Tuning a solid body electric tenor DGBE with baritone strings?

Mother Nature's Son · Nov 27, 2013

Hello Everyone,

I am shopping for a solid-body electric ukulele. I've been looking at Eleukes, Tetons, and some others, but right now I am stuck between getting a tenor and a baritone.

If I were to purchase a tenor electric, such as the Eleuke SL-T, would I be able to string it with baritone strings and tune it DGBE? Would it sound like the solid-body electric baritone? I figure that because it is a solid-body, the smaller body size would not make a difference, and it could be played as a tenor or a baritone depending on the strings I put on it. Is this accurate?

On a side note, does anyone have the Eleuke SL-T, a Teton electric uke, or both? Any ideas on how Tetons compare to Eleukes, or which is better?

Thanks! Happy Thanksgiving!

singsong · Nov 28, 2013

I have a Risa concert size that I removed the steel strings and strung it with Worth light brown baritone strings. It works great. I have small hands and its fun to play.

Mother Nature's Son · Nov 28, 2013

Thanks for the response! Is your Risa an electric?

anthonyg · Nov 28, 2013

There are specific strings available to tune a tenor ukulele down to DGBE. They are even heavier than Baritone DGBE strings. I have put some baritone DGBE strings on a tenor and it works best tuned EAC#F#. It can JUST handle DGBE but the tension is pretty low.

Anthony

Mother Nature's Son · Nov 28, 2013

Thanks Anthony! Do you think that, being that the tenor uke in question is a solid-body, it would sound the same with DGBE strings as a baritone solid-body?

anthonyg · Nov 28, 2013

Mother Nature's Son said:
Thanks Anthony! Do you think that, being that the tenor uke in question is a solid-body, it would sound the same with DGBE strings as a baritone solid-body?

A baritone with DGBE strings on its still going to sound deeper than a Tenor with Baritone DGBE strings on it. More mass and/or more air moving with the baritone.

Anthony

TheCraftedCow · Nov 29, 2013

Yes, there are DGBE or dGBE strings made for a tenor. Being a solid body, there is no interior volume of air moving which differs from a tenor to a baritone. It has to do with the sensitivity of the pickups and how you have the amplifier configured. If the pickups are better on the tenor than the bari, it will have the better sound. Being one or the other is no guarantee of the quality of the sound.

kissing · Nov 29, 2013

I used to have Tenor Risa ukuleles tuned to DGBE using strings out of electric guitar sets.

If memory serves me right, try the ADGB strings out of a 0.008 D'addario Super Light Gauge set to tune up to DGBE.

It's very easy to find appropriate strings by trial and error.

Mother Nature's Son · Nov 29, 2013

Thank you everyone for your responses! I ended up getting an Eleuke Baritone, and found that there are GCEA strings for baritone ukes, so that I can tune it DGBE or GCEA. Thanks again!

iamesperambient · Nov 30, 2013

Mother Nature's Son said:
Thank you everyone for your responses! I ended up getting an Eleuke Baritone, and found that there are GCEA strings for baritone ukes, so that I can tune it DGBE or GCEA. Thanks again!

nice sounds cool!
just consider a konablaster baritone in the future the world of steel string solid body ukes opens up a whole new door of experimentation.

seejaneplay · Mar 31, 2018

Tune a Risa solid concert uke with baritone strings?

singsong said:
I have a Risa concert size that I removed the steel strings and strung it with Worth light brown baritone strings. It works great. I have small hands and its fun to play.

I am intrigued! I am in the midst of deciding whether to buy the Risa solid tenor or concert Uke. I like the concert more for its size and the tenor more for versatility (I thought) because I read that I could change out the strings/tune as a baritone.

But your message makes me think that I could do the same with the concert size- just string/tune as a baritone. Is that true? If yes, I’ll buy the concert and have the best of both worlds.

Thanks in advance for letting me know your thoughts.

Croaky Keith · Mar 31, 2018

(Refer you to the other thread.)

Tuning a solid body electric tenor DGBE with baritone strings?

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