Oh dear god, not another "high G / low G" thread !!

The Big Kahuna

The Big Kahuna

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...is what I imagine 99% of you are thinking right now.

However, it's still free to ask stupid questions, right ?

I fully expect everyone to say "as you're just learning, stick to re-entrant until you get the hang of it", and I can't find a flaw in that opinion. As a guitarist, though, I love the sound of a low bottom string, and a lot of the pieces of music I love playing, and hope to be able to play on Uke' will be almost impossible to play with a high G.

While I'm learning, I expect to be copying and trying to perfect songs from YouTube and from albums I already have. The problem with that is I love, and want to be able to play, everything from the early Pure Heart albums, Iz, a bit of Jake, Blues, Jazz, Slack Key, Joe Satriani & Steve Vai...well, the list is endless.

A second Uke' is out of the question at the moment, and watching a video comparison of both tunings by Aaron at Hawaii Music Supply has just made things more difficult, because the examples he played in each tuning were all exactly what I want to achieve.

So, advise away. Go on, you know you want to.
 
Since a 2nd instrument is out of the question (for now) and changing strings is ridiculous, I think you pretty much answered your own question. Save up for that 2nd instrument.
 
If your question is how to satisfy your cravings to play both low g and high G songs with only one uke, the answer is to swap out the G string when necessary. Not a very elegant way to achieve your goals, but it is the least expensive.
 
Well, I feel for you, really I do. I have a Pono tenor strung with low g and love it. I have found though some songs don't work with it and I have to pull out one of my concerts or sopranos strung with high g to play those. I have decided I need another tenor strung high g but I haven't decided what to get yet. Probably go with another Pono. But take your uke, string it up low G, enjoy it. But in the end, get another and make it your high g uke. And you will be getting another, and another, and another.....trust me! Hahahahahahahaha!!! :drool:
 
I was hoping someone was going to say "actually, string it low G to begin with, you'll be much better off". You're not going to, are you.
 
It's all been answered before.
Save up for a second uke. I the mean time swap the string every now and and then.
At the very least it'll keep you going till you get your "fix" again.. ;)
 
I don't like the prospect of damaging the string every time I change it (unless I'm just going to replace the string with a new one every time). I used to wear wound strings out at an alarming rate when I played Classical guitar. I am very tempted to go the bead stringing route though. I've always found it helps the settling in process, and it'd make it easier to keep swapping the G.
 
The ultimate answer is two ukes.
If a second uke is not possible then you have to decide.
Consider your music and style, for jazz and old standards I like low g, also melodies are sometimes easier played on low g since you have notes below middle c.
High g gives you that classic ukulele sound and can be great for strumming chords while singing.
 
SailingUke said:
strumming chords while singing.
Click to expand...

I am not exaggerating when I describe myself as quite possibly the worst singer on the planet. Not only can I not pitch a note correctly, it is that bad that I'm too embarrassed and self conscious to sing when I'm on my own, and I have absolutely no intention of ever trying again. In which case, I think my strumming is going to be kept to a minimum.
 
Play whatever you prefer. I've got a bunch of ukuleles and most of them are strung low G 'cuz I prefer it and I've never really found any songs I can't play (I'm a strummer, for the record. It may be different if you're into picking), but I do have some strung High G and, again, no real difference, other than a lack of the lower notes.

String it low G and play.
The last bit of that is the most important part... PLAY!
 
Actually, this has been very helpful, despite the varying opinions. One of the things that knocked my eyes out was Aaron doing Banjo Rolls on a high G, but thinking about it a bit more, I'm a picker, I'll always be a picker, and I honestly don't think I could live without those low notes. Regardless, I'll give high G a fair crack of the whip, at least until I wear the strings out that it comes with.
 
I've discovered a love for fingerpicking, and love using the high G as a ghost note as you would the fifth string on a banjo, but I want to experiment with a low G as well - can't afford a good 2nd uke yet - saving - so that's one of the reasons I picked up a cheap little Mahalo soprano for £25 yesterday! Mad as it sounds, I'm going to stick a low G on it by hook or by crook, and play with some of those low G pieces. I know it won't sound right - but it's better than waiting til forever.......and I can't be doing with changing strings over and over.
 
Actually, this thread has just reminded me of another stupid question I had. I'm hoping (desperately) that Claude at EVM will still have the Mainland Mahogany Tenor on Monday (he's sold out of all the other Mainland Tenors), and if I do buy it, I'll be asking for a free set of strings in the deal. Now, here's where the question gets stupid, I have NO idea (other than from YouTube) what a Mango sounds like, but I trust the various reviewers when they say that it's so "twangy" that it sounds almost like a Soprano. In the UK, I only seem to have easy access to D'Addario or Aquila strings, but I hear a lot of people on here talk about Worth. As I'm only starting out, I don't have the experience to know what strings to go with. What would be your recommendations ?

The standard, and very reasonable, response of "it depends what you want out of it" is unfortunately not going to work here, because I don't actually know.
 
The previous poster (barefootgypsy) has said it. Your second uke need not be an expensive one, for the time being at least.

Get a low cost uke as a second. If your preference is for low G, string the good one low G and the cheaper one high G. That should keep you going until you can afford a decent second uke.

I did similar with D-tuning. I decided to try ADF#B tuning so I tuned my cheaper uke up, decided I liked it and so when I could afford it, bought a decent uke which I have tuned ADF#B.
 
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At least there's a plentiful supply of cheap Concert and Soprano ukes on Ebay. I might have to buy the wife something expensive to distract her.
 
The Big Kahuna said:
At least there's a plentiful supply of cheap Concert and Soprano ukes on Ebay. I might have to buy the wife something expensive to distract her.
Click to expand...
There he goes again - cracks me up. I'm off on hols tomorrow - gonna miss this forum! And my uke - and no - I dare not take it with me!
 
The Big Kahuna said:
Actually, this thread has just reminded me of another stupid question I had. I'm hoping (desperately) that Claude at EVM will still have the Mainland Mahogany Tenor on Monday (he's sold out of all the other Mainland Tenors), and if I do buy it, I'll be asking for a free set of strings in the deal. Now, here's where the question gets stupid, I have NO idea (other than from YouTube) what a Mango sounds like, but I trust the various reviewers when they say that it's so "twangy" that it sounds almost like a Soprano. In the UK, I only seem to have easy access to D'Addario or Aquila strings, but I hear a lot of people on here talk about Worth. As I'm only starting out, I don't have the experience to know what strings to go with. What would be your recommendations ?

The standard, and very reasonable, response of "it depends what you want out of it" is unfortunately not going to work here, because I don't actually know.
Click to expand...

I'm also in the UK

So far I have just used Aquilas and have been very happy with them. Someone I know has some dark D'Addarios on a 1920s Banjo Uke and they sound pretty good. Seem to suit the uke. I got some Worth Browns to try on my D-tuned soprano, but haven't got round to fitting them yet. They came from South Coast Ukuleles (based near Bournemouth) via t'Internet.
 
I really regret getting rid of my first Ukulele. Of course, it was made of orange and cream plastic and came with pictures of The Beatles on the front. And the last time I saw it was about 45 years ago. But still...
 
The Big Kahuna said:
At least there's a plentiful supply of cheap Concert and Soprano ukes on Ebay. I might have to buy the wife something expensive to distract her.
Click to expand...

So that's the way it works. It's all done with smoke and mirrors.. Lol
I'll keep that in mind. ;)
 
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