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Original Post By:
AlanJ
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Date: 5/5/2008 1:59:37 PM |
| If so, what string gauges did you use? I'm interested in resurrecting my neglected Backpacker but trying to find some higher, interesting tunings for the thing. I'd like to use nylon strings (it's a steel string backpacker). Any suggestions? |
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Posted By:
northern uke
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Date: 5/5/2008 4:32:14 PM |
| ADF#B
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Posted By:
AlanJ
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Date: 5/5/2008 7:36:22 PM |
| northern.. if you've done this, what strings did you use? Other than preference, any reason for D tuning rather than C?
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Posted By:
northern uke
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Date: 5/5/2008 9:27:38 PM |
| More string tension wakes 'em up sometimes. I use regular G sets on all my ukes and go up and down with the tuning with no problems. Worth and Aquilas seem to respond the best. D tuning is quite common, and provides a lot of available music as well.
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Posted By:
northern uke
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Date: 5/5/2008 9:27:38 PM |
| More string tension wakes 'em up sometimes. I use regular G sets on all my ukes and go up and down with the tuning with no problems. Worth and Aquilas seem to respond the best. D tuning is quite common, and provides a lot of available music as well.
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Posted By:
PHMike
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Date: 5/5/2008 10:57:55 PM |
ADF#B might be interesting on a uke but the Backpacker is a guitar isn't it?
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Posted By:
AlanJ
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Date: 5/5/2008 11:52:45 PM |
PHMike, mine is. Martin also made a Backpacker uke as well as a Backpacker Classical guitar. But mine is the steel string guitar model I'm seeking to "repurpose".
Northern.. I'm assuming you were talking about Martin's Backpacker uke. Mine's the guitar. But thanks for the info. Higher tension might wake up the guitar too.
I've seen smaller guitars (Yamaha's Guitarlele comes to mind) strung such that it's A to A. I've seen some string brand/gauge recommendations but not sure if these would also work on the Backpacker before I blow some string money.
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Posted By:
schwartz
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Date: 5/5/2008 11:53:03 PM |
| You could just string it normal and slap a capo on that bad boy...
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Posted By:
jeff mercer
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Date: 5/6/2008 1:22:56 AM |
| Alan, if you're used to standard uke tuning (and you mention you'd like to try different/altenative tunings), why not try stringing it as a single-course Charango ? Obviously you have the option of two unused machine heads, so maybe try 5-string tuning of G,C,E,A,E, (bottom to top), with the 3rd string E tuned an octave above the 1st string E. Standard set of Charango strings should work. That octave string right in the middle sounds really good !!
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Posted By:
AlanJ
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Date: 5/6/2008 8:49:07 AM |
| Jeff.. nice idea, thanks! Might make for an interesting sound in addition to my current Charango.
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Posted By:
John Kavanagh
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Date: 5/6/2008 9:31:59 AM
(Updated: 5/6/2008 9:37:52 AM)
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Another possibility, if you want it to chord like a uke, is to reslot or replace the nut so you have two doubled courses at the nut, spreading to equal spacing at the bridge. It sounds weird but it has been done - try googling "Wimbrola". You finger chords like a uke, but interesting things happen when you fingerpick.
You could tune it an octave below uke; your low note would be G like guitar on the third fret E string - probably as low as that little body will sound good anyway. You could even be really strange and have the G strings two octaves apart, since that high g is likely as high as you could get with metal strings. It's going to sound awfully anemic with nylon strings, but if you try it an like it, well and good. You could get a thin nylon string up to a', I think.
It I was trying it, I'd go gG c'c e a but you could also try g'G c e a'a or g'g c e'e a or any variation that appeals to you. It's a question of finding a voicing that you like in a pitch range that seems to suit that guitar.
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Posted By:
AlanJ
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Date: 5/6/2008 9:46:47 AM |
| John, excellent idea on redoing the nut to accommodate doubled courses! I'll check out "Wimbrola". Thanks much, good sir!
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Posted By:
feedajane
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Date: 5/6/2008 10:16:53 AM |
| Wow, I like that idea- I'm going to check out "Wimbrola" too!
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Posted By:
John Kavanagh
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Date: 5/7/2008 4:00:57 PM
(Updated: 5/7/2008 4:06:04 PM)
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You could try a set of extra light electric strings, say .042"-.009" or whatever they are, and tune g'G c'c e a, putting them on in this order :1/6 2/5 4 3. It's an octave uke, The G's are two octaves apart, the C's one octave apart, and each string is one to three frets higher than its intended pitch. That should work with the light strings (the high g' on a 12-string is an .009), and it will drive that top and brighten up the sound.
If you don't like it, you can replace the strings one at a time until something works for you.
I'd like to hear it - should sound sort of like a muted tiple.
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Posted By:
AlanJ
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Date: 5/7/2008 6:08:30 PM |
| Thanks again, John. I'm doing some measurements to see if the current nut might be reused. If not, I've got a bone nut sitting around somewhere I might be able to swap in.
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Posted By:
John Kavanagh
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Date: 5/8/2008 9:47:32 AM |
| Please let us know how it works out, I'm interested.
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Posted By:
AlanJ
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Date: 5/8/2008 10:54:56 AM |
| "how it works out".. you mean IF it works out :)
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