Anybody try low G and not like it?

Well, here I go . . . I sorta think of a ukulele as a “my dog has fleas” instrument. Fun to strum and sing at the beach under a palm tree, or in a canoe bobbing along at the lake, or by a blazing campfire. But I’ve always found the low G to be “boomy” when strummed. There’s supposed to be a way to stop boominess, but I’ve never found it. I guess the low G is okay for fingerpicking, but if one is gonna fingerpick, maybe a baritone uke or tenor guitar would be a better pick.

I have two ukes tuned in fifths, and I don’t really even like that too much, though I fingerpick them. I wonder why we buy an instrument that we like and then change everything that we can on it.

“What fools these mortals be . . .” My thanks to my ol’ pal, Seneca. :eek:ld:
 
I guess the low G is okay for fingerpicking, but if one is gonna fingerpick, maybe a baritone uke or tenor guitar would be a better pick.

I wonder why we buy an instrument that we like and then change everything that we can on it.

Hope you don't mind me taking a couple sentences out of your post. I don't think that takes anything out of context.

I hear someone like Daniel Ho or Jake play, and don't think to myself that they should play a different instrument. Fingerpicking can work wonderfully on ukuleles.

Anything larger than a concert sized neck doesn't work for my fingers, which have had some injuries in the past. But since I can't sing, (I think the neighborhood has banned me, LOL), and I wouldn't be content to just strum chords with no singing, fingerpicking on a uke is very enjoyable for me.

A lot of ukuleles were built to be low g. Ohta Sans seem to be built for low g. (I know I'll be corrected by someone who knows more if I'm wrong.) Seems like a lot of the luthiers also build specifically to low g. So, if I buy some of those ukuleles, I'd actually be changing it if I made it reentrant. As far as fingerpicking goes, Kamaka says that the Ohta San "was designed primarily for fingerpicking purposes." So, no need to play guitar if you want to fingerpick. Kamaka agrees.

I think one of the very cool things about ukulele is how versatile it is. Lots of possible tunings, (I use both high and low g, but some of you use others, too), lots of ways to play it, lots of styles of music can work on it, and it's just a great hobby. Pretty amazing what that little 4 stringed instrument is capable of.

I really admire those of you who can strum and sing. Wish I could. But I'm also happy that I have the enjoyment of working on fingerpicking. As a friend once said to me, when he needed to change instruments due to health problems and pain issues, it's all about the music, not the instrument.

So, enjoy making music on your ukulele, no matter what size, type, tuning, or style.
 
Well, Joyful, if I may call you that. One can play or change anything as he/she pleases. If they pay the money, they can make a birdhouse out of it.

I was just answering the question of this thread. But how do ya take a shower if ya can’t sing? Anyway, keep on pickin’. :eek:ld:
 
But how do ya take a shower if ya can’t sing? Anyway, keep on pickin’. :eek:ld:

Quietly. :)

Don't want the neighbors banging on my door complaining about noise pollution while I'm in the shower.

I do recognize that you're just answering the thread, and a lot of people agree that low g isn't to their liking. Like I say, it's a cool thing that the ukulele can be so versatile and we all can enjoy it in different ways.

I just pulled out a high g ukulele, and will be playing that right now, in honor of this thread. :)
 
Since ya got yer ol’ strummin’ uke out, go in the bath room, turn on the shower, flush the toilet and belt out a line two. No body can sing until they “Just do it!”.

Besides, who cares whether you sing well or not. Singin’, like medicine, is good for you. Pick a silly song like “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” and let ‘er rip.

Soon enough you’ll be dead and never have had the fun of beltin’ out a rip roarin’ song or two — go for it! :eek:ld:
 
By the way, when I play my new (second hand - gift) cornet, I go in my wife’s big closet full of clothes and blast away.

I’m practicing to play a duet with Gabriel. :eek:ld:
 
Well, here I go . . . I sorta think of a ukulele as a “my dog has fleas” instrument. Fun to strum and sing at the beach under a palm tree, or in a canoe bobbing along at the lake, or by a blazing campfire. But I’ve always found the low G to be “boomy” when strummed. There’s supposed to be a way to stop boominess, but I’ve never found it. I guess the low G is okay for fingerpicking, but if one is gonna fingerpick, maybe a baritone uke or tenor guitar would be a better pick.

I have two ukes tuned in fifths, and I don’t really even like that too much, though I fingerpick them. I wonder why we buy an instrument that we like and then change everything that we can on it.

“What fools these mortals be . . .” My thanks to my ol’ pal, Seneca. :eek:ld:

I usually finger pick or play chord melodies on my Concert and travel Sopranissimo. No need for a Tenor or Baritone for either.
 
Quietly. :)

Don't want the neighbors banging on my door complaining about noise pollution while I'm in the shower.

I do recognize that you're just answering the thread, and a lot of people agree that low g isn't to their liking. Like I say, it's a cool thing that the ukulele can be so versatile and we all can enjoy it in different ways.

I just pulled out a high g ukulele, and will be playing that right now, in honor of this thread. :)

I love to sing, karaoke. Don't care for singing while playing a ukulele. Also can't concern myself too much about my lack of a singing voice. It was bad luck, however, when my slot for karaoke last time came up right after an amazing singer. I really didn't need that comparison moment.
 
