so i tried low G for the first time tonight......on my soprano!

[iamesperambient]

So i got a set of oasis low G warms as a replacement for a dud set thankfully the owner of oasis was nice enough to find me a new set and this one is far from being a dud. I decided to give low G ago for the first time on my soprano in case i didn't like it i wouldn't be taking off strings i do like on my tenor. I gotta say some purists may be against it but i don't care i'm really digging low G on my soprano it really mellowed it out and i'm digging the sound, now i'm actually considering putting them on my tenor now. Being oasis is designed for soprano, concert and tenor this is a pretty cool set for doing this kind of thing.

 

[Jim Hanks]

Cool. So you took the opposite approach of my earlier advice. Instead of backing down the tuning on the tenor, you backed down the scale to get the lower tension. That works too - obviously. I'm guessing if you put these strings on the tenor they would be way too tight again.

 

[ohmless]

play it for a while as see if it continues to suit you. Ukuleles and music are very individualized things. Who cares what others think.

 

[iamesperambient]

Cool. So you took the opposite approach of my earlier advice. Instead of backing down the tuning on the tenor, you backed down the scale to get the lower tension. That works too - obviously. I'm guessing if you put these strings on the tenor they would be way too tight again.

exactly right I think the tension
would be too taught on my tenor
so I gave it a go on my soprano
I like it may try it on my tenor
but with a different set as I don't think
these are what I want on a tenor but for
soprano and I'm sure concert they are
really excellent strings.

 

[iamesperambient]

play it for a while as see if it continues to suit you. Ukuleles and music are very individualized things. Who cares what others think.

this is very true so far I'm liking
it on a soprano it mellowed it out
a bit which is nice but still retains
a lot of it's classic sound too

 

[Mattyukaholic]

I've seen a few Ohta San videos where he's playing low G on a soprano.

 

[PhilUSAFRet]

Good for you. No one said it wouldn't work, just that it isn't "optimal" for that scale length. Quite a few folks here feel like it works well for them and that's all that counts. All this discussion on the matter, now I want to try it just to see if I might like it on one of my sopranos.

 

[iamesperambient]

Good for you. No one said it wouldn't work, just that it isn't "optimal" for that scale length. Quite a few folks here feel like it works well for them and that's all that counts. All this discussion on the matter, now I want to try it just to see if I might like it on one of my sopranos.

the good thing about oasis is their made for soprano, concert and tenor so it actually seems to work well
http://www.oasishumidifiers.com/Ukulele-strings-new.html

the tension isn't super taught its just right on the soprano, with the tenor the tension was way to taught.
My guess is these strings are better suited for soprano/concert. On tenor they do have very very very high
tension which causes a tenor to sound more like a soprano and loose some of it's fullness. I think their good strings though
just not for a tenor. You get 2 sets out of it too may as well try these if your going to attempt this on a soprano.

 

[Mattyukaholic]

the good thing about oasis is their made for soprano, concert and tenor so it actually seems to work well
http://www.oasishumidifiers.com/Ukulele-strings-new.html

the tension isn't super taught its just right on the soprano, with the tenor the tension was way to taught.
My guess is these strings are better suited for soprano/concert. On tenor they do have very very very high
tension which causes a tenor to sound more like a soprano and loose some of it's fullness. I think their good strings though
just not for a tenor. You get 2 sets out of it too may as well try these if your going to attempt this on a soprano.

It's strange that they make the same set for soprano/concert/tenor. Normally you get a different set, at least for tenor. No wonder the tension is high on a tenor.

Glad the low G works on the soprano though. I'm going to try it myself later, you've inspired me.

 

[hawaii 50]

the good thing about oasis is their made for soprano, concert and tenor so it actually seems to work well
http://www.oasishumidifiers.com/Ukulele-strings-new.html

the tension isn't super taught its just right on the soprano, with the tenor the tension was way to taught.
My guess is these strings are better suited for soprano/concert. On tenor they do have very very very high
tension which causes a tenor to sound more like a soprano and loose some of it's fullness. I think their good strings though
just not for a tenor. You get 2 sets out of it too may as well try these if your going to attempt this on a soprano.

Haha...like everyone has been saying each person likes and hears each string set differently....most times it is the uke not the strings that that gives you a certain tone

I have a Kamaka HF3S and the Oasis warm strings and a Fremont Soloist Low G give my tenor uke a Deep Rich Full tone...not even close to sounding like a soprano....your saying it makes your tenor brighter is totally different from what it does to my tenor...

the shorter soprano scale gives you less tension....but some say certain strings seem floopy on a soprano...I guess keep looking for your strings...good luck....

my 2 cents

 

[iamesperambient]

It's strange that they make the same set for soprano/concert/tenor. Normally you get a different set, at least for tenor. No wonder the tension is high on a tenor.

Glad the low G works on the soprano though. I'm going to try it myself later, you've inspired me.

i agree it is kind of odd. but it seems research went into the strings and that their ok for all three sizes i did find for tenor something didn't seem to be right about the tension. I would recommend them on soprano and concert though.

 

[DownUpDave]

i agree it is kind of odd. but it seems research went into the strings and that their ok for all three sizes i did find for tenor something didn't seem to be right about the tension. I would recommend them on soprano and concert though.

