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Old 09-14-2017, 07:46 AM
JohnnySmash JohnnySmash is offline
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Default Baritone strings on a Tenor

I understand that baritone strings may be used on a tenor uke. Does the tenor then sound like the baritone or something in between. How much difference is there on the fret board as to size and fingering?

I do not know how long it will take Amazon to get me my baritone ukulele that I have on order now so I am considering going to Bangkok and just buying a tenor to start with. Then some day I hope to have both.
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Yamaha F310

Almanza 401 Mate
Classical

Ventura 12 string V17, now
a 6 string Lap Guitar.

Kala Baritone Ukulele

Melokia, Solid Acacia Tenor Ukulele

Yamaha Guitalele GL1

Yamaha CS40 Classical
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Old 09-14-2017, 09:42 AM
merlin666 merlin666 is offline
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A baritone uke is much longer so if you put baritone strings on a tenor uke the main effect is that you will have to cut off way more string length at the end. I don't know about string thickness and tension, but the tenor will most definitely not sound like a baritone.
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Old 09-14-2017, 12:53 PM
Earl49 Earl49 is offline
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A baritone typically has a 20" scale length, and tenors are ~17" scale. Many people who want to do this buy a specific set of baritone-tuned strings for tenor scale length, but regular baritone strings will work -- they might be a little floppy due to the shorter scale length of a tenor ukulele. I simply bought an inexpensive Makala baritone for about $80 to have the baritone option (rarely used in my case).

A tenor tuned this way won't sound exactly like a true baritone (smaller body volume, lower string tension) but it will be reasonably close -- you are tuning it to the same pitches. Many baritone sets have wound 4th and sometimes wound 3rd strings, so some nut slot work might be needed.
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Old 09-20-2017, 10:19 AM
Mezcalero63 Mezcalero63 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnnySmash View Post
I understand that baritone strings may be used on a tenor uke. Does the tenor then sound like the baritone or something in between. How much difference is there on the fret board as to size and fingering?

I do not know how long it will take Amazon to get me my baritone ukulele that I have on order now so I am considering going to Bangkok and just buying a tenor to start with. Then some day I hope to have both.
I've been experimenting with this quite a bit. I find that the the bigger bodied tenors handle the DGBE tuning just fine. Here is a sound sample I recently did of an 18" tenor strung with Southcoast light heavy gauge baritone string set ~

https://www.dropbox.com/s/s3heqhp4ia...0DGBE.wav?dl=0
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