using a six string uke as a four string

niceguyrob

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Hi All!

I'm thinking of getting a six string ukulele having played a few and enjoying the depth but am mostly a four string player. I'm not interested in buying a laminate uke so was looking at the 6 string kamakas... My only worry is that I would spend all that money and not play it much... Is there any particular reason it would be a bad idea to remove the doubled first and third string and use it as a four string? Also does anyone have one of these they are looking to get rid of?

Regards

Rob
 
Kind of defeats the purpose of getting a six string doesn't it?...................

Think of it like this, if the the instrument is well designed, to be light and responsive to the power provided by six strings, the removal of two strings may not be enough to get the best out of a structure built to need six. You're wanting to drive a six cylinder car with two of the cylinders not working. It'll drive, but not to the best of its abilities.
 
Hi All!

I'm thinking of getting a six string ukulele having played a few and enjoying the depth but am mostly a four string player. I'm not interested in buying a laminate uke so was looking at the 6 string kamakas... My only worry is that I would spend all that money and not play it much... Is there any particular reason it would be a bad idea to remove the doubled first and third string and use it as a four string? Also does anyone have one of these they are looking to get rid of?

Regards

Rob

To spend that much on a uke and then take two strings off seems silly.
6 & 8 string necks are different and sometimes braced differently.
I believe you would wind up a less than par instrument if you take strings off.
You should try a six first, even if it a cheaper model to see if you like it, then get a Kamaka.
 
Bad idea..first of all the gaps would wider and mis aligned...and a waste of money..get a cheap Oscar Schmidt
OU6 to fool around with to see if you like it..about 80 dollars...good luck
 
Bad idea..first of all the gaps would wider and mis aligned.....

What Stan says. The nut is designed so that the courses with two strings (A and C) are centered where a single string would normally be (see photo), meaning that if you remove one set of each, the remaining C and A strings would be off-center and the spaces between them and the other strings would be uneven. Kamaka makes a four string tenor, so if you really want a four-string Kamaka that costs less than its six-string, you ought to buy one of those. You can find them used occasionally in the marketplace -- Experimentjon is selling a used Kamaka H3 here --and on the Hawaii craigslist.

six-string fretboard 01.jpg
 
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Aloha niceguyrob,
Ditto what Stan said. I bought a cheapy 6 string concert to try a 6. Noted that you have to be clean on your fingering or it'll sound muddy. Probably needs a set up. Recently bought a Mele Tenor 6-string and had the same thing as far as fingering chords. On a visit to the Mele store on Maui, played 2 another Mele 6-string and loved it. Didn't know there is a wide neck model which I have, and a standard neck which I plan to buy. They'll take my uke in on trade/credit towards the other one. The neck is also thinner like my Mele 4 string custom Tenor.
So buying a 6 then converting it to 4 isn't a good idea, you'll have to change the nut and saddle to have better playability....................................BO...........................
 
It works for me

Actually, I recently bought a Kamaka 6-string uke, because I was so impressed with the sound of that configuration. However, while waiting for some replacement strings to arrive, I removed the 2 extra strings (the wound A sting, and the high C sting.) I love the way it sounds and feels as a 4 string, while still being very happy with the option of having 6 strings.

Surprisingly, the difefrence in spacing between the outer and inner strings doesn't bother me. I enjoy the extra width of the neck, and the extra spaces where they do exist, and it doesn't throw me off in any way.

To boot, the intonation is absolutely perfect with only the 4 strings (for which the saddle is compensated).

And best of all, that uke only cost 40 something bucks more than the 4 string version.

I think it's worth considering. Maybe a friendly music store will let you detach the tuning end of the 2 extra strings to try it out.

Mike
 
Hi ,
I bought a used 6 string Uke that came tuned as ADGCEA. Nothing I've seen so far addresses this tuning.It is not , as far as I can tell Uke or Guitar. I bought it so I could have a Uke in the 2 places I freqent (East & West coast)without being concerned with damaging it during travel. I am a brand new student and would like to be able to apply what I learn to both of the Ukes. Would you suggest removing 2 strings or something else? Also ,what is the best tuning, & tabs if I use all six strings?
Thanks for the help.
M
 
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