Soprano 1.5in nut? String Thru Bridge?

coolkayaker1

coolkayaker1

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Two questions for those more experienced than I.

1. Do soprano ukuleles come with 1.5 inch wide nuts (or is that just on concerts and tenors)? I like 1.5 inch nuts.

2. String through bridges---like a Covered Bridge uke, Pohaku uke, etc.--as long as one uses a bead to prevent cutting under the soundboard, is there a downside? A touch longer time to restring, but not a big issue--seems like it'd have the advantage of much less bridge pulling, bellying, etc., could take higher tension strings, and I see little negative. Am I missing something?

Thank you.
 
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Islander sopranos have 1.5 inch nuts - http://www.islanderukulele.com/page10.aspx listed in their specifications (and i've verified in person). It is my understanding that the Kanileas should be the same given that Islander is the lower level uke from Kanilea.
 
coolkayaker1 said:
Two questions for those more experienced than I.

1. Do soprano ukuleles come with 1.5 inch wide nuts (or is that just on concerts and tenors)? I like 1.5 inch nuts.

2. String through bridges---like a Covered Bridge uke, Pohaku uke, etc.--as long as one uses a bead to prevent cutting under the soundboard, is there a downside? A touch longer to restring, but not a big issue--seems like it'd have the advantage of much less bridge pulling, bellying, etc., could take higher tension strings, and I see little negative. Am I missing something?

Thank you.
Click to expand...

Well, I'll probably catch hell for this, but to me a 1.5" wide nut is too wide. Most beginners think that a wider nut makes it easier to learn the chords. It doesn't, even if you have big fingers. The standard for ukes has been 1 3/8" wide nut, not just for sopranos, but all uke sizes. At 1 3/8" wide, the string spacing on a uke is wider than a classical guitar. Why would you want it wider? As I have told many beginners, you don't need a wider nut, you just need to practice until you get it down. Be that as it may, many manufacturers of ukes now offer a 1 1/2" wide nut or wider. Why? My guess is because they can make sells easier and don't have to listen to the beginners saying " its too hard, can't you make it easier for me?" That is my opinion, so don't get too hot under the collar folks.
 
Thanks PTOE, I wondered if the Kan and Islanders were 1.5 inches on sopranos.

Thanks, Blackbear. I respect fully your thoughts, and you may be right. I always wondered, and this is a similar corollary, if beginners prefer high tension strings for the same reason: more forgiving for errant fingering and sloppy fretting.

Do you have an opinion on string-through bridges? I see no real negatives, and some positives compared to a glued-on bridge, if fo no other reason than the physics of not yanking off a glued-on bridge with string tension. I should know: I'm one of them. lol
 
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We like wider nut widths on smaller scales. To us the issue is not so much the spacing between strings, it's the spacing between frets.

On a guitar, the distance between frets is so much wider that in places you can "stack" your fingers. The string spacing needs to be closer on long scales to be able to reach everything. We actually go narrower as we move into longer scales like our 4-string guitars.

I agree with Duane that spacing should be wider on an ukulele than a guitar. That's a given. The question is just how much wider. 1 3/8" is traditional, and generations have played it that way. Then again, people today are bigger.
 
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I will take a shot at that second question about string through bridges. I make all my ukes string through. I put a thin piece of walnut under the soundboard directly under the bridge and the same size as the bridge. the walnut prevents damage by the knot. The clear advantage is that you will never rip a bridge off the soundboard sometimes taking some of the sound board with it. Seems to me expecting glue to endure string pressure through atmosphere changes, temperature changes, and aging is asking for trouble. There is a dis-advantage, if you want to re-use a string you have taken out you either have to untie the knot or cut the string thus shortening it, You may not be able to use it again. Mike Chock and Eric Devine use the string through method. I think they are right on.
 
I use the string through type bridge on all my sopranos and concerts for the reasons Brian listed above. On tenors I use the string through or the pin bridges.
 
coolkayaker1 said:
I like 1.5 inch nuts. Thank you.
Click to expand...


If you are going to walk around this neighborhood with a ukulele they better be bigger than that!

baruuumpa.... thank you very much ..... Im here all week.. try the lobster...
 
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eor said:
If your are going to walk around this neighborhood with a ukulele they better be bigger than that!

baruuumpa.... thank you very much ..... Im here all week.. try the lobster...
Click to expand...
Eor, the supper club Jake Lamotta of Ukulele Underground. That was funny, man. "And speaking of lobster: what's worse than lobsters on your piano? Crabs on your organ. Baruuumpa. (bangs microphone) Is this thing on?"

Thanks, Brian and Blackbear. Good info from people that know. More custom buildings using string-thru than I thought, but manufactured ukes less likely to have string thru.

I ordered a Mya Moe sop, and asked for a 1.5 inch nut, largely because I seem to like it on my concert, and for the reason that Dirk mentioned. Thanks, Dirk.
 
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If I remember right, Steve, Dave Newton's ukes have a 1.5 nut. Primitive neck joint is pretty cool, too.
 
I specified a 1.5 inch nut on my Brad Donaldson super soprano. He recommended the string thru bridge.

It's the perfect combination for me.
 
coolkayaker1 said:
Two questions for those more experienced than I.

1. Do soprano ukuleles come with 1.5 inch wide nuts (or is that just on concerts and tenors)? I like 1.5 inch nuts.

2. String through bridges---like a Covered Bridge uke, Pohaku uke, etc.--as long as one uses a bead to prevent cutting under the soundboard, is there a downside? A touch longer time to restring, but not a big issue--seems like it'd have the advantage of much less bridge pulling, bellying, etc., could take higher tension strings, and I see little negative. Am I missing something?

Thank you.
Click to expand...

I have a Pohaku string through the bridge and it sings! Much easier to change strings that I thought it would be. I think it really drives the top.

Cheers!
 
coolkayaker1 said:
With all due respect to my good friend, Connor: who in the name of Sam Hell is Dave Newton?

Is he related to Fig?
Click to expand...

Dave's ukes are absolutely beautiful and if I were in a market for a guitar, his appear very special. He does make wide neck ukes... even 1 9/16 nuts. Ive been chatting with him a bit and he also happens to be a great guy. Check out this outrageous little beauty.
http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?68934-Shiny-new-Cuban-Soprano
 
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