TheOnlyUkeThatMatters
Well-known member
Lots of cool ideas here. Great thread, Huna!
tuning a tenor DGBE like a baritone
- Thread starter Huna
- Start date
It sounds like the Ovation tenor I just got would be a good candidate for this tuning; it's a bit larger, and it seems a bit more heavily built than some others I looked at.
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000Kanaka000
Well-known member
have always enjoyed this tuning.
drbekken
Well-known member
I tune my tenor re-entrant dGBE, and use Southcoast non-wound heavy gauge strings on it. On my YT channel, there is a version of the old Cliff Edwards hit 'Sunday', where this uke is in use. The sound is quite nice.
Ondrej
Well-known member
I use Aquila strings (TENOR High D Tuning (1 wound string) DGBE Code 11U) at Lanikai tenor (Lanikai LU 21T) ukulele and I am very satisfied.
wendellfiddler
Well-known member
I've tried the Tenor high D set and it really works well, but you have to reserve judgement until the strings stretch fully. It probably helps if you use them on a tenor that responds well to that pitch.
Doug
Doug
I wanted a tenor with "G" tuning to make playing with some bluegrass friends a little easier.
They play a lot of fiddle tunes in "A", which puts me way up the neck on a "C" tuned uke.
I decided to make my own set of flourocarbons. I used two "C" strings for the "D" (up a step) & the "B" (down a 1/2 step).
I went with a polished wound (no squeaks) for the "G" and an "E" string. I am very happy with the feel and sound.
For those who don't like wound strings I am guessing you can use an unwound low "G", but the polished strings have great attack and sustain.
They play a lot of fiddle tunes in "A", which puts me way up the neck on a "C" tuned uke.
I decided to make my own set of flourocarbons. I used two "C" strings for the "D" (up a step) & the "B" (down a 1/2 step).
I went with a polished wound (no squeaks) for the "G" and an "E" string. I am very happy with the feel and sound.
For those who don't like wound strings I am guessing you can use an unwound low "G", but the polished strings have great attack and sustain.
NoahOathKeeper
Well-known member
you and me BOTH . this is a ridiculous practice i refuse to do it . i got one set of Aquila from paid as much for the shipping as the string ,, now there great strings , but not worth the 8 bucks plus 8 bucks more shipping every few months .. its be nice if Aquila would make there strings more easily available
Also every music shop around tells me the same thing " there to hard to get " and not enough people want them . if enough people think Aquila is the greatest ukulele strings ever , then they need to fuss enough so places like guitar center carries there lines
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southcoastukes
Well-known member
I see this thread has come up again (popular topic!), so I thought I'd mention our brand new Heavy Gauge strings. We had some people using our old Heavy Gauge for this application, though tensions were light. That 2012 formula is now called "Heavy Medium", and we have new Heavy Gauge sets which are a bit stronger.
They give higher tension for reentrant G on a Baritone, and normal, viable tension for the same tuning on a standard Tenor. All plain, with polished wound 3rd, or an option for an all plain set w/ an additonal wound 3rd to try it both ways.
They give higher tension for reentrant G on a Baritone, and normal, viable tension for the same tuning on a standard Tenor. All plain, with polished wound 3rd, or an option for an all plain set w/ an additonal wound 3rd to try it both ways.
I've read all of the above and I'm still confused. I play my bari about 90% of the time but the tenor sounds better to me on a few songs. Trouble is, with my one track mind, I find myself hesitating on some chord changes on the (linear Gcea) tenor. I'd like to try stringing the tenor linear DGBE but I think most of you folks are talking re-intrant or high g. Can anyone recommend a source for linear DGBE for a tenor? Or maybe a source of single strings that could be used for this tuning ? Thanks.
drbekken
Well-known member
I don't want to spoil the fun, but somehow, I doubt that linear DGBE would sound good on a tenor. Re-entrant is another matter altogether, though. I believe that the size of the tenor is to small for a low D, but I may be wrong.
pdxuke
Well-known member
I never knew about tenor DGBE tuning. I saw this on Ebay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/PRO-MUSICIA...623?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35c338b6cf
..and in my ignorance I'm thinking, "oh no, he's got steel guitar strings on that poor Martin..."
http://www.ebay.com/itm/PRO-MUSICIA...623?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35c338b6cf
..and in my ignorance I'm thinking, "oh no, he's got steel guitar strings on that poor Martin..."
southcoastukes
Well-known member
Unforntunately, that Martin seller has it wrong. He should get that 4th string off of there. That's the problem when you don't write in standard notation - that fellow probably read somewhere that the Tenors originally were tuned to those notes (written god knows how) and assumed it was like traditional Baritone tuning d g b e'.
If you write things out in standard notation, there's no amibiguity. The Tenors' original tuning was d' g b e' (reentrant). Not to be confused with the higher octave one line octave tunings for Soprano d' g' b' e", or Sopranino d" g' b' e".
If you write things out in standard notation, there's no amibiguity. The Tenors' original tuning was d' g b e' (reentrant). Not to be confused with the higher octave one line octave tunings for Soprano d' g' b' e", or Sopranino d" g' b' e".
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pdxuke
Well-known member
Thanks, Dirk. I guess I'm not as ignorant as I thought. Is the danger here too much tension on the neck and bridge?
southcoastukes
Well-known member
If he's just put a standard Baritone set on there, then no danger - the tensions would be pretty loose (too loose to be very playable). If he's got proper tension, then those would be very heavy strings. Apart from the fact that it would be a muddy sounding 4th string, you could probably do it without risk on a new instrument, but the wound 4th will have more pull the the plain reentrant string - I wouldn't do it on a vintage instrument - yes, dangerous.
asublimeday
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Could you share this video? It's been set to private. Thanks!
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