A string because they're doubled an octave lower. Not sure why most folks think 6-string ukes are just a niche instrument for strumming; they sound great fingerpicked too.

...yeah but I wonder how many of them were playing a Maui Music...
 
I have no immediate plans to buy one, as much as I'd like to. I'd love to hear sound samples, though! I guess one of the reasons I'm so interested is that I'm strictly a strummer; I don't do any fingerpicking. What is the "standard" tuning for the paired strings on 6's and 8's? Are they doubled (exact same note) or octaved (same notes an octave apart)?
 
I have no immediate plans to buy one, as much as I'd like to. I'd love to hear sound samples, though! I guess one of the reasons I'm so interested is that I'm strictly a strummer; I don't do any fingerpicking. What is the "standard" tuning for the paired strings on 6's and 8's? Are they doubled (exact same note) or octaved (same notes an octave apart)?

Usually:
8 String Gg, Cc, ee, aa
6 String g, Cc, e, Aa
...I didn't like the sound of the Aa, so buy 8 string sets for my 6 string and
G, Cc, e, aa
BTW - on Aguilas at least, all the strings are of a lighter gage, probably to reduce overall string tension.
 
Just my $.02 . . . Lili'u is defined as scorching, burning, smarting or the name of a crown flower, pua kalaunu. I'm guessing on this one, it could just be an abbreviated name for Hawaii's last reigning monarch. I don't know if Lili'u is a designation for a 6 string ukulele. Sam Kamaka designed and named their HF-36 The Lili'u after Queen Liliuokalani. Kamaka's HF-38 is also known as The Lili'u VIII.
 
I play a 8 string quite a bit. though its hard on my fingers.

FrontSpruce.jpg

wow that's a beautiful uke. uas setting in again. dag nabit, and it just subsided from my eleuke purchase. i have always known i'd buy an 8-string tenor. a friend has an 8-string kamaka and it is BEAUTIFUL! i actually enjoy playing the 8-string. i would love to play a 6-string and a 5-string, too.
 
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