Tenor or Soprano ukulele tuned with the low G

nickman2 · Sep 17, 2010

I am soon getting a mainland tenor ukulele and I was wondering how I would get it to have the low G tuning on the top string. do I need to buy a set or Baritone ukulele strings and restring it so that there is a thicker sting on the top? same thing goes for a soprano. How do I get a low G string on my soprano?

mangorockfish · Sep 17, 2010

You get a low G string and put it on. Why do you want a low G? I had heard all the "hoopla" about low G and got a couple and really didn't care for the sound and gave them away. Hey, that's just me though.

Pondoro · Sep 17, 2010

You can buy a set of strings with a low G, or just buy the low G string.

Chris Tarman · Sep 17, 2010

I bought a set of Fremont Black Fluorocarbons with a low G in a soprano size. I just wanted to try them out, but I don't really like them much. The low G, not the Fremont strings. I have enough ukes that I can keep one tuned in low G though. It gives me a reason to occasionally mess about with that particular instrument.

LoMa · Sep 17, 2010

You can buy single Aquila low G wound strings from elderly.com in tenor, concert, and soprano gauges.

Just replace the high G on your ukes with the wound low G string. I like low G tuning, and I find some ukes sound fabulous with a low G and others ukes sound terrible - unbalanced or thunky.

I have a couple of sopranos that sound fantastic with low G but are uninspired when strung re-entrant, and a couple of other sopranos whihc are wonderful strung re-entrant but really lousy with a low G.

Chris Tarman · Sep 17, 2010

LoMa said:
You can buy single Aquila low G wound strings from elderly.com in tenor, concert, and soprano gauges.

Just replace the high G on your ukes with the wound low G string. I like low G tuning, and I find some ukes sound fabulous with a low G and others ukes sound terrible - unbalanced or thunky.

I have a couple of sopranos that sound fantastic with low G but are uninspired when strung re-entrant, and a couple of other sopranos whihc are wonderful strung re-entrant but really lousy with a low G.

I don't know if you can get single UNwound low G strings, but that's what I'd try to use on a soprano. Although, admittedly, I've never used a WOUND low G on a soprano.

LoMa · Sep 17, 2010

I wouldn't use an unwound low G on a soprano because they are very thick and often require you to modify the nut slot. The wound strings work just fine without any modification to your uke!!!

Chris Tarman said:
I don't know if you can get single UNwound low G strings, but that's what I'd try to use on a soprano. Although, admittedly, I've never used a WOUND low G on a soprano.

clayton56 · Sep 17, 2010

Martin Baritone strings sound great on my Koaloha soprano.

mm stan · Sep 17, 2010

Aloha Nick,
When ordering your mainland, just tell them to install it for you....Just simple as that...and they probally let you have the regular string..
I love my wound G string on my soprano...actually I'll play any ukulele and have fun...
But for others it may be personal perference..."Keep strumming them strings"....MM Stan....

ichadwick · Sep 17, 2010

mangorockfish said:
Why do you want a low G?

Probably because it does sound different, and some songs sound better in low G, and because you can do some bass runs you can't do with high G. I have ukes with both tunings and really like having the alternative for some songs.

harpdog · Sep 17, 2010

I put one of our Fluke concerts in low G by using a used classical guitar wound D string. Unwound G from the classical guitar did not sound good, but the wound D sounds right.

I like low G for a change of pace and for certain tunes. It gives my ears a rest from the higher tones of high G. Small difference, but it helps me get past those days when the uke seems to jarring to my sensitive ears.

Many music stores carry individual guitar strings - specify CLASSICAL. Too bad most don't carry indivisual uke strings (or anything beyond one or two standard uke sets...)

hoosierhiver · Sep 17, 2010

nickman2 said:
I am soon getting a mainland tenor ukulele and I was wondering how I would get it to have the low G tuning on the top string. do I need to buy a set or Baritone ukulele strings and restring it so that there is a thicker sting on the top? same thing goes for a soprano. How do I get a low G string on my soprano?

We can set it up with a low G when you order.

joejeweler · Jul 10, 2011

I found this old thread and wondered if a low G on a soprano uke would allow better execution for strictly fingerstyle solos?
I plan on getting a tenor size uke as soon as possible,....as the fingerings should be easier with the longer scale.

I'm not thrilled to have to change a wound low G every week maybe,......so is it possible to get decent tone using
"any" kind of unwound string? At this point i don't want to change the nut slot or adjust for intonation for a plain low G,
but i may try a wound low G (classical guitar D maybe to try it), and see if i like it.

....just seems a lower "bass" string might improve working up fingerstyle arrangements??? (although again, a soprano uke not the best
choice for fingerstyle)

TheOnlyUkeThatMatters · Jul 10, 2011

I've yet to try a low G string. But I'm excited to see how it sounds and feels. Someday soon...

Manalishi · Jul 10, 2011

I agree with Ian Chadwick,some ukes and indeed
some songs,work better with a low G.And some
simply don't! All a matter of choice.Best bet is to
try it and if its nor for you,switch back to the old
re-entrant tuning that you started with.

Ted4 · Jul 10, 2011

This hurts my brain a bit, if you put a low G on a ukulele, surely that changes the whole nature, range and capabilities of the uke and effectively turns it into a mandolin?

iamesperambient · Jul 17, 2014

Ted4 said:
This hurts my brain a bit, if you put a low G on a ukulele, surely that changes the whole nature, range and capabilities of the uke and effectively turns it into a mandolin?

sorry to dig up an old thread but needed to comment here.
a mandolin is tuned in 5ths a soprano
with a low g in 4ths is nothing like a
mandolin what so ever the only thing
a soprano uke and mandolin have in common
is small size design style and sound not even
on the same planet.

Rick Turner · Jul 17, 2014

You need a double-neck...tenor low G and concert high G.

Ukes are like women...one's too many and a hundred ain't enough...

The G spot zone is wonderful, low or high... But you have to remove the G string first. Or not...

Oh, G string...I forgot.

iamesperambient · Jul 17, 2014

Rick Turner said:
You need a double-neck...tenor low G and concert high G.

Ukes are like women...one's too many and a hundred ain't enough...

The G spot zone is wonderful, low or high... But you have to remove the G string first. Or not...

Oh, G string...I forgot.

I'm liking the idea of a 5 string tenor
you get both low and high g at the same time
which seems pretty cool too me.

SteveZ · Jul 17, 2014

To respond to the original question, there are a few very good string vendors online. For single strings and special stuff I've been alternating between, JustStrings.com and Elderly with no problems. There are others who are probably jstvas good, but I'm quite satisfied with these guys.

Tenor or Soprano ukulele tuned with the low G

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