String/Tuning question please.

coconutjoe

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ALOHA:p

Hi everyone, hope everybody is having a good day! (or at least an acceptable one)

Here's a kind of very specific technical question for the hard-core Uker's.

Short background: I have a Koaloha Silver 25th Tenor that I tune C-G-D-A using Aquila Concert 5ths 31U. Works and sounds great, and I can use Mandolin fingering. I also have a Red Label Concert (yes, Silver 25th)
that I tune D-A-E-B (see above, just a step higher).

Here's the beef: To complete the collection (and go completely bankrupt) I bought a, you guessed it, Soprano Silver 25th currently on it's way from Hawaii. DO YOU THINK IT IS POSSIBLE, GIVEN THE SHORTER SCALE LENGTH, TO USE THE SAME STRINGS BUT TUNE IT E-B-F#-C# THUS GIVING ME THE ABILITY TO PLAY EASILY IN E AND B? OR DO YOU THINK IT WOULD TEAR THE BRIDGE OFF OR WARP THE NECK?

OK, thanks for your time and anticipated sage opinions. My other option is to simply use the Aquila 30U Soprano 5ths and tune identical to a mandolin - G-D-A-E.

Abundant and heart-felt thanks,

Joe the Penniless! :wallbash:
 
It depends. The total string tension should be about the same as the concert DAEB tuning but is the soprano ok with that? I guess you could try the 30U set and it that feels ok, you'll have a baseline with which to compare the 31U in the lower tuning.
 
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