uke players?

robert(original) · Post by **robert(original)** » Wed Feb 13, 2013 3:47 pm

are there any out there?
is the tuning of an english instrument. i.e. (1st-4th) e,a,d,g?
i was thining of picking one up on the cheaps and trying out some dif string sizes an tunings, but was unsure if the scale length would hinder proper intonation.

Ankhanu · Post by **Ankhanu** » Wed Feb 13, 2013 4:31 pm

They're tuned GCEA standard... the top and bottom strings are higher in pitch than the middle two, which is a bit weird when you stop strumming and start picking.

Word of advice - pay for a decent one. I bought one of those $20 Denver jobs and the fucker is never intonated in the slightest. Even fretting a D shape makes the tuning go out like a motherfucker, it's almost unplayable.
In general, with it being a completely fixed scale length, like most acoustic guitar type forms, you're not going to be able to change intonation; it is what it is... but no reason not to experiment with strings and tunings, I think. Have fun with it.

DasBeef · Post by **DasBeef** » Wed Feb 13, 2013 7:50 pm

I've been thinking about getting one for a wee while. I want to try one out in the shops, but nowhere has had the one I'm eyeing up.
THIS is the one I've been thinking about. The electric thing might not be that important to you, but I wanted it so I could plug it in to my computer should I decide to use it to record.

DasBeef · Post by **DasBeef** » Wed Feb 13, 2013 7:51 pm

Oh, and I think of the tuning as the highest 4 strings on a guitar, capo'd on the 5th fret.

robert(original) · Post by **robert(original)** » Thu Feb 14, 2013 1:37 am

thanks ank. anytime ive encountered one they have been badley out of tune and i just tune it to something workable and try it that way. tho it'd be nice to actually learn a bit on it. im also think it would be nice to have as a busking instrument. once it starts to warm up around here i plan on making extra cash that way. i just gotta find a bucket drummer and a washboard.

Leather Jacket · Post by **Leather Jacket** » Thu Feb 14, 2013 5:09 am

I kinda consider being able to play the uke one of those life skills that everybody should have, like knowing how to change a tire or roll a joint.

robert(original) · Post by **robert(original)** » Thu Feb 14, 2013 1:56 pm

i can def roll a joint, and changing a tire is my middle name, so playing the uke is next in line i s'pose.

Mo Law-ka · Post by **Mo Law-ka** » Thu Feb 14, 2013 2:55 pm

I've got two: a soprano (the normal sized one) and a baritone. The soprano is one of those $20 Rogue jobbers, but once I sanded down the saddle, it's just fine intonation and action-wise. It's still really too small. I've got it tuned aDF#B, because in standard tuning, it was too slack for my liking.
The baritone is the real uke. It's big enough for me and plays and sounds awesome. Tune dat bitch to DGBE

Stuart · Post by **Stuart** » Thu Feb 14, 2013 6:33 pm

I've got one tuned GCEA, pretty cool good for texturing up acoustic songs. If your in the market get at least the the second cheapest type, the rock bottom ones really don't work as instruments.

I keep thinking about getting a baritone but decent F style mandolin is probably first on the acoustic instruments list.

Leisureclub · Post by **Leisureclub** » Fri Feb 15, 2013 9:45 pm

I'm actually more of a ukulele player than a guitar player.

That's the gold standard in entry level first uke type instruments.

I prefer to play the tenor scale, but probably more because that's just what I'm used to rather than the tonal differences.

I would probably recommend tenor or baritone for most guitar players though. Soprano can be sort of uncomfortably small to me.

When it comes to tuning, GCEA is the standard from soprano through tenor. The G string is often an octave higher, which is called "re-entrant" IIRC. EADG is the standard for baritones.

Pens · Post by **Pens** » Fri Feb 15, 2013 10:36 pm

Mo Rawka wrote:I've got two: a soprano (the normal sized one) and a baritone. The soprano is one of those $20 Rogue jobbers, but once I sanded down the saddle, it's just fine intonation and action-wise. It's still really too small. I've got it tuned aDF#B, because in standard tuning, it was too slack for my liking.
The baritone is the real uke. It's big enough for me and plays and sounds awesome. Tune dat bitch to DGBE

Fuck man I cannot even imagine you playing an uke. Doesn't the whole fretboard equal the size of your palm??

dezb1 · Post by **dezb1** » Fri Feb 15, 2013 10:53 pm

My mother in-law bought me a Â£20 herald tenor for my birthday last year I just put a chord dictionary app on my phone so I can get down to learning how to play the thing... get a George Harrison vibe goin on.

