Timple in 5ths tuning

[Patrick Dunn]

Looking for advice on tuning my timple canario to 5ths tuning.
It is currently tuned gcEAD.
I was able to tune the top three strings to DbAbEb but I worry about tuning up higher with these string gauges.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dVV5s1...ature=youtu.be

I would like to tune it
CGDAE.
Any advice on strings? I think it has a scale length more like a concert or tenor than a soprano uke.
Think I’ll just buy the cdga and the gdae sets from Aquila and hope for the best?
Thanks
Pat

[Gunnar]

I don't know what to do about strings, but that was nice picking!

[Explorer]

First, do no harm. If the strings seem really tight, you risk ripping off the bridge. Drop that tuning immediately.

Once you go back to the original tuning, and keep the instrument intact, here's my advice:

Start from the point of origin.

Find out the string gauges with which it was originally strung, and to what pitches each of those gauges was tuned. Also measure the vibrating scale length (the part of the strings between the nut and the bridge saddle which vibrates when sounded).

Next, find a website which allows calculating what tension a string is at a particular pitch, gauge and scale length. This will then allow you to calculate what string will give you the same tension when tuned to the same pitch and length. Even better, some websites allow putting in what you have on there, and then just spit out the right gauge for a requested pitch.

If the strings are nylon, you're lucky, as you can get much higher in pitch using such strings than metal strings. I have a Yamaha nylon-strung Silent Guitar tuned in full fifths (low to high CGDAEB full fifths, with the B being above the normal high E4 of standard guitar tuning). The string gauge calculator told me that i could use fishing line for the top string, told me the gauge, and it worked a treat.

I don't remember what website I found for calculating the nylon gauges, but searching for "string tension gauge calculator" will bring up results whIch you can go through. Anything worth doing will be worth investing the effort, right?

Good luck, and cheers!

[Patrick Dunn]

Thanks.
If I’m measuring right it has a 20 inch scale length but very thin strings.
Online I found these gauges in a set of commercial timple strings.
D'': 0.60 mm
A': 0.70 mm
E': 0.80 mm
C'': 0.60 mm
G': 0.70 mm

I don’t know the tensions.

Can I find the gauges of Aquila fifths tuning sets online?

[bratsche]

Patrick, how are you measuring it? Because that doesn't sound right. The scale length is the vibrating string length only - from nut to bridge saddle. A whole timple canario is barely more than 20" long - I don't remember ever seeing anything significantly different, size-wise. Will have to dig mine out to check.

(dig, dig, dig) Yes, the scale length on mine is 14.75", which puts it in the range of a concert ukulele. I know the CGDA string set by Aquila is for concert ukulele, so that's where I'd start out. Finding an E gauge thin enough that won't break easily might be a problem.

bratsche
(who doesn't actually play the thing much anymore, but got it as a souvenir decades ago, living in Tenerife)

[Patrick Dunn]

Hi yes I’m measuring from the beginning of zero fret to the bridge saddle.
It has a much longer neck than the other timple I have which is more like yours (about uke size ).
In Lanzarote, I think they call these soloist models. Body is still normal size.

[bratsche]

Very interesting! I only visited Lanzarote briefly, and of course I didn't know about a long-necked timple - learn something new each day! In that case, I don't know how to attain that tuning. I think it would be more doable on the standard timple.

I'm actually having a 20" scale CGDAE nylon hybrid instrument custom built as we speak, but it will have the tuning an octave lower than what you're looking for, and obviously a very large body (the range will be a third lower than a guitar!)

bratsche