I only play in low G. In fact I tune down a half step to F# B D# G# on some songs. I find high g more of a tuning for instrumentals and low G far easier to sing with.
 
Hard to imagine giving up either one.
 
This is great if you get the right uke for it. Some ukes are almost stressed-sounding at standard pitch.
 
Like a few others have stated in this thread - I really want to like the low G but every time I try it I’m back with a high G before too long.
Might sound a bit simplistic but a Uke sounds more like a Uke with a high G string fitted in my opinion.
 
I'm joining with everyone else saying it depends on song and style. To me picking sounds much better with low g and strumming sounds better with high (especially since low g sounds a little off in a group). I can fingerpick songs originally done for guitar that sound great in low g, but godawful in high. Like you can't even recognize the tune bad. I have one of each uke, but since I like picking, the low g gets used most.
I think for some people it depends on uke size as well. I don't hear low on many sopranos, but I do on lots of tenors. I have a cedar top concert that still has that deep, rich tone that I like with a low g. Yes, I know some people will say "play a guitar," but my hands aren't anywhere big enough.
Just play around and see what you like. From your original post, it sounds like you just prefer high g
Have fun!
 
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If you're playing melodies, and hanging around first position chords, the low G string is really necessary unless you fudge on the melody lines a lot. Of course, if your up on the fretboard, it doesn't make so much difference. If you're strumming chords without picking the melody, then re-entrant sounds better on a lot of tunes. I've noticed that when auditioning new material. Sometimes the low G string just kills the chord.
 
I first tried low G when I bought a slightly used Pono Pro Class Cedar/Macassar Tenor. I liked the sound but found the low G to be a bit overwhelming. Later I experimented with Low G on a number of different string and uke combos. I din't really warm to low g til I started using the Freemont Soloist for the Low G. I also found that some ukes just dont seem to work for low G for me no matter what strings I try.

I current have the following strung low g that I really like:
Pono Pro Classic Spruce/Rosewood Concert - Freemont Soloist w/Worth Browns
Kala KA-SRT-MA (Aratani Model) Spruce / Rosewood Tenor - Freemont Solist / Aquilas Nylgut. i think it came with all Nylguts, and I decided to try the low g based on favorable posts about it. It works well, and all the strings feel well balanced.
Pono Pro Classic Cedar/Macassar Ebony - this was my 1st low g uke, bought used, strung with Thomastik-Infeld CF-30 and CF-27 Chrome Steel flat wound strings for the Low G and C strings, and Oasis Fluorocarbon Brights for the E and A sound good; the string all sound great, but I found the G to overwhelm the other strings a bit, and am thinking of switchiing it to a Soloist for the low g, and the oasis for the remaining strings.

I've tried a few different low Gs that I disliked intensely. I bougt an Ohana 470G Spruce/Rosewood concert uke from Mim and had her set it up with all flurocarbons (Worh Clears) in low G and boy did I HATE it. The low-g felt jangly and loud and didn't mesh with the other string at all to my ear. I swapped the flurocarbon low g for a re-entrant G, and now I love that little uke (its my go to concert uke for travel). Another low-G I really hated: the Aquila Red low G that was on my Koaloha Spruce top Opio when I got it (yuck, it sounded oogy and felt weird and scratchy); I ended up switching it to all Worth Browns w/re-entrant tuning. Now I like that little uke quite a bit (although I don't like its friction tuners at all, blech).

I think the key to low g is finding the strings for the uke/tonewood in question that is balanced well with the other 3 strings, and that sings to your ear. Plus I think the song has to suit it. Some songs just sound better in low-g, some either way, and some work better re-entrant (in my humble noob opinion).
 
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I switched one of my concerts to low G with a wound G string. I hated it at first, but I’m slowly warming to it as I found some songs with a finger picked syncopated pattern sound passable fair with a low G. I don’t like it strummed, however, as the dang wound string squeaks on my fingernails.
 
I’ve gotten darn tired of the wound low G strings breaking. So now I’m only using the Aquila Reds. So far, none have broken, and I’ve had a couple of them on Ukes for a couple of years. And, I think they sound OK.
 
I used only high G tuning for many years. Every now and then I'd string up a uke with low G and try it a while but it never sounded "ukey" enough. I would also try low G on different ukes and it was amazing how the sound of each instrument changed. I finally came across a tune I wanted to play that sounded best with low G (Pink Floyd's Brain Damage). So right now I've settled on one uke strung low G, and it's one that I never thought of using low G tuning on. Never say never.
 
I used only high G tuning for many years. Every now and then I'd string up a uke with low G and try it a while but it never sounded "ukey" enough. I would also try low G on different ukes and it was amazing how the sound of each instrument changed. I finally came across a tune I wanted to play that sounded best with low G (Pink Floyd's Brain Damage). So right now I've settled on one uke strung low G, and it's one that I never thought of using low G tuning on. Never say never.

You don't happen to have a fingerpicking style tab for Brain Damage do you? Bet it could sound awesome!
 
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