My Pete Howlett tenor came strung with Oasis warms and they sounded great. Yes the tension was high under your fingers but not much worse than the Worth Browns I have on that instrument now. Lots of guys have lots of tenors strung with Oasis. Just like every other string out there it does not work well for every uke or every person.

 

[iamesperambient]

My Pete Howlett tenor came strung with Oasis warms and they sounded great. Yes the tension was high under your fingers but not much worse than the Worth Browns I have on that instrument now. Lots of guys have lots of tenors strung with Oasis. Just like every other string out there it does not work well for every uke or every person.

i found the tension on the set i had to be so taught it made it sound like a tenor on high speed dubbing aka a soprano.
Maybe on a different uke it may be different. So far i find aquilas to have the best tone/tension its to bad i find them a bit
thick on the fingers. Aquila reds are nice but i find them too bright and metallic sounding.

 

[stringy]

I only play low G and loved it on my Soprano Pineapple. It balances out the high treble and gives it a more pleasant sound. High G tuning is too diminished of a sound range for my ears.

 

[iamesperambient]

I only play low G and loved it on my Soprano Pineapple. It balances out the high treble and gives it a more pleasant sound. High G tuning is too diminished of a sound range for my ears.

i agree it does on a soprano really balance it out! i think this will be my default
set up now for soprano. I hardly played my soprano due to it being so plinky
but now it still has that 'classic' sound but mellowed it out a bit and gave it a
little more depth I'm loving it. My tenor uke though in C already sounds very full in standard high g
i'm not sure if low g is going to be too much but i will say on soprano i dig it.

 

[SteveZ]

i agree it does on a soprano really balance it out! i think this will be my default
set up now for soprano. I hardly played my soprano due to it being so plinky
but now it still has that 'classic' sound but mellowed it out a bit and gave it a
little more depth I'm loving it. My tenor uke though in C already sounds very full in standard high g
i'm not sure if low g is going to be too much but i will say on soprano i dig it.

Ahhh.....a convert! Am waiting for a couple unwound low-G so I can add one to my Flea soprano (plastic fretboard model). Will have to channel out the nut slot (permanent fix) but it's worth it.

Now if I can only convince you to up the C to D, then invert the A and E strings - then you can use the soprano as a trainer to prepare for that tenor guitar. It's not 5ths tuning on the soprano, but the chording aligns as such and you still get the same "sound" that you did before (albeit the C is now D).

I felt the same about high-G. I think it's because of decades of folk/classical guitar impacting the eardrums. not that anything is wrong for those who like high-G, but low-G seems more versatile if one is into rock, show tunes, reggae/calypso.

 

[iamesperambient]

Ahhh.....a convert! Am waiting for a couple unwound low-G so I can add one to my Flea soprano (plastic fretboard model). Will have to channel out the nut slot (permanent fix) but it's worth it.

Now if I can only convince you to up the C to D, then invert the A and E strings - then you can use the soprano as a trainer to prepare for that tenor guitar. It's not 5ths tuning on the soprano, but the chording aligns as such and you still get the same "sound" that you did before (albeit the C is now D).

I felt the same about high-G. I think it's because of decades of folk/classical guitar impacting the eardrums. not that anything is wrong for those who like high-G, but low-G seems more versatile if one is into rock, show tunes, reggae/calypso.

I've been tuning my electric baritone like a tenor guitar to prepare and practice, seems to be decent just for training, of course when i want to record i put it back in standard DGBE but it works for now just to train and learn the chords better so when I get a tenor guitar i will be more used to it

As for low G ya on a soprano i think its much better it took away that plinky sound but still has a classic treble sound that i like but mellowed it out a bit. My tenor uke sounds very mellow in re-entrant C i like how it sounds as of now i almost don't wanna mess with it. I found re-entrant G (high D) on baritone is better too it gives a sparkle to it with out removing its low tuned mellowness. So soprano - low G, baritone - high D tenor - high G concert high G i found are my choices at this moment in time.

 

[SteveZ]

I've been tuning my electric baritone like a tenor guitar to prepare and practice, seems to be decent just for training, of course when i want to record i put it back in standard DGBE but it works for now just to train and learn the chords better so when I get a tenor guitar i will be more used to it

As for low G ya on a soprano i think its much better it took away that plinky sound but still has a classic treble sound that i like but mellowed it out a bit. My tenor uke sounds very mellow in re-entrant C i like how it sounds as of now i almost don't wanna mess with it. I found re-entrant G (high D) on baritone is better too it gives a sparkle to it with out removing its low tuned mellowness. So soprano - low G, baritone - high D tenor - high G concert high G i found are my choices at this moment in time.

It's all about fun and enjoyment. Making thinks work for you as opposed to you having to conform to it. Have never been "it"-centric.

Unrelated note: Now with Kala announcing a $470 tenor guitar, it gives the Blueridge 40T a real competitor. The Kala would be better with a pickguard, though.

 

[iamesperambient]

It's all about fun and enjoyment. Making thinks work for you as opposed to you having to conform to it. Have never been "it"-centric.

Unrelated note: Now with Kala announcing a $470 tenor guitar, it gives the Blueridge 40T a real competitor. The Kala would be better with a pickguard, though.

yeah i hear ya. im actually learning towards the kala tenor guitar now just because its cool having a TG made by a uke brand
hopefully around oct i will be able to get one. Unless i find a used blueridge for less i may still go for that will see.