String guage

[Luvapluck]

I have a Kala short scale tenor guitar and want to use standard tuning (CGDA).what string guages shoul I use please.I currently tune to GCEA as I can play ukulele chords on it.

[fox]

You don't say the actual scale length but I will guess at 21" so .... 10p 15p 22w 36w will work very well.

[Luvapluck]

You don't say the actual scale length but I will guess at 21" so .... 10p 15p 22w 36w will work very well.

Thanks.The scale length is 21.1/2.

[fox]

Still ok.......

[Steve Zawacki]

The D'addario EJ66 string set (10-14-22-32) is another way to go if one doesn't want to go the single-string route.

[Luvapluck]

Ok,thanks for that.

[stevemci]

Also for a Kala, what would the appropriate string guages be for GDAE tuning?

[fox]

12p 20w 30w 44w .... 13p 22w 32w 46w

[LifelongPlunker]

The D'addario EJ66 string set (10-14-22-32) is another way to go if one doesn't want to go the single-string route.

Kala "support" recommend the EJ66 set for CGEA. Just put a set on mine and they work well enough. The EJ66 is intended for a standard scale tenor, so one would think the gauges should be somewhat heavier to compensate for the shorter scale as Fox suggests or they may feel floppy due to low tension. The Kala tech support guys seem to know nothing about the tenor guitars they sell, and I think they recommend EJ16 because it is readily available and has four strings in the package. If you put the EJ16s on and have intonation issues (such as notes on the second and third frets sounding sharp), a heavier gauge string will usually help.

General note: Check the gauges on six-string sets readily available online and at you local music shop. You can often find the string gauges you want without going the single string route which might be pricey or unavailable locally. You end up with two extra strings you can either sell on the street corner or use to snare varmits to supplement your larder.