Tenor scale Uke with large body tuned DGBE: Closest to a ‘guitar sound’?

Gypsyuke

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Of course, suggestions will be subjective but feedback might be helpful. I’ve tried a guitar but besides not wanting to deal with two more strings, the necks are too wide for my somewhat small, very old hands. Extreme opposite: Tenor guitars have the strings too close together because of their very narrow necks. Also, because I live in a motorhome I prefer not to get one the size of a guitar.
My Ohana baritone with Sprucetop and rosewood body has a guitar like
Sound But the frets are too long (The distance between one fret marking and the next) especially near the nut.
Although like most people I would like to buy a Jumbo Tenor Uke that is inexpensive, I am willing to spend close to $1500 if necessary.
I might consider one that is built for steel strings if I could find specially coated ones not Just for the B & G but also for the E & B (Silk and steel, Phosphorus bronze etc.,?).
Look forward to your experience feedback!
 
Here is the problem with a standard 17” scale tenor tuned DGBE, strings are very floppy and the sound is dull and muddy. You can’t fight physics, even at normal baritone scale length of 20-1/4” string tension is soft and tone can suffer. You need enough string tension to drive a top for good tone and 20” is just barely enough, a larger oversized tenor body will not compensate.

Now all this being said you could try baritone strings on a normal tenor, tune it to DGBE and see if you like it. Even buy some classical guitar and use the middle 4 strings, they are thicker with more tension. Best bet is for you to really practice on that baritone and get your fingers educated. It ain’t easy, I know I have finger issues, but it’s worth it. Hope this helps.
 
I'm with DUD on this. A low D will not/cannot play on a Tenor. I have tried.

However, reentry (high) D would probably work well on a Tenor scale.

-Wiggy

<edit> I use CGBE tuning, and am quite happy with this on a Concert scale (GBE are the same pitch as guitar):

E .022 Tried up to .029 but it was too hard, and not any more "sparkly"
B .038 Good balance
G .029w Good balance
Cr/e .034 (or .032 or 033 for reentrant D?)
 
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Bari-tenor tuning (the re-entrant version of DGBE) isn’t that uncommon. Lyle Ritz often tuned his tenors as Bari-tenors.

GHS packages a bari-tenor string set as CU-BTR. Ken Middleton (Living Waters) packages a set as well. If you’re going to go all-nylon dGBE, try: .032”, .040”, .036”, .028”.

I like the tuning myself, especially with smaller bodied tenors when amplified.
 
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For steel strings you will need a truss rod in the neck. With your budget you can get a luthier to build you some kind of uke to fit your specs.
 
Wiggly, i’m curious: what concert ukulele do you have tuned CGBE?
 
You have a point UpdownDave. I may not be willing to practice/work that hard. And I do prefer somewhat loose and floppy strings!
 
I already have a good quality Tenor tuned with a high D but with almost no guitar sound.

I’m looking for a 17” scale (possibly 18-18.5”) with a jumbo body (baritone or larger) that sounds at least somewhat like a guitar.
 
What is a D-VI? By A string do you mean the one from a classical guitar set?
 
What is a D-VI? By A string do you mean the one from a classical guitar set?

I think that's a guilele. So what purpose would it serve to have an oversized tenor in dgbe if a baritone would do a much better job with that? Tenor in gcea would probably sound better as that's what it's designed for.
 
It is a Caramel CC204 - solid acacia. It is a bit heavy, but has a nice warm tone. The strings blend well to create a "sum is greater than the parts" harmonious ring. It has quite a long sustain.

Yes, like always, I had to set it up. I have sacrificed a few "lesser" ukes to learn how cut the nut slots for the best 1st fret feel without causing fret buzz. I did have to ever-so-slightly flatten the bottom of the saddle as I could see a bit of light while holding it against a straight edge.

The adjustable neck allows setting the gap at 12th fret without having to file or replace the saddle. A definite plus.

If you want the CGBE chord chart I have developed (.xls), send me an e-mail. I use the same fingering for CGBE Baritone, with a low C.

<edit> Addressing the OP; on a Baritone, this sounds very much like a guitar. To see hear if you like Baritone CGBE, detune the D to C, then only press C on the "B" string for a CM chord. It's quite a difference.

