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uke scale

Posted by Mungo Park on January 26, 2011 at 4:29pm in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion

A friene wants a Uke. I am not sure of a scale length.  My thoughts are that with nylon strings and a CB it might be a bit underguned, as in quiet sounding. What do you do for scale lenght and strings to get the most quality out of this sort of build.

 I was thinking of a bolt on neck, concert scale of 17" I have a piece of maple for a neck, but open to any other ideas, wood, scale lenght, strings.

                                                       Cheers Ron.

         

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Replies

  • herb Berwald WWW.CigarGuitar.com January 29, 2011 at 8:14am

    Yes, use the nylagut strings...very cheap improvement to any uke.

     

    17 inch is what I use for the tenor ukes built so far.  Works well and sounds good.  I have a few videos of my son playing it on my page...enjoy

  • Don Thompson January 28, 2011 at 12:10pm

    Well, Unless a guitar player gets a hold of it and puts a low G on it and turns it into a little four string guitar.

    Don

    Wichita Sam said:

    Find an old vintage cedar box, float a hardwood bridge in the middle of the top and use any scale you want.  it's a uke, it will sound like a uke.....  no problem...
  • Mungo Park January 28, 2011 at 10:55am

    The local shop has Martin uke strings, clear fluro.

     They are the same price as aquili, so I might as well order some since they will come before I get this built, I will check the local shops for a box this weekend, half the fun is in the hunt. Thanks for your help. Scale somewhere in the 17-19" range. It will be fun to build a bridge for this, well really the whole thing will be fun.

                                                                         Cheers Ron.

  • Wichita Sam January 28, 2011 at 3:45am
    Find an old vintage cedar box, float a hardwood bridge in the middle of the top and use any scale you want.  it's a uke, it will sound like a uke.....  no problem...
  • Don Thompson January 27, 2011 at 5:16pm

    I agree everyone. I think the few more dollars spent on good strings is worth it. plus they keep their tone longer.

    Don

  • Diane in Chicago January 27, 2011 at 3:23pm

    These?  http://www.juststrings.com/aquilaukulele.html

     

    That's the brand I have, still in the envelopes.

     

    Mark Bliss said:

    You know, I am at work and dont have access to double check, but the last two sets I got were called something like Aqilgut or something like that. They definitly had better, clearer ringing tone than anything I had previously used. Plain jane strings sound pretty dull in comparison. Just my opinion and experience.

    Have fun!

  • Mark Bliss January 27, 2011 at 12:22pm

    You know, I am at work and dont have access to double check, but the last two sets I got were called something like Aqilgut or something like that. They definitly had better, clearer ringing tone than anything I had previously used. Plain jane strings sound pretty dull in comparison. Just my opinion and experience.

    Have fun!

  • Mungo Park January 27, 2011 at 10:41am

    I am going to servery the local selection of strings today, then I will be able to tell if I have to order some from afar.

     Thanks for the tip, I agree good  quality strings will be in the plan.

                                                       Cheers Ron.

  • Diane in Chicago January 27, 2011 at 8:14am

    Do you have a recommended brand?  I"ve only used the GHS black nylon, because they were black and looked cool!

     

    I also have a set of nylgut ones from that Italian company, I forget the name just now, but have not put them on an instrument yet.

     

     

    Mark Bliss said:

    One difference I have found, CB or not, is that discount strings often sound quite dead, where the good quality uke strings really tend to make a difference.
  • Mark Bliss January 27, 2011 at 12:16am
    One difference I have found, CB or not, is that discount strings often sound quite dead, where the good quality uke strings really tend to make a difference.
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