Tenor ukulele tuned to ADF#B - string recommendation?

[zivilars]

Hi everybody,

I have a short question to the ukulele experts here: I recently tuned my tenor Honu Rope up from GCEA to ADF#B and really love the sound of the different tuning. I "abused" my Aquila Nylgut GCEA strings for this which works totally fine - however, being able to keep the "slackier" (?) tense of the strings would be even more perfect. Therefore, I am wondering if there are any special ADF#B strings for tenor ukuleles out there. I didn't found any, it seems that these are only produced for sopranos. Aquila Nylgut offers a soprano ADF#B set which strings are 60 centimeters long – I guess this is just a few centimeters too short to get them on my Honu Rope. Does anybody here have any other recommendations? Or does it not matter anyway, as even special ADF#B strings will always sit more stiff/tight on my fretboard than a GCEA tuning? (sorry if not putting it in perfect words, no native speaker here - but I guess you understand what I mean ...)

Thanks a lot in advance! Have a nice Sunday!

EDIT: Just discovered that I should maybe have posted this in "Buying Tips" – as I can't delete this thread, please feel free to move it. Pardon and thanks!

 

[hammer40]

If you want to give Southcoast a try, head over to Southcoast strings. Dirk talks about tuning options and strings in more detail over there. Basically for D tuning on a tenor, for reentrant, use LU: Light Gauge Ukulele Set or SLU: Soft Light Gauge Ukulele Set.

If you want linear D tuning, use LL - RW: Light Gauge Linear Set - w/ round wound bass or LML-RW: Light Medium Gauge Linear Set w/ round wound basses. The latter linear set being a little higher tension.

 

[Kanaka916]

Good suggestion on Southcoast, here's the link . . . http://www.southcoastukes.com/stringuide.htm and you can also send Dirk an email if you're still uncertain.

 

[zivilars]

Thanks a lot for the answers, really appreciated! Will try the Southcoast strings!

 

[southcoastukes]

Hello guys!

Thanks for the kind words.

Hello zivi -

Yes, what we'd term a linear D tuning (a d' f#' b') is a wonderful set-up for a Tenor. I'd recommend it over a reentrant set-up if you want to maintain depth and projection. Hammer's recommendations are spot on, however linear D tuning also has the advantage that if you prefer an all plain set, it will totally outperform an all plain C tuning set-up. In other words, you may prefer wound strings in linear C tuning (we do), and they work in D tuning as well, but a properly balanced plain string set-up really comes alive in D tuning.

For those who have always wanted a good performing all plain linear set-up on a Tenor, D tuning is how you get it.

If you want to read up on it a little more, check archive #005 in our Tips page. There's also a sound sample of some fellow named Craig Turner playing in linear D with the all plain LL-NW set.

 

[zivilars]

Hi again,

just a short update: In the meantime I ordered and already got the recommended Light Gauge set from Southcoast Ukulele – it simply sounds WONDERFUL on my Honu Rope! So much better than Aquila strings, at least in my ears, and so much nicer to play for my fingers, too! (Also ordered one set of the Soft Light Gauge in comparison, but haven't tried them yet)

As I fell in love with these strings, I just posted another order to try out the Light Medium Gauge and Medium Gauge for C tuning. Dirk (and the others here), if you are reading this: Which one of those two would you prefer more for this? I like the tension and sound of the Light Gauge in D-tuning, so I'd like to find the best pendant string set for C-tuning. As mentioned, I already ordered both opions to try them out, but if you have a recommendation, I'll be glad if you let me know. I read your answer too late, maybe I should have ordered the Medium set with wound strings ...?

Thanks again for the help, these strings are great!!!

 

[Jim Hanks]

Just lookng at the charts, it would seem that Medium in C would have the same tension as Light in D-both are on the higher side of the tension scale.

 

[zivilars]

Thanks for the answer, Jim – yes, I think so, too. Ordered also the Light Medium strings nevertheless to have the comparison - in case the string tension also changes the sound characteristics. Unfortunately, I forgot to add the Medium version with the wounded 3rd string to have full comparison...

 

[hammer40]

Yes, the mediums. They have a nice bright, crisp sound and the tension is really nice, to me anyway.

 

[zivilars]

Thanks for the input, hammer40. If they have a similar sound and tension than the Lights with D-tuning, that surely is nice. Do you use the set with the wounded 3rd string or the "normal" one?

 

[hammer40]

Thanks for the input, hammer40. If they have a similar sound and tension than the Lights with D-tuning, that surely is nice. Do you use the set with the wounded 3rd string or the "normal" one?

I have the non wound set, but generally I prefer a wound third. Since that set was my first try with Southcoast, I went with the less expensive set. I think there is better balance with a wound third though, some say just the opposite.

 

[zivilars]

Interesting to hear. Guess I have to try both and make up my mind myself ... Thanks for the answer!

 

[hammer40]

Interesting to hear. Guess I have to try both and make up my mind myself ... Thanks for the answer!

Yes, it's all subjective. I like the improved sustain, and I feel that is a little more depth and clarity for that low string using a wound.