Kala Pocket Uke - Stupid tuning.

Hallan85

Hallan85

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Hey guys.

I'm sorry if this has been answered before, but I could find anything on this matter.

I bought myself a Kala Pocket Ukulele. Love it! My only problem is that it won't stay in tune!
It was bought in April and I've been playing it a lot, but it's pretty annoying to have to tune it up after just playing one song...

It's tuned to ADF#B and I'm using Aquila strings if that matters.

Help?
 
Have you tightened the screws on the tuners?
 
Yeah, it was the first thing I tried. Maybe I tightened them too much. Kinda scared to fiddle around with it, what if it breaks? :p
 
I know strings need to stretch for a while but usually in a couple weeks they should hold pretty good. Have you checked with Kala? Mike's a pretty friendly guy and he has a solid company. See what he says.
 
I have to tune my pocket uke before every playing. I think it would hold better at F tuning, but D is still a little loose for so short a string. Mine's tuned in D.
 
Check the wraps on the tuning post. Aquilla strings stretch big time. If you have over laps on the wraps it is going to cause tuning issues.
Loosen the strings and pull excess through so you have only three wraps. Make sure the string is locked at both ends as well so there is no slipping.
After the strings settle in it should stay close. If you carry your uke out a lot weather (temp) will cause changes.
 
Yup. I have tried mine in C and D tuning and it was unpleasant. F is the way to go. CFAD
 
MGM's site advises they be tuned in "D" for optimum performance.

I've tried it in "D" and "C" and actually prefer it in straight "C" tuning. ( Thanks for the heads up though re the "F" tuning - I'm going to go give it a try now...) I've had no tuning probs apart from the standard ones that come with new strings on any uke.

Apart from being looked at sideways by police, and pedestrians as though I was from a parrallel universe, I've had no issues with the uke whatsoever! It's a pure chick magnet if your thing is 70 year old chicks.

happy days all. eugene
 
eugene ukulele said:
it's a pure chick magnet if your thing is 70 year old chicks.
Click to expand...

LMAO... LOL.... :p:D:D

P.S. As for me, I'll skip the pocket uke... I'm keeping my eye on a Pineapple Sunday when the wallet is full of dough. :)
 
I got my pocket uke today! I might add, it was Ukisociety's....and when i got it it was in D tuning (HE DOESN"T LIE) i went all the way up to G (i had read it was a good idea) i did have to tighten the screws on the pegs, but have had nothing but string stretch problems from there...aquillas DO take about...o...a week to realllly get settled in to a tuning..So i can't say too much about problems with the tuning, in G tuning dGBE it seems to hold itself well, and even with some string stretch only looses about a few Cents an hour (just a wee bit flat) If its not string stretch and you're sure the screws are tight it should settle in soon enough, if not...call kala.
 
I just got my pocket uke yesterday, and the dealer had it tuned GCEA. It actually seems to work well in that tuning. I tried DGBE but the strings seemed way too tight. CFAD was also not very comfortable. It was okay in ADF#B but that's not exactly my singing range. I dunno, I may stick with C tuning.
 
From what I have read, it is supposed to be dgbE, baritone tuning an octave higher, or a fourth higher than tenor-concert-soprano.

I wouldn't see the point (other than portability) of getting one of these and tuning it to gcea, the same as most ukes? If it doesn't sound higher pitched than them, what would be the point, other than size and cuteness?

It sounds though, like it doesn't come with good strings, for tuning to the desired pitch. Of course there are no sopranino strings, I don't think. I would think that soprano strings might work--for using them on a smaller scale, they could be tuned higher. If not, try concert strings. If still too tight, try tenor strings.

Perhaps one way one could do that sopranino tuning (DGBE high) on a soprano (get the very high sound, without having to buy a pocket uke, and without cramping the fingers as much (but losing some of the novelty and super-cuteness), would be to put tenor strings on a soprano, which would be too loose for the normal soprano tuning, but might work good a fifth higher.
 
Aloha MaiKii,
Aquilla strings tend to take a really long time to break in ....what you can do to quicken the breaking in period is...tune your ukulele and bend the strings from side to side 3-4 times and retune, do that same proceedure 3-4 times daily until the strings until they have settled....it's not how many days it will take to break, it's how much you play your uke for them ton break in.....Nothing is wrong with your tuners.
I suspect this is the problem....it's a common one...Good Luck!! MM Stan
 
If the tuning is CFAD, how would you use this with others if they are tuned to GCEA? Also do you have to change the chords or just play them as on a GCEA tuned ukulele?
 
If you're tuned CFAD and you want to play with others in the same key you will have to use the black art of transposition!

CFAD is a good choice though as it makes life easier. Use the circle of fifths:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circle_of_fifths

Your chords have all moved one step anticlockwise, ie if you play the usual C shape you'll actually be playing an F

Sp, if F is the chord you want to play - play a C. Use the same rule for all your chords.

minor/7/sus4 etc stays the same.

Personally I don't really use my pocket uke for playing with others though. I have other ukes for that purpose!
 
Thanks..I'll check that out..But I'll have to figure out how to read it..I bought a thing called a De:CHORDER that changes the key and chords for me..From http://jambarreymusic.com/ dechorder.jpg
Thanks for the info..Do you like your pocket ukulele? I was looking at one called Ohana Sopranino Ukulele SK-21 that I might get..Cheers..Keith
 
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Yeah I have the Kala Pocket Uke, it's great but I wouldn't have it unless I had other normal uke's too!
I've not played the Ohana but others speak highly of it!

:)
 
I'd talk to the person who sold me the uke. It could be any one of many things. Maybe the strings, the tuners, even a loose neck. Kala is very responsive if there is a problem. But, be prepared. They may choose to disregard the warranty because you tune it so high. Perhaps you should try a conventional GCEA tuning for a few weeks (obviously with new strings) and see if it's the ukulele or the inappropriate string tension.
 
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The good strings for CGEA on pocket uke ares : worth Fat

They are made for that !
 
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