scale size shock

electrocio

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I just got a cheap Kmise 5 string tenor. WOW this thing is so small. I once had a mandolin but after trying to play it for a while I just could not get used to the short scale and the high pitch. I'm afraid the tenor will suffer the same fate. The sound is what I expected (and why I got a 5-string) so that is not a concern the small scale is. I have a PR Cuatro and the 20" scale seams about as short as I have gone comfortably and it still feel short. I just put some gGCEA baritone string to play the PR Cuatro as a 5 sting uku. But now that I got the tenor I want to switch to that since it will be easier to keep close by or travel with. Has anyone else with fat fingers had problems with tenors and if so how long to get used to the short scale? How many gave up a just switched to baritone?
 
Getting used to the fretboard can be difficult at first, I have most sizes of ukes, (all but soprano, which I find too small in itself; & I'm not overly fond of baritone scale length).

Normally I recommend starting out with a concert scale, but if coming from guitar, suggest a tenor.

You will adjust, it just takes a bit of practice time, there are lots of big chaps on here who play sopranos. :)
 
The pitch is largely what makes a uke not a guitar, but you can mitigate that with linear tuning or moving to bari scale.

As for the fretboard, the Kmkse may have a narrow neck at the nut, which can make it uncomfortable to play if you have large hands. Many sopranos have necks wider than tenors. Martin, Magic Fluke, and Kiwaya are three widely available brands with more spacious fretboards.

Good luck adjusting! It’s worth the journey.
 
I'm not familiar with the Kmise but many 5 string tenors have close string spacing - that may be playing against you here.

There are so many variables that go in to what people perceive as "too small" or "too difficult because it's so small" when it comes to fretboards and necks, it's hard to give a specific recommendation. But here are some things to think about, if you want to try to find an instrument that's easier to handle. I've spoken with many people who think they can't play a short scale instrument, only to discover after trying a few things that there are other factors that are the real reason why they didn't like a particular short scale instrument they tried.

1) String spacing at the nut (not the nut width itself, but the spacing of the strings) - wider usually feels easier if you have big hands or big fingers. Pretty straightforward.
2) Actual nut/neck width - for a given string spacing, some models have wider or narrower necks, although usually only a millimeter or two in difference. The extra space is basically on the outsides of the top and bottom string, the distance between the string and the edge of the fretboard. People who think they have trouble because of fat fingers sometimes feel more comfortable with more space here, since it gives the feel of a wider "platform" to fret against even if the strings themselves are the same distance apart.
3) Setup! Specifically, action at the 12th and at the nut. A uke with higher action will feel more difficult, regardless of the scale length. A short scale instrument with high action can be really hard to learn on. The same instrument with the action set as low as possible will feel easier. When many people play an instrument with high action, they tend to over-fret (push down harder than they need to) as a subconscious way to compensate for the strings being further away. If you're having trouble getting your fingers close enough together on a small fretboard, feeling like you have to push really hard to fret a note will make it much worse.
4) Fretboard radius - some people will find a radiused fretboard makes it easier to deal with a short scale length. Other people won't like them no matter what. Only way to know is to try it.
5) Neck profile. Some people with bigger hands will find a deeper/fuller neck profile fills their hand out more and gets their wrist and fingers in a better position to fret more naturally. A tenor with a thick D profile might be an epiphany moment if you're struggling with smaller scale instruments.

If your real motivation for trying a tenor uke is to have an instrument that's a little smaller overall and easier to travel with or keep with you, there are probably builders out there that would put a longer/wider neck on a smaller body, or some other variation, to get you something that works.
 
I think the factors for me specifically. 1) the Neck width at the nut. I guess when covid is out I try to test out some other uku with a wider nut. The kmise width at the nut is 38mm. 2) The scale but as said the by hendulele and dwizum this can be compensated for possibly by the neck width. I have an old Spanish classical guitar with nylon strings from the 50's? maybe so I know it's not related to the action. The action on kmise seems good it is similar to my Telecaster. I'll be giving it some time. I do have my converted Cuatro too, it's nut width is 50mm (40mm effective : 4 out 5 courses used). the string spacing is the same at string 1,2 and the difference is 1mm at 3,4.

Really it's the open D chord I having problems doing but I can just do the bared D chord fine so.... guess I'll just shut up and give it time XD
 
lol yeah that is an option too. have switch to bar D7 too if I thought it sounded better xD.
 
A tenor is already pretty large for a uke and I am surprised that you were not aware of the nature of ukes before trying one. So you can either stick with it and try to get used to it or try a larger instrument like guitar or bass.
 
You might be able to get the D as a partial barre after enough practice. If you don't want do that, you can try to change the fingers you use for the D: instead of middle, ring, pinkie, try index, middle and ring. Or strings 3 and 4 held with one finger and string 2 with another. There are many ways to get to that first position D.
 
Ms Bean yeah I can bar 3,4 with my index and use my middle finger on 2, good catch. It's bit uncomfortable but I'm sure in will feel fine after awhile. Thanks!. The more I'm playing it the more my fingers are getting used the contortions lol. Back when I was in a band that was kinda my thing with guitar chords. haha. At first I sang and wrote some of the songs but did not play. One of the guitarist said to me that he knew which songs I wrote because of the chord selections xD. I always had some odd chord in the mix. When writing I selected chords by picking the basic chords then slowly strumming other around the chord notes until I found the notes I wanted in the chord so sometimes the fingering was challenging.
 
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Interesting, I've recently purchased a Kmise mini chorus pedal for my electric guitar. I wonder if they are related. The pedal was dirt cheap and works well. I'm thinking about getting a couple others.
 
Try a 4 string uke with a 38 mm nut when you get a chance. The string spacing can be rather wide on many of them, especially if you're coming from guitar. Plenty of room for large fingers. The fret distance you'll get used to in a short time, especially with a tenor.
 
With Quarantine being here for the foreseeable future I'll just stick with what I got. eventually I'm sure the D (two finger) will just become muscle memory eventually. Plan B (and song dependent), I can change the D chord to whatever flavor (Hawaiian D7, D7, D9, D13, bar D) I feel is best for any given song (back to my picking notes to play for a chord based on sounds and feel). My Cuatro 5-string gGCEA conversion feels and sounds so nice (to my ears) that I can always switch back to playing that, since my main goal is to learn chords and some songs to eventually teach to my daughter. I got 3-5 years for that so I gots time to take it slow. even at a few mintunes a day I should be where I need to be when the time come xD.
 
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