03/30/2022
Turning a regular ukulele into a mando ukulele
Why?
A ukulele is a wonderful instrument to play both with chords and melody line.
But if you want to play melody lines easier and with a greater range?
You can still use your ukulele but you might consider re-stringing it so instead of the string tuning being GCEA you switch to GDAE, from base to treble side.
Have you had thoughts of playing fiddle or violin? This, GDAE tuning of the open strings is the same as on a violin, mandolin or Irish tenor banjo. A ukulele has frets so you can learn quicker and with better intonation where as with the notes on a violin you have to develop very accurate finger placement.
The same goes if you have a child or an adult who wants to try violin. Better intonation with frets means more rapid positive feedback for the player related to the tune they want to play.
You can still play chords if you want to.
This a perfect way to practice fiddle tunes quietly. In fact you can get really quiet, be in a waiting room and if you use the side of your thumb as your plectrum, only you can hear yourself.
You want to play mandolin but its double strings hurt your fingers and the muscles in your hand hurt, playing mandolin.
Back up for a bit and play mando uke.
1 nylon string instead of 2 metal strings. Consider this training wheels for your fretting hand as your muscles grow stronger and the calluses on your fingertips get harder.
You need a mellower sound, you're going to be playing with a harp and your mandolin is too bright and your tenor banjo is too loud and a regular ukulele doesn't have the range.
All great reasons to re-string your second ukulele to a mando uke using fiddle tuning,
G, D, A, E, bass to treble.
Mando Uke String Gauges
Normal Soprano, Concert and Tenor Uke tuning is: G,C,E,A. My anagram for that is Good Cats Eat Apples. We know cats hate fruit.
For Mandolin tuning on a Soprano or Concert uke:
G: use wound D classical guitar string for the regular G pitch.
D: can use the standard C ukulele string leaving it in its normal(same) position.
A: Move the high G ukulele string to use for the A note, or you can use a B classical guitar string.
E: Use 8 - 15 lb test good quality fishing line. There will be a different color of sound depending on the gauge. Narrower will be quieter and thicker will be louder but will also pull harder on the neck and bridge.
For Mandolin tuning on a tenor uke:
G: use wound low E classical guitar string for the G if you want low G octave below normal. If you want regular G, then use wound D classical guitar string, or wound A.
D: can use the standard C ukulele string, in the same position.
A: Move the high G tenor ukulele string to use for the A note, or can use a B classical guitar string.
E: Use 8 - 10 lb test good quality fishing line. Possibly Kevlar based. If you do not use good quality fishing line, then even 10 - 15 lb test string or .008 steel string will snap.
Other thoughts(see below) related to tenor uke gauges to make a tenor mando uke, for soprano and concert it would probably be the same though you might want to play with the gauge of the High E string in fishing line gauges. It is easier to reuse 2 of the strings on the ukes, if you can.
String gauges Tenor Mando-Uke mandolin tuning:
G-.030" wound nylon Augustine Blue 4th (D) classic guitar string
D-.041" plain nylon Augustine 3rd (G) classic guitar string ,040"
A-.028" plain nylon Augustine 2nd (B) classic guitar string .030"
E-.016" 10-15lb. nylon or kevlar fishing line over time will slightly stretch to .014"
Classic E nylon high 1st is .027" or.028"
This is very close to the 028" for the A string on the Tenor Mando-Uke and can probably be used that way.
D'Addario J50 Pro Art'e Classical Guitar sets give 3 of the 4 strings needed for our Tenor Mando-Uke
G-.030" silver wound
D-.043" black nylon
A-.028" black nylon
E-.016" fishing line of 15lb. test
Ed Damm
(207)479-0678
PO Box 25
Hulls Cove ME 04644