Mo Law-ka · Post by **Mo Law-ka** » Sat Feb 16, 2013 10:45 pm

Pens wrote:
Mo Rawka wrote:I've got two: a soprano (the normal sized one) and a baritone. The soprano is one of those $20 Rogue jobbers, but once I sanded down the saddle, it's just fine intonation and action-wise. It's still really too small. I've got it tuned aDF#B, because in standard tuning, it was too slack for my liking.
The baritone is the real uke. It's big enough for me and plays and sounds awesome. Tune dat bitch to DGBE
Fuck man I cannot even imagine you playing an uke. Doesn't the whole fretboard equal the size of your palm??

Yeah... it's pretty small in comparison to my massive proportions. I can do octave stretches without any difficulty...with only my first and ring fingers...

Pens · Post by **Pens** » Sat Feb 16, 2013 11:08 pm

Mo Rawka wrote:
Pens wrote:
Mo Rawka wrote:I've got two: a soprano (the normal sized one) and a baritone. The soprano is one of those $20 Rogue jobbers, but once I sanded down the saddle, it's just fine intonation and action-wise. It's still really too small. I've got it tuned aDF#B, because in standard tuning, it was too slack for my liking.
The baritone is the real uke. It's big enough for me and plays and sounds awesome. Tune dat bitch to DGBE
Fuck man I cannot even imagine you playing an uke. Doesn't the whole fretboard equal the size of your palm??
Yeah... it's pretty small in comparison to my massive proportions. I can do octave stretches without any difficulty...with only my first and ring fingers...

I imagine it's akin to this:

Gabriel · Post by **Gabriel** » Sat Feb 16, 2013 11:35 pm

I've got one of those Â£10 crappy ones, it does the job for when I want to have a noodle around but it doesn't hold it's tuning at all. At some point I might pick a proper one up as they are quite fun.

dezb1 · Post by **dezb1** » Mon Mar 04, 2013 8:17 pm

Looking to upgrade from my cheapo soprano ukulele, I'm after a tenor any players out there suggest a decent one for around Â£100?

dezb1 · Post by **dezb1** » Wed Mar 20, 2013 12:14 am

Ok... so no suggestions. I bought an ohana tk10 tenor, should get it tomorrow after the shop does a set up.... going to learn this first.

[YouTube][/YouTube]

dezb1 · Post by **dezb1** » Sat Mar 23, 2013 2:10 am

Got my new tenor ukulele (an Ohana TK-10) on Tuesday and my fingers haven't hurt from this much playing for years. I can't put it down, have come up with three new song ideas that I'd never have played on a guitar...

Since getting the bug I've had a look at all things ukulele and have come to realise a good few of my musical influences play...

Post pics of your ukes people...

Mine:

Ohana TK-10 and my old cheapo Herald soprano

robert(original) · Post by **robert(original)** » Fri Mar 29, 2013 5:31 pm

I GOT A UKE! for free!!!! its a small piece of crap! friction pegs that have been circumsized so they suck and don't keep tune at all, nylon strings, and glued on palm trees.
i pulled the tuners out last night and im going to bore out the holes and get some crappy guitar tuners to throw in thier spot. and im probly going to find some small(ish) guitar strings and try out some tunings on it. i may just try out some sort of open tuning and figure out how to rock that for a while.

dezb1 · Post by **dezb1** » Fri Mar 29, 2013 6:03 pm

robert(original) wrote:I GOT A UKE! for free!!!! its a small piece of crap! friction pegs that have been circumsized so they suck and don't keep tune at all, nylon strings, and glued on palm trees.
i pulled the tuners out last night and im going to bore out the holes and get some crappy guitar tuners to throw in thier spot. and im probly going to find some small(ish) guitar strings and try out some tunings on it. i may just try out some sort of open tuning and figure out how to rock that for a while.

Get a set of d'addario uke strings and get it tuned properly to g c e a makes you think differently to a guitar and is tonnes of fun... a decent set of strings makes a world of difference.