Tuning my Ukulele like my Mandolin

[KoreyD]

So, now I have received an Epiphone Les Paul Acoustic Electric Ukulele. I wanted this with the intention to tune it like my mandolin, using the Aquila fifths tuning strings. These strings are technically made for a soprano sized Uke, and my neck is concert sized. I put them on, tuned it up, and it's so much fun to play, I'm having a great time picking on it (so much easier than my Mando, which is why I wanted it). However, with the new strings it was constantly going flat, and after about three days of much tuning, the E string snapped. Now I'm at a loss, do I pull another E string out of a set and maybe tune it less often to give it more time to stretch and hope it doesn't break again? I read that using steel strings on a Uke will damage the instrument, but what about just the E string? I've also read 20 pound fishing line might work. Anyway, if anyone has any info on the subject, I'd love to hear it. Thanks in advance!

[Jacob]

Had the same experience with the Epiphone Les Paul. The soprano set really isn't designed for mandolin tuning at the increased tension that comes with the longer concert ukulele scale length. Went to the lower CGDA mandola tuning with the Aquila 31U fifths tuning concert ukelele set. Problem solved.

Haven't tried the monofilament fishing line approach.

The E string in the GDAE set on a soprano scale Peanut Eleuke produces noticeably less acoustic and plugged in volume compared to the other strings when tuned to mandolin pitches. It is also disproportionately quiet on on acoustic ukuleles. The right size fishing line might be the cure.

All the Aquila nylgut string sets tried have taken days to stabilize and stop going flat so quickly, requiring the very frequent retuning. But eventually they do settle in at the desired pitch. Red Thundergut bass ukulele strings have taken the longest.

[Perry Babasin]

You might just try another E string from them. I have a set on a Kala concert size ukulele and the first E string broke while I was bringing it up to note. I put on another and brought it up to note slowly. After the strings stretched out, the E has been fine for over almost two years. I don't play it a lot but regularly, and the instrument stays in tune really well. I change mandolin strings frequently but these have sounded fine and haven't really needed to be replaced... BTW, I just looked up the Epiphone Les Paul on Google. Those little things look way cool!

[Jacob]

Had the same E string breaking problem on a Risa uke stick with a 14.5 inch scale length. Now also tuned CGDA with the concert set.

Both the Risa and the Epiphone would be greatly improved with an on board volume control.

[crisscross]

My solution to the broken e-string problem: a set of La Bella Charango nylon strings. It contains 3 high e-strings that are long enough to serve as two strings each. They seem to be more solid than Nylguts. I'm still playing the first(half)http://elderly.com/accessories/names...o-set--C80.htm
I'm using an Ohana Vita-style Ukulele wich has soprano scale lenght though.

[Petrus]

I've done it easily with my Maccaferri and Recording King resonator uke, but I think those are concert-sized, not soprano (iirc.)

I even got my guitar in CGDAAE ... as close to 5ths as I could get without breaking or going all limp. (The double A course is sort of a patch, best I could do w/o putting on different strings.)

[Steve Zawacki]

20-pound test monofilament line makes a satisfactory E string for GDAE tuning on a soprano (or concert) ukulele. Used to have GDAE on my ukes, also using 50-pound test line for the A string. The 20-pound line tenses up fine and won't snap (mine never did).

Based on the soprano (and most) uke's "voice", found CGDA as a better sound. The CGDA can be "standard" using the Aquila 31U set (works fine soprano through tenor).

You can take any standard low-G GCEA uke string set, swap the G and C strings, tune the E to D (won't be floppy) and the A as is. That wlll give CGDA with a reentrant C. I have had this on a soprano uke for quite a while and sounds fine.

[KoreyD]

Thanks everyone!

[KoreyD]

@ Perry B, The Les Paul is so much fun to pick around on, and it just looks like a tiny guitar. It sounds pretty close to a guitar too. I had ordered 3 sets of strings from Elderly, so if you've had good luck with letting the E string stretch out more slowly then I think I'll try that. Thanks for the input!

[mandroid]

For many Years, I've been using the Martin Baritone Uke set for all but the E,

there I use the soprano Outside string, the Soprano sets have 2 of them *.

(I have a Banjo-uke rebuiltwith a Spruce Head,
I had a Mandolin Fingerboard used It extends over the top, a Ways..

Might get a low E off a classical guitar set for the G, next restring,
* local shop sells single strings.

As is the string that Martin Set uses is same as the Classical A. Silvered Copper .035"