string choice for a 5 string Ukulele

Hi all,

i am in the process of building a 5 string tenor ukulele. normal ukuleles are tuned gCEA, the bottom string (which would be the lowest on a guitar) is a re-entrant high string. the photos of the process are on my page: http://www.cigarboxnation.com/photo/albums/violele

My design is to make a GgCAE uke, with a double G string, both high and low. i've seen it done before and it sounds great (search 'ohana 5 string ukulele). the build is progressing perfectly and i'm almost at the end so i need some strings, but its a pig to find low G that isn't wound (I really don't want a wound string.)

from my research a standard uke setup has gauges .23, .27, .31 and .23, or there abouts. i have found nylon accoustic guitar strings that have the bottom three unwound strings gauged at .28, .32 and .40. i figure this would be perfect cos mine is a tenor not  soprano uke. if i buy 2 sets i can string it .28, .32, .40, .28, .40. 

But i don't know if the tunings will work. can anyone help me work out the string sizes to get the correct tunings. thanks in advance   :)

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Permalink Reply by Keni Lee Burgess on April 15, 2012 at 3:11am

You might get  a better reponse to this question if you visit a uke players site. www.juststrings.com may also be a good source. Write to them concerning the string gauges needed to achieve the desired tuning. Enjoy your practice, Keni Lee

Permalink Reply by St Ginger on April 15, 2012 at 1:09pm

thanks keni. i haven't quite got over the kinks and twists of the build, so i'm not ready to get the strings yet, but i will email them and see what they suggest.

Permalink Reply by t ewart on January 2, 2013 at 2:15pm

Contact Mike at Uke Republic. He has 4 string sets for tenors that have the low G. Then all you need is one high G string sold separately.

Tom Ewart

Tallahassee

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