Ukulele tuning for non ukulele . . . .

[scgc.om]

Sorry if this is a dumb question or a dumb place to post this question - I just didn't know where else to ask, and people here seem quite eclectic and quite possibly quite knowledgeable.

I'm going to a Music Camp next month and a class in Ukulele is being offered. Of course I don't want to invest in a Uke just for a wknd class but I thought it might be fun to take it.

Is it possible to retune another instrument to "My Dog Has Fleas"? I wondering about a tenor guitar - looks a lot (to my inexperienced eye) like a Baritone uke . . . . can it be put in Uke tuning?

And I read somewhere a LONG time ago that you can cludge a guitar into a Uke - something about capoing and deadening 2 strings.

Thanks for any help.

[delsbrother]

While you certainly can do those things, the results won't look, feel, or sound like ukes. Ukes are cheap! Mahalos can be had for $20! If you want better than crapola quality, try asking other musicians you know. Someone will probably have a uke you could borrow - the camp might have loaners too.

[Bruce Evans]

IIRC, one common tuning for tenor guitars is "Chicago" tuning, dgbe, the same as baritone ukulele and strings 1 through 4 of a 6 string guitar.
Yes, but that does not give you the reentrant tuning of a ukulele. The 4th string needs to be an octave higher. Then you would have to capo it at the 5th fret.

But it still woudn't sound like an ukulele. Borrow or buy a cheap ukulele.

[mandroid]

Soprano uke sets use same string gage for 1st and 4th, as the D is only a whole step lower than the high E, so ball end classical guitar strings would all be plain ones if you want to go non steel..

[scgc.om]

Thanks for the advice folks . . . looks like my idea of "cludging" a Uke is a bad idea.

Dang - I shoulda bought the Martin soprano I saw for sale recently - near new, excellent condition - for $200 . . . . [Was that a good price? I didn't know so I passed on it.]

[allenhopkins]

Dang - #I shoulda bought the Martin soprano I saw for sale recently - near new, excellent condition - for $200 . . . . #[Was that a good price? #I didn't know so I passed on it.]
If it was one of the new Mexican-built Martin S-O ukes, probably not such a good price. Consensus in the "ukulele community" is that they're not such-a-much.

If you want to get into a good-quality, inexpensive ukulele, the Fluke and Flea models are well recommended. They have plastic backs (sorta like an Ovation guitar), but seem to be decently made and good-sounding.

[mandroid]

And there is a BackPacker uke from Martin too, similar sturdy build.

[mandolooter]

[QUOTE]And there is a BackPacker uke from Martin too, similar sturdy build.


Hahaha....that seems redundant!

[Bruce Evans]

And there is a BackPacker uke from Martin too, similar sturdy build.
Sturdy, yes. But an even poorer ukulele than the SO. Visit Music Guy Mic, a.k.a., MGM.

http://stores.ebay.com/Musicguymics-Room

You will hear nothing but the best about Mike from everybody.

[arbarnhart]

I got an ultra cheap Leolani from www.leolanihawaii.com (http://www.leolanihawaii.com) on a tip from someone that every thing that they sell (even souveneir grade) is at least playable (proper fret spacing, decent friction tuners and reasonable choices in wood). While I went even cheaper to just get a beater (I got the "Dolphin" model), the student model was what was specifically recommended to me as the best uke for under $50 and possibly the best for under $100. My cute little Dolphin uke actually plays well but I would not take it to a class unless I retopped it (I actually might do that).

EDIT - Call me crazy, but after posting this, I pulled my little uke out and played it a few minutes and changed my mind; I would take it to a class. It sounds okay, if a little on the quiet side, and if others laugh at the little wooden dolphins and "Hawaii" on the top, so be it. I could probably sand the current top to remove the dolphins, "Hawaii" and the too thick finish, and get more volume and less stares. A little marquetry overlay for the headstock and I could probably have people oohing and ahhing over it. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Bruce Evans]

I got an ultra cheap Leolani ... on a tip from someone that every thing that they sell (even souveneir grade) is at least playable.

EDIT - ... and if others laugh at the little wooden dolphins and "Hawaii" on the top, so be it.
No one would laugh at your ukulele. If someone showed up at a mandolin workshop with a $69 mandolin, you wouldn't laugh at them, would you? You might advise them that they deserve a better instrument, but you wouldn't laugh at them.