Tune a ukulele like a mandolin

[Dan in NH]

I recently ran across the book that shows how you can tune a ukulele in fifths like a mandolin. A soprano ukulele has a similar scale length to a mandolin. A concert or tenor ukulele would have a much longer scale length, probably more similar to a mandala.

Does anyone hear to a ukulele in fifth and play it like a mandolin?

[Ray(T)]

Auilla make a specific set of strings to enable you to tune a concert sized uke as a mandola (CGDA). I bought a set several years ago but only got round to putting them on a couple of months ago. The result is somewhat underwhelming!

[pelone]

Ray(T)----a bit unfair assessment. Results for using Aquila Strings "Soprano Fifths" on a soprano uke depends on your goals. I enjoy strumming the uke tuned GDAE with the Aquila strings ---perhaps one should not anticipate a huge volume but it is huge fun. I find them a bit floppy and lax on a soprano but get good tone when strung on to a concert uke. They are not likely going to allow you to be able to cut through banjos at a jam but are still more than adequate for recreational playing.

[Simon DS]

A LOT depends, as has been said on the string tension which of course is scale length dependent -not all concert ukes have the same scale length.
Aquilla 30U and the heavier 31U are a start but try experimenting, I’ve heard that tuna fishing line works great for the fourth string.

I set up a Keech banjo in fifths with 30U’s and it sounds great! (I think)


https://youtu.be/3xC3lrfcBzg

[Ray(T)]

Pelone - Not sure how you can criticise my assessment when you haven’t heard it. The concert uke (100% koa Ohana) was fine with 10 year old strings for normal tuning but lacks volume and tone with a new set for mandola tuning. I’m not expecting a banjo killer, I have other instruments for that!

[Mark Gunter]

No reason not to do this if you really want to, I’m all for experimentation and having fun! Questions like this pop up here frequently.

That said, I’ve never taken the plunge and probably never will. I’ve thought about it for a few seconds in the past, but that’s as far as I’ve gotten. After all, I already have instruments tuned like mandolins, they’re mandolins - and it’s nice to have a uke tuned as a uke to uke around on ever so often.

But if this is your thing, by all means knock yourselves out. And do a quick search for a bunch more similar discussion if you’re interested.

[Ray(T)]

I originally decided to convert (as I said) several years ago as, with a narrow neck and short scale, it seemed more comfortable to play mandolin/mandola chords than “guitar” shapes even though I’ve been playing guitar since the 1960s.

[Jacob]

Have and play soprano ukuleles tuned as mandolin with Aquila Soprano Uke Mandolin Tuned (Fifths) Set, 30U.
Concerts and tenors tuned as mandola with Aquila Concert Uke Mandolin Tuned (Fifths) Set, 31U.
8 string tenor in mandola tuning with two sets. (nfi)

[milli857]

I have a soprano uke tuned GDAE but am not the biggest fan. The sound is muddy compared to my mandolins and the chords are hard to play for me because the neck is wider than a mando. Using a pick on nylon strings also can't be great for their lifetime.

[Dan in NH]

I ordered from Amazon the Aquila 30U strings and a copy of Play the Ukulele in 5ths Tuning by Rob MacKillop.



Should arrive in a few days. I'll grab an inexpensive soprano ukulele between now and then. Between that and The American Mandolin Method by Brian Wicklund & Ben Winship I should have plenty to keep me picking.

As much as I constantly tell myself I'm a guitar player I can't stop experimenting with the mandolin.

[Dan in NH]

What kind of pick should I use?

[Dan in NH]

Also, any reason to think that picking on a tuned in 5ths ukulele would develop in my some bad habits that would make me a worse mandolin player?

Although honestly I can't for the life of me imagine I or anyone else could ever be a WORSE mandolin player than I currently am.

[Simon DS]

I haven’t seen many books on how to be a really bad mandolinist but you probably wouldn’t need a book for that anyway.

[Doug Freeman]

The uke family instruments tuned in fifths can work quite nicely, especially for baroque music. Here are a couple links for ideas and inspiration:

https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...ning?p=1774499

https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...fths?p=1780028

[sbhikes]

I have one of these and I replaced the first string with a heavier string, probably some kind of mandolin G string, and I tune it either DAEB or CGDA. It sounds sort of like a little banjo more than either a mandolin or a ukulele. I bring it camping and even backpacking. It only weighs about 13 ounces and it's pretty tough.

[allenhopkins]

Call me a stick-in-the-mud, but overall I think that most instruments sound the best when they're strung and tuned the way they were designed. Doesn't mean one can't try other stringings and tunings, but if different strings and tunings are used, doesn't surprise me if the instrument doesn't sound as good as it did when strung and tuned "standard."

My reactionary attitude shouldn't dissuade anyone from experimentation. You might stumble across a surprisingly unique and responsive sound. And I recall reading the late Tommy Tedesco's Studio Log column in Guitar Player, when he described the dozens of sessions he played on banjo, mandolin, sitar, et. al. -- all tuned like guitars, or at least in the same relative intervals. Worked for him, and he even won the Gong Show, dressed in a pink tutu.

[Simon DS]

Never got into drugs myself, but I did go to Joshua Tree one time and met a guy there with one of those https://strumstick.com/products/ukulele-strumstick
He had put a really nice pickup into it and then used a miny amp and a really long lead all the way back to his (hidden) VW van. He played wierd music at three oclock in the morning, he was an engineer, not a musician. And looking up at the stars with crazy sounds eching around the rocks it didn't matter!