baritone tuning

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BigD

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What is everyones preferred tuning on the baritone? Ive been doing some research and while i knew there was a wide variety of tunings applicable im pretty amazed at the different choices. Im kinda hoping Dirk will chime in with some great advise like usual,but what are you currently playing in? Tuned up? Down? Linear? Re-entrant?Open? Is there a specific tuning other then the normal DGBE that resonates better with the body size? Does the wood type matter? I hate saying im looking for a 'guitar' sound but i want a baritone for something different, not just a bigger tenor. I had thought at one time there was a data base with sound samples concerning baritone tuning but its very possible i made that up in my head lol any advise is appreciated!
 
After trialing a few tunings, I found that re-entrant D - dGBE suits me......It avoids wound strings, without a floppy, unwound D. Especially good for those of us who are at home with the re-entrant vibe...
 
I guess your question begs another question: preferred by who? There's "standard" tuning, then there are other "preferred" tunings by their owners. It seems like a lot of bari players experiment a lot with tunings and strings to find their "preferred" ideal sound. Wondering if Southcoast's new heavy strings may be what you are looking for.
 
I've been fiddlin' with different tunings, mainly based on customer request and feedback (and also because I have the capabilities to do so).

Currently have a GCEA black nylon/wound linear set on it right now. I need to bring it into the office and try the re-entrant dGBE tuning, as I've heard some good things about it.
 
After a lot of experimen ting, I have come full circle and prefer the regular tuning with the cheapest strings out there, the Martin M630 set.[2 wound bases] I do like Southcoast flatwounds, but they are pricey.
 
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I prefer different tunings for different pieces. I have two baritones tuned standard DGBE (KO'OLAU Alohi strings and Living Water with a wound low D from a Martin set), one tuned dGBE and one tuned GCEA (these two are Southcoast sets). It can be a pain when I'm trying to work up a set of music to play because I end up having to bring multiple instruments, but certain songs I perform only work in certain tunings. And it helps me build repertoire so I can play multiple tunes on each instrument.
 
I prefer standard baritone tuning, but not with wound strings. I picked up a set of Aquilla reds for mine, and then a single unwound red D and G strings, so I have standard baritone tuning without the pesky wound strings. Pretty even sound across them all too, with rather boomy bass (It's a Harmony solid mahogany).

Dan
 
I actually like the feel of wound strings, but having them mixed with nylon throws me off. Im sure its something i could get used to but i prefer one or the other! My search for a bari actually started with me wanting to find a old harmony or silvertone but never panned out. I have an old harmony smaller bodied guitar( couldnt tell ya specific body model im to lazy to go look) that i debated on turning into either a slide specific or tenor guitar. Is there a set of baritone strings that would be all wound? To much strain on the uke?
 
I may be selling my Harmony baritone soon. I can keep you in the loop if you are still looking for one. Mine is rough, but sounds great, so I'd be selling it much cheaper than what you see them go for on eBay. And, since I like the town of Waterman, as you know, I could always drive it out by you for the fun of it.

As for a full set of wound strings... I couldn't tell you. I doubt there'd be much more tension than nylon strings, but not so sure.

Dan
 
For sure keep me in the know Dan! I forgot i had already kinda talked to you about this! Do you happen to know of any good places around here that have a surplus of ukes actually in the store? Preferably without going into the city if it can be avoided..
 
I use Southcoast LL-NW's. No wound strings and I switch between Bb and C linear tuning. It really sounds sweet. But trial and error is the best way.
 
I currently have Living Waters flouro, linear DGBE on my bari. I had Aquila (same tuning) and I do prefer the non-wound. I have changed my tenor over to dGBE (custom Living Waters set).
 
I like this too. I think I would like to try linear Bb but these Martin's are quite decent, especially for the price. I don't even mind the two wound strings.

strumsilly said:
After a lot of experimen ting, I have come full circle and prefer the regular tuning with the cheapest strings out there, the Martin M630 set.[2 wound bases] I do like Southcoast flatwounds, but they are pricey.
Click to expand...
 
My lone bari is standard DGBE.

I tried several sets of non-wounds, the two lower strings just seemed too floppy.

Have a set of Ko'olau Golds on it now, they seem more responsive. The 2 plain/2 wound balance each other like 3/3 on a classical guitar.

When a set has a single wound string, it sticks out like a sore thumb to my ear.
 
Here's the ones I have used in the past GCEA, DGBE, DGBD, CFAD, ADF#B, GADG, I currently only have DGBE in use, but on occasion I'll go back to the other tunings to mess around with them. But eventually I want to write songs in each tuning.
 
Currently playing in Linear A (e-a-c#'-f#'). I never liked how the fourth string d sounded. For a truly awful sound, Ab put the low eb right at the resonance point.
 
BigD said:
What is everyones preferred tuning on the baritone? Ive been doing some research and while i knew there was a wide variety of tunings applicable im pretty amazed at the different choices. Im kinda hoping Dirk will chime in with some great advise like usual,but what are you currently playing in? Tuned up? Down? Linear? Re-entrant?Open? Is there a specific tuning other then the normal DGBE that resonates better with the body size? Does the wood type matter? I hate saying im looking for a 'guitar' sound but i want a baritone for something different, not just a bigger tenor. I had thought at one time there was a data base with sound samples concerning baritone tuning but its very possible i made that up in my head lol any advise is appreciated!
Click to expand...


I Love baritone uke. I'm a fan of the linear G tuning. But not to long ago i bought a mya-moe set for re-entrant G
i love the tuning but did not like the strings. I ordered living water reentrant G strings and wow for acoustic baritone
ukes this is the tuning i'm sticking with, its got the low mellow tone because its still tuned in a lower tuning but being
its re-entrant it still has that close harmony sound of the smaller ukes, it really brings out the tone. For my electric
baritone i prefer linear G only because when plugged into an amp with distortion i believe you need some bass
other wise it will just sound like white noise.
 
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