NUD: David Hanson 5 string tenor: "Caramelele"

Hey joo This would sound great with your clawhammer style. I'd be tempted to try cGCEG tuning and try some banjo tunes.
I once strung an old Yamaha guitar with 5 strings in a gDGBD tuning and played banjo tunes on it. I used the 6th string G from a 12-string set for the 5th string. Capoed at the 5th fret it would be cGCEG.
My friend Don Adams has a 5-string Dobro that he plays banjo-style.
 
Jim Hanks said:
A lot has already been written about this uke in the build thread:
https://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/showthread.php?138664-Build-Thread-Cripple-Creek-5-String-Tenor

To summarize, the goal was a 5-string tenor with equal string spacing with tuning clearly "uke plus one" instead of "guitar minus one".

David Hanson, aka Cripple Creek Mandolins was up for the challenge.

Specs:
17" tenor ukulele scale
"Mandolele" body shape
Overall length: 28"
Width: 12"
Depth: 3"
Gotoh UPTL planetary geared tuners
Radiused fingerboard, 12" radius
8.5mm string spacing, 40mm (1-9/16") nut
String through bridge
Living Water fluorocarbon strings, dGCEA (0.70/0.91/0.74/0.66/0.57)

Here is the final rundown on the ten (!) woods used:
top - western red cedar
back/sides - maple, lightly curled
bindings/headplate - curly koa
neck - Spanish cedar w/ walnut stringer
rosette - cherry/maple
fingerboard/bridge - rosewood
braces - spruce
glue linings - basswood
back brace - mahogany

With all the visible woods being (mostly light) brown tones, David dubbed it the "Caramelele". I'm not usually one to name my ukes, but I'm willing to make an exception for this one.

Intonation is spot on. Setup is perfect. Very comfortable playing surface with the string spacing and radiused fretboard.

I'd say the tone is just what you hope for from a cedar top - warm lows and "sparkly" but not harsh highs. Lots of sustain.

Speaking of the top, I have to add that David expressed some disappointment with how the top turned out, showing more scratches and finish irregularities than he hoped for. He even offered to give a significant discount, but I declined. His price was already extremely reasonable for a one-of-a-kind build of this quality. Worth every penny and more - probably much more. Anybody that can't live with a few blemishes on a cedar top, shouldn't get a cedar top. (And they're not nearly as bad to my eye as they are to his.) I am not bothered in the slightest.

I couldn't be happier with the process and the product. David was absolutely great to work with, and I have no hesitation recommending him.

Here are a few pictures to whet your appetite. I'll have a "first look" video with sound sample in the next day or two - as soon as I can get it edited down.

Album on imgur:

XSss6Lul.jpg

4tw6Oojl.jpg

tYOygEZl.jpg

OqGVDs5l.jpg
Click to expand...

Wow! It's absolutely genius how the friction pegs are arranged!
 
In my attempts to play a xDGBE banjola (before the neck twisted) I found that tuning the 5th string to whichever key you want (in my case CDEFG) would yield some very harmonious 7ths, 9th, and sus ornamentation in that key's chord family.

Here are some examples:
(Disclaimer: this was a long time ago when I determined all this.)
Tune 5th
String to
v

C C/F/Gs 5th is G
C F/Bb9/C Bb9 - good
C Gs/C/D7 Gs, D7 - good
C Ab/Bb9/C Ab+2 whole-step to C is Good

D D/G/As D Root only
D G/C9/D C9 - good
D As/D/E7 As E7 is Good
D Bb/C9/D Bb+2 whole-step to D is Good

F F/Bb/Cs 5th is C
F Bb/Eb9/F Eb9 - good
F Cs/F/G7 Cs G7 - good
F C#/Eb9/F C#+2 whole-step to F is Good

G G/C/Ds 5th is D
G C/F9/G F9 - good
G Ds/G/A7 Ds A7 - good
G Eb/F9/G Good

E was musically a disaster!
 
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Canada Jim said:
Hey joo This would sound great with your clawhammer style. I'd be tempted to try cGCEG tuning and try some banjo tunes.
Click to expand...
I think that idea had occurred to me at one point but I've never gotten around to trying it
Captain Simian said:
Wow! It's absolutely genius how the friction pegs are arranged!
Click to expand...
Thanks. They are Gotoh UPT geared tuners but they do have the look of friction pegs.
Wiggy said:
In my attempts to play a banjola (before the neck twisted) I found that tuning the 5th string to whichever key you want (in my case CDEFG) would yield some very harmonious 7ths, 9th, and sus ornamentation in that key's chord family.
Click to expand...
I can see that. So much to explore, so little time
 
Did you find any other true 5-string tenor (not banjo) ukuleles one could consider? There would be a hard $1k limit.

If this is a rude question, say so and I'll delete it.

<edit1> There is another related thread here called "5 Evenly Spaced Strings."

<edit2> It must be a concert or tenor scale.
 
Last edited:
Wiggy said:
Did you find any other true 5-string tenor (not banjo) ukuleles one could consider? There would be a hard $1k limit.

<edit> There is another related thread here called "5 Evenly Spaced Strings."
Click to expand...
I don't know of any commercial offerings. The guitalele mod is the cheapest route. But David could probably build you another like this one and most likely would still be under your budget
 
Jim Hanks said:
I don't know of any commercial offerings. ... But David could probably build you another like this one and most likely would still be under your budget
Click to expand...
Hmm... I need nor want cosmetic frills, but that soundhole ring does look awfully nice.
 
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That's a very interesting instrument, Jim. Congrats on your innovative and adventurous perspective! Thinking outside the box is always fun!
 
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