Baritone Ukulele Tuned in 5ths

[Malcolm G.]

So, I bought a baritone ukulele - supposed to be tuned DGBE like a tenor guitar.
Kinda boring to a 55 year 6 string guitar veteran.

So, tuned her down to GDAE.

Now we're havin' fun!

Not even coming close to 4 finger G chords, but am able to do closed A formations and most open chords.

So, "Yes Lady, it's a ukulele".

[allenhopkins]

...baritone ukulele - supposed to be tuned DGBE like a tenor guitar...

"DGBE" yes, "like a tenor guitar" no. Originally tenor guitars were "supposed" to be tuned CGDA like a tenor banjo or mandola. Baritone ukuleles DGBE like the top four strings of a "standard" guitar. I believe DGBE on the tenor guitar is called "Chicago tuning," and is not uncommon, but not "standard" tuning.

A fifths-tuned baritone ukulele should be a lot of fun; enjoy!

[Dave LaBoone]

Great idea! You're right in that a bari uke isn't that much fun for most guitar players. I tuned mine down and in fifths last night after reading your suggestion...fun times ahead!

[swinginmandolins]

I did the same with a Baritone uke and used it on a christmas album I did. I found a set of nylon guitar strings to play with the gauges and get the tension up a bit. I was playing fingerstyle chord melody with it and on some tunes just strummed. I should have held on to the uke but sold it for other things.

[cedarhog]

I have a baritone uke..that I was bored with as a baritone uke. Might be fun to change it up a bit cause it has good tone. Those that have experimented what string gauges did you find to work best...I have a box of odd and end strings.

[rudy44]

I did the same, but went the extra mile to convert it to a double course instrument. You can check out the video in my recent post in CBOM.
http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...r-bodied-Mando

[Mandoviol]

I'm no guitarist, so I haven't bothered retuning my baritone in 5ths; however, I did get a soprano I tuned up as a mandolin. What string guages would you use for a bary in 5ths to keep string tension?

[rudy44]

What string guages would you use for a bary in 5ths to keep string tension?

The Baritone Uke is normally tuned as the first four strings of the standard guitar, D-G-B-E low to high, It is not tuned in fifths normally. I used the standard Baritone strings, but I'm tuned to a-e-b-f#, fifth interval tuning but a whole step higher. No problem with string tension in this configuration.

[adam-ukelindo@9]

Hello,
I also tune my baritone ukulele in fifths at a e b f#...there is lots playing in fours and in reentrant tuning can afford a player...but just something about he sound of a baritone uke in that a e b f# fifths ... the instrument already add so much dynamics in control of sound , you can keep the normal uke strings too. Try it...its a bit of an abstract to hav it a little high up than the normal tuned g d a e but just play with the chord shapes at the botttom...all the others will fit along fine. Cheers rudy44, great minds think, ...think...how's that go...I forgot :-P

[bratsche]

Interesting timing of this thread's re-posting. Since recently finding this guy's (below) YouTube channel with all his wonderful Christmas carol arrangements for his GDAE tuned baritone ukulele, I must admit I've really been lusting after one of my own!



bratsche

[billkilpatrick]

good find! - i tuned mine but the buzzezzzes made me put it back in the closet. strings by aquilacorde were particularly accomodating for the transition, i thought

[edspyhill09]

Reviving thread...

I bought a junky baritone ukulele for my first try at converting a Ukulele to a resonator ukulele. But I thought I’d try a tenor guitar tuning before I start the project.

I found the website “http://stringtensionpro.com” very helpful. It is D’Addario’s string gauge calculator. Type in the scale length, note/octave, and approximate gauge or tension.

Scale is 487 mm, (19-3/16 in)
Tuning is C3, G3, D4, A4
Used the individual string tensions from a D’Addario standard baritone ukulele string set, EJ65B.

Results:

C3 - 14.870 lbs., 0.0380 in. wound
G3 - 14.370 lbs., 0.0300 in. wound
D4 - 10.320 lbs., 0.0300 in. Clear nylon
A4 - 11.770 lbs., 0.0240 in. Clear nylon

I’ll order the strings and try it out.

Ed

[Wiggy]

good find! - i tuned mine but the buzzezzzes made me put it back in the closet. strings by aquilacorde were particularly accomodating for the transition, i thought

I have changed my Soprano ukes to GDAE Mandolin/Violin tuning. I'm loving it.

This thread prompted me to see what strings it would take to get my Baritone to CGDA (Viola).

Here's what I came up with. The tensions are reasonable. and sound pretty good to me.
I had to be careful with the D because the next larger is wound (.030w) and it was too tight and too loud. I couldn't find a .028w to try. Mandolin chords don't seem to be much of a stretch.

A LaBella .016 (same string for Soprano GDAE high 'E' string)
D D'Addario .034
G D'Addario .041 (maybe a .042 or 43 - .030w was too tight!
C D'Addario .035w

-Wiggy

[Wiggy]

Oops: "I had to be careful with the D because" should have been G, not D.

Now that the string has settled in, I like the .041 for G.

-Wiggy