My New Tenor!!

So I just ordered my 2nd uke! I got the Lanikai Cut-away Spruce Series Acoustic-Electric. What sold me was that it was a solid spruce top, and not nato. However, I have only played my soprano one before, and I would like to know what is different with the Tenor size? What tuning does everyone recommend? GCEA? or DGBE? If the tuning is DGBE are the chords the same? What strings are recommended? I seem to be the minority but I like the "buzzing" sound made when you slide your finger on the string, just the sound guitars make. Thanks in advance for everyones help!

I like that sliding sound too.


Anyway, most tenor strings are meant to be tuned GCEA. DGBE is different chords.

Thanks! Would you recommend a certain brand of strings? I had aquilas on my soprano and they didn't sound all that great.

tomjamieson said:

Thanks! Would you recommend a certain brand of strings? I had aquilas on my soprano and they didn't sound all that great.

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Try the D'Addarios for sale at the UU shop, I've got them on my concert and have a set for my tenor and will definitely put them on when it arrives. They are well priced and have a warm sound to them, they feel good and have decent sustain.

That's my opinion!

tomjamieson said:

So I just ordered my 2nd uke! I got the Lanikai Cut-away Spruce Series Acoustic-Electric. What sold me was that it was a solid spruce top, and not nato. However, I have only played my soprano one before, and I would like to know what is different with the Tenor size? What tuning does everyone recommend? GCEA? or DGBE? If the tuning is DGBE are the chords the same? What strings are recommended? I seem to be the minority but I like the "buzzing" sound made when you slide your finger on the string, just the sound guitars make. Thanks in advance for everyones help!

Click to expand...

GCEA is typical. In Canada, a lot of people play a "low G" tuning. The main difference between tenor and soprano, though, is slight increase in volume and much greater finger room on the neck.

Savarez makes plastic wound trebles popular among flamenco players which may be strings you may like. They are high tension though, so caution when using them on your uke. At one time, Jake used these strings on his Kamaka. You can't cut the strings or the plastic will unravel, so you will need to coil it up at the pegs. Also, if you have a bridge that requires the string the be threaded through a hole, these strings may not fit as there is red thread wound on the end to prevent the plastic from unraveling, which makes the end a bit thicker. I've used these strings before and they have a more "punchy" sound to them. PM me if you want the model numbers.