Anyone have a concert scale ukulele with a radiused fretboard they're willing to sell? Either a Pono or something with a 10" to 12" radius is what I'm looking for. The Cocobolo concert is a little to long (16"), but their super soprano long neck (15") could work.
WTB: Concert with Radiused Fretboard
- Thread starter Ed1
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Yes, that would be a dream of mine. Your work is beautiful. The Cuban mahogany boat paddle on your website is gorgeous: I love it when the beauty is in the wood and the workmanship and not the bling. But here's the reason I created this thread:
As I get older, the mild arthritis in my hands has turned into an always painful pinky finger. Most days I wrap up the pinky's most painful joint and continue playing. My now "go to uke" is a tenor Pono with a radiused fretboard and a very low setup by Joel at HMS. It solves most of my problems except for that sometimes needed reach for a note with the pinky. It takes some of the fun out of playing when you know the next note is going to hurt.
So I tried a couple of my concerts (with flat fretboards) to see if the reach would be easier, and found that is was a little easier - but not completely painless. I created this thread to see if I could find an inexpensive (lower to mid three figures) used or damaged concert ukulele with a radiused fretboard. That way I could practice with it for a while and decide if concert is what I need. If it is, then I would be looking for a better radiused concert, if not I would be looking for a better tenor. Either way I plan to sell a few of my ukuleles to buy a custom that works for me.
Thanks for your reply. Please pm me if you have more thoughts on this.
I've had a couple of (lower priced) Enya's in the past. They're ok but not a 10 to 12 inch radius which is what I'm looking for. Eric at Enya wrote me a while back that "All Enya ukes come with the same fretboard radius of 19.6 inches"
The Blackbird Clara can have a radiused fretboard. The Anuenue MM2 has a radiused fretboard.
Hochapeafarm
Well-known member
Hi, Ed1 - I’ve the same issues you’ve explained in why you need a radius fretboard. I play Ponos, too, with the radius fretboard (and low action set-up by HMS and now Joel’s Uke Logic soft tension strings). I think HMS has a Pono Pro Classic concert with a radius fretboard for sale, currently, as well as an aNueNue UTC1 koa concert with a radius fretboard.
Hochapeafarm,
Yep, I also have Joel's soft tension strings on my Pono tenor. I spoke with Joel about the Pro Classic concert to see if they had any B-Stock or blems in that model. I didn't want to spend that much on the new one to test if the concert would be less painful to play. He said he would check if there were any in the warehouse and get back to me. He didn't call so I'm assuming there weren't any.
P.S. I noticed you had post cut-off on your first try. When I tried to quote you, I also had that problem.
Yep, I also have Joel's soft tension strings on my Pono tenor. I spoke with Joel about the Pro Classic concert to see if they had any B-Stock or blems in that model. I didn't want to spend that much on the new one to test if the concert would be less painful to play. He said he would check if there were any in the warehouse and get back to me. He didn't call so I'm assuming there weren't any.
P.S. I noticed you had post cut-off on your first try. When I tried to quote you, I also had that problem.
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Tomthebaptist
Well-known member
Hi Ed, would u be interested in a Collings UC -K 1200 shipped. If so email me cmus1951@gmail.com.
Maybe I can help with my experience as I have been moving between sizes quite a bit lately. I have 3 Ponos. Soprano, concert and Tenor. Both the concert and tenor were setup by the ukulele site guys. Of the 3 I find the concert the easiest to play as I had it set up for Low action. I recently lowered the action on the tenor as it was set up for mid action. While it is easy to play I still find the concert easier. You might like to try to put a capo on the second fret and see if you like the scale length as it will be quite close to a concert but not exactly. Personally I find it quite tight if you have to fret any chords with 3 fingers on the same fret on 3 strings side by side anywhere above the 7th fret on a concert. All my ponos do not have a radius fret board.
I recently bought a cocobolo 16 concert. It has a radius fretboard. Is it easier to play? Personally I don’t think so. For barring chords maybe yes because it is more to the shape of the finger when u press down. But I have noticed that I have ‘missed’ notes whenever I use my pinky. Because of the shape of the curved fretboard the pinky now has to stretch that small bit further as the fretboard actually curves away from the other fingers on the A string. It is a small curve but when you play fast sometimes the string is not pressed down enough for a clean sound.
I also have a Koaloha tenor scale and concert scale. They are 17 3/4 and 15 2/3 inch scale if my memory serves me right. I find this concert scale just about right. Personally I find the KoAlohas harder to fret than the ponos. I play mostly fingerpicking (95%). As a guide, If I were to stretch out my left hand on the table the tip of my pinky to the tip of my thumb is about 8 inches exactly. Hopefully that gives u a better idea as you have a hand size to compare with. The Perfect scale for me is somewhere between 15 1/2 to 16 when I need to stretch across the fretboard. Index Barring 7th fret and pinky on 15th fret.
