5 string players - yay or nay?

M3Ukulele said:
Kissing………what stings do you now use on your 5 string? Mine came with Aquila Super Nylgut x2 with wound low G. The low G was on the fifth string. I didn’t like that so switch to high G on 5th string. I’m also interested in lower tension.

Currently, I put Oasis warm on Uke using the wound low G on 4th string from Aquila set!

I’m always curious what others have success with.

Here is my take………I mostly play in High G but do like some songs in Low G. With this 5 string set up, I play all my high G song normally. Chords ring out and you can isolate the high g for the Hawaiian sound and syncopation cause it’s on top. Yet with down stroke on thumb you get more sound with low G kicking in.

I do not have an expensive Uke…..just got an Amazon Aklot, did some set up, fret filing, adjust string……it’s pretty good intonation, plays well…..and solid mahogany top. Sides and back are laminate. This is my test Uke to see if I want to spend a lot more Money get the Kanile’a 5 string. In my area there are not many store with ukuleles and I’ve never seen a 5 string……….so this was my solution for now.

I’ve heard some great five seeing sounds o. HMS so get just about all my ukuleles from them.

Thanks for sharing your playing. Very nice.

Thanks for your kind words.

I currently have D'addario Pro Arte Concert Nylon on mine. Using a classical guitar D string as the low-G.
 
Oasis warm with wound g from Aquila Super Nylgut set. Plays good. Last night I tuned it down half step….sounded good. Today tuned it down a full step from G. Tension is really nice to play in both cases with current string. Deeper sound for sure but very nice tension and easier to play.

Aside from looking for low tension strings in G6 tuning, do most players go down a half or full step?

I will keep experimenting. And likely go back up to normal tuning for a day…then go down a half step each day and play some and see what sound I like. When I get a few different string set I can experiment further.

I did like idea of using a concert set on tenor. I notice oasis are listed as soprano, concert and tenor. I did read an old thread saying try Martin 600 concert instead of 620 tenor. Martin are thinner fluro strings and supposed to be brighter and less tension. This is a solid mahogany top with laminate sides……so I will take more brightness in any tuning…….but still it pleasing in any tuning.

I’m having fun playing.
 
Welp, I paid for my Cocobolo 5 string tenor today, so it's a done deal. It will be interesting to see how it sounds in comparison to my concert. The concert does have pretty decent volume. I don't know why, but that size is just not in my comfort zone. Fwiw, Cocobolo uses Worth Browns.
 
When you get your 5 string Cocobolo please posts pics. All the Cocobolo ukes I’ve seen posted on UU have looked exceptional. Very nice wood. If you can a sound sample, eventually, would be nice. I’m not that tech savvy so I’d have to get one of my boys to show me how to do a sound sample. LOL. Congratulations.

If I can figure it our for pics and sounds I will try and post more on my inexpensive Aklot 5 string. Cocobolo 5 string may be good option as it seems Ohana have a all solid mahogany in the $325 range. Not sure how much Cocobolo are. Then big jump up to Kanile’a. Do you mind if I ask price of Cocobolo 5 string?

I have also seen You tube on Bonanza Homestead and Oreo 5 string. They seemed pretty nice
 
I have four, five, six, and eight. Why not? Taimane seems to have standardized on the 5-string. I was at a concert of hers, and one of the G-strings broke. She moved it out of the way and continued playing her 4-string uke. I recently saw Jake playing a 5-styring Kamaka online.
 
5 string is growing on me the more I play it. I’m learning how to emphasize highG, or Low g or both! It makes it easy to play both, low and high g songs. I have tuned down a step to what I think is referred to as B flat tuning to lessen the tension on strings. It produces. Nice sound and is easier to play. When I can find some concert string to put on tenor…….I will try c6 or standard tuning……down a half step…….down a full step!
 
I know this is heresy, but if you don’t like it, you can always just remove one of the strings and voila, you have a four string again…
 
I know this is heresy, but if you don’t like it, you can always just remove one of the strings and voila, you have a four string again…

I was wondering about that. I figured it would be doable, but possibly against ukulele law, lol I think after reading these comments and listening to some videos I'm going to like the 5 string. One of the things I love about the uke is that the four strings seem simpler for me to deal with than 6 string guitars, which I've had for many years. And yet it's such a versatile instrument. I don't want to complicate my playing at this point in my life, I just want to enjoy making some music.
 
It's do-able, though the distance of the string would be off by a few mm compared to the others... and the overall aesthetics would make it seem you have a string missing.
 
My 5 string Cocobolo came today and I love it! I love the looks and I love the tone - it's a good one. And I'm intrigued by the 5 string sound, the tone is so rich and melodic. I'm very glad I decided to go for this one! I am such a tenor person. :rolleyes: I guess I'll be looking to sell my concert.
 
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I have four, five, six, and eight. Why not? Taimane seems to have standardized on the 5-string. I was at a concert of hers, and one of the G-strings broke. She moved it out of the way and continued playing her 4-string uke. I recently saw Jake playing a 5-styring Kamaka online.

Does Kamaka make a 5 string or was it some custom shop model? Also, do you know where the clip of Jake playing one could be found? Thanks!
 
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