High G or low G for fingerpicking?

My thought on the subject. Low G gives the finger picker a couple of extra notes down there at the bottom. It simplifies things and a lot of people find it easier to think linear. It is what they are used to and if they are trying to finger pick a re-entrant tuned uke the solution to play a particular piece that goes too low is to change to a higher key. It just makes sense to get rid of that pesky high G string and replace it with something that falls into line and gives them a wider range to work with. Many re-entrant players do not think linearly and therefore look for techniques to get down into that lower register, other than just playing in a higher key. They see it as a challenge and are forever trying different ways to utilize that high G in their music. When I see someone fingerpicking in low G, I think nice, but predictible. When I see someone fingerpicking re-entrant I often times I think, wow, that is interesting and clever.
 
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And I often think, "Wow, that's muddy and melodically contorted." Not all "solutions" to challenges are successes.

This "just a few extra notes at the bottom" view of linear tuning is a common, myopic view by re-entrant players. More important is that linear tuning provides a wider range of pitches in every position, and helps reduce the redundant unison notes in basic chords. There are other advantages I won't delve into (once again).

Each tuning has its strengths and weaknesses—to my mind, it's mistaken to regard them as interchangeable, or to think that just one tuning can do the work of both. (I also take this view of C and G tunings.) Too often, with "just one tuning" uke players, it's more a matter of "If all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail," and while this may occasionally lead to fresh, interesting arrangements, generally it just leads to less satisfying ones. The right tool for the right job. Re-entrant tuning certainly gives uke a more distinctive character among the gamut of stringed instruments, and there are beautiful things you can do with it, but to settle solely on re-entrant tuning is, in my opinion, like tying one hand behind your back unnecessarily.

I can only speak from my own experience. From our many conversations I think that we both realize that we each experience our music from a whole different direction. Which is okay with me. I will say however, I have hammered a nail with a rock before, whatever you want to make of that analogy. ;)
 
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Totally different animals. Low g for guitar-like arrangements. High g for a drone effect like a banjo, or for a campanella effect like John King arrangements. I like both. Ukuleles are relatively inexpensive instruments so having one for each tuning is not much of problem.
 
I have friends who say it is high-g because it is more traditional and makes campanella more practical. I have friends who say it is low-G because you add half an octave and reading the treble clef is a little less confusing in whether to play the 1st or 4th string. "And I want you to know I stand with my friends on this issue."
 
There is nothing magical about ukulele tuning. Low g tuning is exactly like a guitar with a 5th fret capo and missing the lower two strings. And as for finger picking with high g, is there any advantage over low g other than using the re-entrant string as a drone or for campanella? Since the OP is a guitar finger picker, I think starting with the low g would be most natural.
 
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