If you really can’t play your tenor may I suggest using a capo on the 2nd fret and you probably might be able to file down your saddle a bit more for a lower action so that it is closer to a concert and see if it works for you. That way you still get a fuller sound from the body and if it doesn’t work you just need to replace a saddle. Or don’t touch the saddle and just try with the capo. If u like I can take both out and compare the scale for you. Concert vs tenor capo at 2nd fret.
I recently bought a cocobolo 16 concert. It has a radius fretboard. Is it easier to play? Personally I don’t think so. For barring chords maybe yes because it is more to the shape of the finger when u press down. But I have noticed that I have ‘missed’ notes whenever I use my pinky. Because of the shape of the curved fretboard the pinky now has to stretch that small bit further as the fretboard actually curves away from the other fingers on the A string. It is a small curve but when you play fast sometimes the string is not pressed down enough for a clean sound.
I also have a Koaloha tenor scale and concert scale. They are 17 3/4 and 15 2/3 inch scale if my memory serves me right. I find this concert scale just about right. Personally I find the KoAlohas harder to fret than the ponos. I play mostly fingerpicking (95%). As a guide, If I were to stretch out my left hand on the table the tip of my pinky to the tip of my thumb is about 8 inches exactly. Hopefully that gives u a better idea as you have a hand size to compare with. The Perfect scale for me is somewhere between 15 1/2 to 16 when I need to stretch across the fretboard. Index Barring 7th fret and pinky on 15th fret.
If you really can’t play your tenor may I suggest using a capo on the 2nd fret and you probably might be able to file down your saddle a bit more for a lower action so that it is closer to a concert and see if it works for you. That way you still get a fuller sound from the body and if it doesn’t work you just need to replace a saddle. Or don’t touch the saddle and just try with the capo. If u like I can take both out and compare the scale for you. Concert vs tenor capo at 2nd fret.
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UkueBass23
Well-known member
Interesting analysis above!
Thanks!
GPC
Thanks!
GPC
Contrails,
Thanks for your thoughtful post. I have a four concerts, with a couple from HMS with a low (but not low enough for me) setup. My last purchase from them was the Pono tenor with the radiused fretboard and very, very low setup. It's now my go-to uke and made me wonder about a radiused concert which is why I started this thread.
Your capo suggestion was fun to try on a couple of my tenors. It made enough of a difference that I might not sell them if I decide on only radiused concerts. Changing the re-entrant C6 to a Bb6 tuning and then capo-ing at the 2nd fret - giving me a virtual C6 - did make them easier to play, but I did feel a little strange doing it to my HF-3. However I'll be doing it more often when needed for comfort, so thanks for the suggestion.
Thanks for your thoughtful post. I have a four concerts, with a couple from HMS with a low (but not low enough for me) setup. My last purchase from them was the Pono tenor with the radiused fretboard and very, very low setup. It's now my go-to uke and made me wonder about a radiused concert which is why I started this thread.
Your capo suggestion was fun to try on a couple of my tenors. It made enough of a difference that I might not sell them if I decide on only radiused concerts. Changing the re-entrant C6 to a Bb6 tuning and then capo-ing at the 2nd fret - giving me a virtual C6 - did make them easier to play, but I did feel a little strange doing it to my HF-3. However I'll be doing it more often when needed for comfort, so thanks for the suggestion.
Hochapeafarm
Well-known member
Hi, Ed1 ~
Thanks so much for your note; I do hope you’ll hear back from Joel at HMS in that they find a concert that will work for you.
As I wrote earlier, I can completely relate to what you’re dealing with, and I know how it can be a tough road to travel finding a uke that will allow one to play with minimal pain due to the various hand issues one can face (mine is arthritis and wrist tendonitis).
For me, again, in 10 years of playing uke (and trying all kinds of ukes (sizes, brands, strings, etc), I learned that the radius fretboard is THE only way to go for me to minimize pain and to enjoy longer periods of play time without issues of pain. Of course, as Contrails mentions, radius fretboards, sometimes, make no difference at all to a player, and actually, I’ve also heard some people say that they flat out don’t like radius fretboards.
We all have to find the path that works best for us. Thank Heavens for this UU community where we all can convene so that we can share ideas and figure things out together.
Happy strums and keep us posted on what you decide to do.
All the best to you...
- Chelle
Thanks so much for your note; I do hope you’ll hear back from Joel at HMS in that they find a concert that will work for you.
As I wrote earlier, I can completely relate to what you’re dealing with, and I know how it can be a tough road to travel finding a uke that will allow one to play with minimal pain due to the various hand issues one can face (mine is arthritis and wrist tendonitis). For me, again, in 10 years of playing uke (and trying all kinds of ukes (sizes, brands, strings, etc), I learned that the radius fretboard is THE only way to go for me to minimize pain and to enjoy longer periods of play time without issues of pain. Of course, as Contrails mentions, radius fretboards, sometimes, make no difference at all to a player, and actually, I’ve also heard some people say that they flat out don’t like radius fretboards.
We all have to find the path that works best for us. Thank Heavens for this UU community where we all can convene so that we can share ideas and figure things out together.
Happy strums and keep us posted on what you decide to do.
All the best to you...
- Chelle
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