How to make Dolphins quieter

quiltingshirley

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We're soon going on a long cruise and we'd like to play the dolphins sometimes in the room, sometimes on the deck. Is there a way to play them quieter other than not "strum so loud"? These little guys play louder than I'd expected them too. (Might be me) They both have Aquila strings and we're both beginner+. We enjoy ourselves but we're sure not good enough that others will enjoy hearing us through those walls on the ship.
 
Fluorocarbon strings might quiet them some. Another option is to stuff a sock or two inside through the soundhole. It's an old trick to stuff a rag or wadded up newspaper into acoustic guitars to hold down feedback - no reason it shouldn't work to hold down volume on a uke.

John
 
Hi, ya this is easy, I did it with an electric uku to stop nasty feedback and it all but deadens the acoustic use:
1. loosen strings
2. measure depth from back to top
3. cut 2 to 4 pieces of soft foam just slightly thicker than depth
4. squish them into soundhole and push back under bridge so they expand putting a slight pressure inside the uke
5. repeat as necessary and make last piece a little bigger than the soundhole if you really want to kill the volume
Voila! you can also use a small towel or shirt or something :)

OldePhart: you type to fast for me! ;)
 
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Agreed.. Put washcloths or some socks in it. It might even help you find room when packing...

Drummers do this all the time when putting a towel in their bass drums
 
We're going to stuff that sound hole with stuff. We need the room in the suitcase. Those responses were 2 hints in one. Funny how you can play loud and soft with the high end ukes but not with the dolphins. Thanks for the answers.
 
Socks.

Alternative. Get a bootlace and thread over and under the strings and push right down against bridge. That's a technique used by south African guitarists to give them their staccato sound
 
My answer to this problem was to get an Eleuke Peanut (I suppose any solid body electric would do the trick). The Peanut's nice and small, tho. But, you already have the Dolphin, that's free, which is good!
 
Is this where the phrase "put a sock in it!" came from?
 
Yep that's the simplest trick and effective. You can use a small piece of foam as thick as a pencil and it under the strings by the bridge. I use this on classical guitar to practice even stacato.

You can buy this as well, but foam will work fine... http://www.stringsbymail.com/store/rosette-tremolo-mute-practice-tool-5806.html

Instead of stuffing the soundhole you could put a rolled up cloth or a piece of sponge under the strings directly in front of the bridge.
 
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