Playing Different Sizes

Jerryc41

Jerryc41

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How many of you switch regularly from one size uke to another? I have sopranino through tenor in almost equal numbers (except for the single sopranino), and I switch back and forth all the time.

When I go to a session, I usually bring two ukes of different sizes. Maybe it's because I'm not a great player that switching sizes doesn't bother me, but I'd hate to be limited to one size.

What impresses me is seeing uke players switch from a soprano to a guitar. Now that's a difference! Stu Fuchs is very good on both instruments.
 
I tend to stay with one scale length at a time - mainly tenor scale/concert body, or smaller, but I do switch back to concert scale sometimes, (especially if my hands are a bit stiff), which is what I used when I started out, both concert & long neck soprano. My baritones don't get much attention these days, as I find the scale a bit too much of a stretch, for me.
 
Baritone in the bedroom, Soprano outdoor uke in the kids bathroom, tenor on the main floor, and another baritone in the basement. I play what is nearby depending where I am in the house.
 
I have sopranos, concerts, tenors and a baritone. I take examples of each out often and play them as the mood strikes me. .... except for the baritone.
 
I mostly play tenor and concert. Recently picked up a parlor guitar and I play all of them as much as possible. I never owned a soprano, maybe that’ll be next.
 
Tenor low-G gets picked up every day as I am working on 2 songs for low-G.
Concert gets picked up a few times a week with 2 finger picking songs I am trying to polish.
Soprano gets picked up from time to time because it is so cute!
 
I have tried tenors & sopranos, but concert is my happy place. I do ok on my Islander soprano with the wide nut, but it's still cramped, especially when I start playing up the neck. I have a KoAloha Opio long neck soprano on order from HMS. It's been awhile since I tried a tenor. It seemed like too much stretch for me.
 
I played a concert for three years. Then I bought a soprano as a backup. Now I play them both and I don't prefer one over the other. I don't notice a difference between them as far as playing is concerned. I mean I guess that I don't feel more cramped with the soprano.
 
Throughout the week I'll play all three of my uke's: concert, tenor lowG, tenor highG. At a recent event I just took my Concert Fluke, weather was a factor as well as not wanting to deal with two instruments to carry around all day.
 
I have a Kamaka Tenor, an Outdoor Soprano Ukulele, and a Southern Cross banjolele. I grab the Outdoor Soprano a lot because the Kamaka and Southern Cross stay in their cases when not in use. That all said, I have found that I am much better player on the longer scales even though the Soprano gets a lot of use. My hands fingers have a harder time on the smaller neck. I guess this stems from coming to the instrument via guitar.
 
Maybe it's because I'm still concentrating on learning that I really notice a difference between concert and soprano. Most of mine are concert, but built a soprano and it just feels off to me. I think if I become more confident in my playing it may not matter as much.
 
Mostly soprano, but I like to pick up the sopranino occasionally to appreciate all the space on the soprano fretboard. Don't have anything between soprano and baritone anymore, so playing baritone is a little weird at first. Might be why I'm not playing it as much right now.
 
Changing back and forth between concert uke and tenor banjouke drives me batsh-- crazy.
I sold the tenor to a friend for her husband who plays baritone uke.
My pinkie fingers are just too short for that scale.
I have no desire to be switching around, it throws me off during a show, it's one extra challenge I don't need.
I'll be shopping for a banjouke with a concert scale neck, Mim has just what I need, I think. We've found it to be indispensable for Irish folk music.
 
i have soprano concert tenor baritone and a tenor banjo. i find switching from one size to another makes me more aware of what i am doing and i feel it improves my skills
 
Nickie said:
Changing back and forth between concert uke and tenor banjouke drives me batsh-- crazy.
I sold the tenor to a friend for her husband who plays baritone uke.
My pinkie fingers are just too short for that scale.
I have no desire to be switching around, it throws me off during a show, it's one extra challenge I don't need.
I'll be shopping for a banjouke with a concert scale neck, Mim has just what I need, I think. We've found it to be indispensable for Irish folk music.
Click to expand...
You getting a Little Gem or. Firefly? Just curious since it's concert size and I think those are the only two
 
captain-janeway said:
You getting a Little Gem or. Firefly? Just curious since it's concert size and I think those are the only two
Click to expand...

No, because the reviews say that these both sound as clangy as the Duke, which my wife hates anyway. The Deering, https://www.mimsukes.com/search?query=deering&type=reverb having a big pot, is the one that will give me the tones I want, I believe, and can come with a concert scale neck. Mim has those. Since they are high dollar, I will have to save up for a while...
In the meantime, I want to try one out...maybe Sam Ash has one....don't know.
We have to finish all our Irish folk song shows before I can make the jump...
 
I've played my friend's Gold Tone concert that has a nice full sound. Loud too. It has and 8" dia. pot and is less expensive than a Deering. But that Deering sound is marvelous.

I'm still working on learning to play more standard type ukes. But I enjoy hearing the banjolele.
 
I’ll regularly swap out between soprano uke, baritone nui, guitar and mandolin. Different scales, different tunings. It all works out.
 
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