Ukulele conversion?

**Merula** · Jan-30-2012, 11:18am

I was wondering if something like a baritone ukelele could be converted into a tenor guitar (or octave mandolin tuning preferably) or if there is some issue with the tension of the strings on the instrument?

If I could get some kind of nylon string arrangement with GDAE tuning that would be even better. Anybody had experience with this?

**Seonachan** · Jan-30-2012, 12:21pm

Soares'y guitars sells a baritone uke to baby tenor conversion, using steel strings, though it's advertised more as a beater than a performer. You can get sets of Aquila uke strings in fifths for soprano and concert ukes - I've seen them for tenor ukes on a German site (CGDA tuning) but haven't been able to find a domestic source (Elderly said they would look into it but I never heard back from them). I guess if you can just determine the gauges you need you can buy single strings. You could start with a DGBE baritone set - that gets you the D and E strings. The B might work tuned down to A. Then you'd just need a low G.

**bcmd** · Jan-30-2012, 3:47pm

There was some related discussion on this topic recently here:

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...ition-on-hands

Scroll to bottom

**salamander** · Jan-30-2012, 8:56pm

I'm interested in this conversion thing too... -Eric

**Merula** · Jan-31-2012, 3:07pm

I'm wondering what the issues are for adding tension to the neck and body seeing as it wasn't made for this?

**tashook** · Jan-31-2012, 9:58pm

I'm wondering about the neck tension as well. I would like to find strings for my Tenor Uke in GDAE.

**Terry Allan Hall** · Feb-01-2012, 12:20am

Originally Posted by Seonachan

Soares'y guitars sells a baritone uke to baby tenor conversion, using steel strings, though it's advertised more as a beater than a performer. You can get sets of Aquila uke strings in fifths for soprano and concert ukes - I've seen them for tenor ukes on a German site (CGDA tuning) but haven't been able to find a domestic source (Elderly said they would look into it but I never heard back from them). I guess if you can just determine the gauges you need you can buy single strings. You could start with a DGBE baritone set - that gets you the D and E strings. The B might work tuned down to A. Then you'd just need a low G.

Set up a Harmony baritone as an Irish Tenor thusly: A low tension Low E for the G, a regular tension D for the D, a high tension B for the A, and a regular tension High E for the E...used Savarrez strings and it sounded pretty nice, although it wasn't terribly loud. Sounded better after I installed a UST and used it plugged in.

To use a baritone in CGDA, perhaps a high tension D for the C, a regular G for the G, a high tension E for the D, and (I'm guessing here) a 20# nylon fishing line for the A (might have to tweak the fishing line guage to get the right tension on the A, but I know some banjoists who play classical use fishing line, in various tests, for strings).

**cstewart** · Feb-01-2012, 9:08am

I have one of the soaresy baritone uke/tenors. He built a new beefier neck to handle the extra string tension. It has a bit wider fretboard than normal as well. The only thing left from the original ukulele looks to be the body.

**Dolamon** · Feb-02-2012, 7:27am

I've done it for a Tenor Uke by picking and choosing from a set of d'Addario, Pro Arte classical guitar strings (Normal Tension) from Elderly. I'd need to look in the case to find out exactly what works. At this time, I've been staring at a Baritone Uke from the fifties which I unearthed from my basement. One of the reasons I haven't changed over is ... it's been in a 50% relative humidity environ for over 15 years and I am almost daily checking all the glue joints to see if it will accomodate a radical string change. I may just try the same set of Pro Arte strings and see what I end up with the two inch longer scale of the Baritone (19 inches).

The Gold Tone, Banjo Cello ( http://elderly.com/new_instruments/items/GTCEB4.htm ) is strung with a high tension set of classical guitar strings using the 6, 5, 4 and third string. This instrument has a 24 inch plus length neck and is tuned to CGDA. As far as using fishing string ... I experimented with that idea years ago and could never find a satisfactory string tension. There was always one or two strings which just didn't project. For a modest investment in a few sets of classical guitar strings, you should be able to make it both tuneable and playable.

I modified my tenor uke as an experiment ... it has become my go to instrument for working out new tunes and chord progressions and - while it isn't as loud as some of my Mandola's, it is a lot easier to play and keep in tune. As far as tuning it GDae ... I have no idea what string would work for the high e. The high string on tenor guitars are problematic in C tuning ... in G, perhaps unrealistic. As a side note ... once I got used to the C tuning, I found it really easy to explore more classical music and tunes from the great American song book. The G tune, seems awkward and forced ... now.

**Dolamon** · Feb-17-2012, 12:13am

The latest experiment with the Baritone Uke worked out with a really simple solution. I took a set of Aquila Classical strings (normal tension) and used the middle four strings for the C tuned, 20 inch scale uke. It needs some adjustment on the bridge saddle but it is playable and literally booms in closed chords. Interesting ...