-Wiggy
 
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I Have an 18" scale tenor Ono that I used to keep tuned DGBE using single strings from Strings by Mail ~ Thomastik CF35 & CF30, and Savarez 543R & 542R. This is an old sound sample, but you can judge for yourself whether it sounds guitar-like enough for your taste.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/habryvhe7omfhbl/Ono Bastogne DGBE.wav?dl=0

Lovely playing. And I like those strings. I’ve used the same combo and like em. Makes me want to see if I can retune my Romero grand tenor to a bari. I currently have Uke Logic high tension on it. Be fun to try.
 
To answer your question Merlin666: I was initially drawn to Baritone (DGBE tuning) because it sounds more like a guitar at least my Ohana BK-70R with Spruce top and Rosewood body does! That’s what I’m after; a more (than GCEA tuning) guitar-like sound. HOWEVER the frets closest to the nut (distance from one fret marking to the next) especially the first 3 are too far apart for me to form cords like Dm and Bb and especially the F cord (remember my hands are quite old and relatively small).
I would even be interested in a small Tenor Guitar (12 frets to the body & 23” scale) tuned DGBE if the frets weren’t so far apart! Of course most have an extremely narrow neck.
I have wondered about a tenor electric guitar tuned DGBE like the Tenorcaster; of course I would be giving up the accoustic sound): any thoughts?
I’ve even thought about a small accoustic guitar (cordoba cadete etc.), removing the low E and A having the nut and bridge replaced!
 
To answer your question Merlin666: I was initially drawn to Baritone (DGBE tuning) because it sounds more like a guitar at least my Ohana BK-70R with Spruce top and Rosewood body does! That’s what I’m after; a more (than GCEA tuning) guitar-like sound. HOWEVER the frets closest to the nut (distance from one fret marking to the next) especially the first 3 are too far apart for me to form cords like Dm and Bb and especially the F cord (remember my hands are quite old and relatively small).
I would even be interested in a small Tenor Guitar (12 frets to the body & 23” scale) tuned DGBE if the frets weren’t so far apart! Of course most have an extremely narrow neck.
I have wondered about a tenor electric guitar tuned DGBE like the Tenorcaster; of course I would be giving up the accoustic sound): any thoughts?
I’ve even thought about a small accoustic guitar (cordoba cadete etc.), removing the low E and A having the nut and bridge replaced!

If the biggest challenge for you is the longer distance from fretwire to fretwire on a baritone compared to tenor then you must stay below 20” scale length. I own a number of instruments including a Cordoba Cadete, that scale length is 24-5/16”. Any small guitar is usually 21” or longer. The standard tenor length of 17” seems to work for you, so strung low D (linear tuning) DGBE with D’Addario Titanium baritone strings would be a good place to start.

Measurements I have taken from my instruments, first # is scale length and the next # is from nut to the third fret (leading edge of the wire)

Tenor.................17” = 2-5/8”
Tenor.................19” = 3”
Baritone ............19” =3”
Baritone ............20-1/4”= 3-3/16”
Tenor guitar .......23”= 3-5/8”
Cordoba Cadete..24-5/16” = 3-13/16”
 
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Love the sound, Mescalero! Any chance you would like to sell it?
Perhaps more importantly: would those strings on a 17 inch scale have more or less tension?
 
Love the sound, Mescalero! Any chance you would like to sell it?
Perhaps more importantly: would those strings on a 17 inch scale have more or less tension?
 
I've got a grand tenor/baby baritone (18.7" scale overall 10% larger than a tenor) from Pete Howlett that sounds terrific in dgbe baritone linear tuning. It's got a standard uke neck width with thick 0.027”and 0.035”) Worth Browns on the trebles and 0.030” and 0.034" silver wound strings on d and g.
 
Love the sound, Mescalero! Any chance you would like to sell it?
Perhaps more importantly: would those strings on a 17 inch scale have more or less tension?

Less tension. The shorter the scale length the less tension exerted on the string. Oasis fluorocarbon strings come in one gauge but are rated for soprano concert and tenor.
 
You got it DownUpDave: the greatest challenge for me is the longer distance from fretwire to fretwire on a Baritone compared to a Tenor! Though a wide neck (anything over a 1 3/4” nut) is challenging, tenors usually have narrower necks. If it wasn’t for the wide necks of really small or mini Guitars I might consider one.
 
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