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Pops
Lokahi
USA
387 Posts |
 Posted - 05/17/2005 : 2:06:43 PM
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I have a Kamaka concert that I really love. Can a tenor really offer that much more?
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Pauline Leland
`Olu`olu
USA
783 Posts |
Posted - 05/17/2005 : 2:51:24 PM
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| I have the same dilemma but in reverse. Do I really need a concert? Let me add that I have a beloved soprano as well. |
Pauline |
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Fran Guidry
Ha`aha`a
USA
1579 Posts |
Posted - 05/17/2005 : 8:12:23 PM
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To my way of thinking, a tenor offers more space between frets. This is good if you need more room, bad if you need the frets closer together to reduce stretches. A tenor supports a low G better, this is good if you want that sound, pointless if you don't. I fell in love with a concert and bought it, but my tenor won my heart back and I let a friend talk me out of the concert.
There's no "more" to a tenor as a class, there's no "need" for a concert as a class. However, there may be a tenor or concert with a special magic for you, if you're open to it.
Or there may be no instrument that will delight you more than the one you have. I've bought and sold and fondled a fair number of ukes since I bought my tenor and that one instrument has eventually eclipsed all the others ... so far.
Fran
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E ho`okani pila kakou ma Kaleponi
Slack Key Guitar in California - www.kaleponi.com
Slack Key on YouTube
Homebrewed Music Blog |
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goto636
Aloha
USA
32 Posts |
Posted - 05/18/2005 : 02:50:14 AM
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For playability, I've tried all sizes of ukes and there are even differences between ukes of the same size. I prefer tenors for the extra fret room, but often they have necks that are too wide for comfortable playing - for me that is. Finally, after lots of trial and error, I found a tenor with a narrow neck that is just about perfect for me.
As far as sound, that's a whole different ball game. It depends on what type of music you want to make. I like the fuller sound of tenors for ballads and fingerpicking, but I want a brighter "uke" sound for upbeat tunes.
I don't know that any "one" uke can provide the right sound for all music. If you can afford it have several ukes of different sizes for different songs. If you can't don't worry about it. Find a uke that makes you want to play and you've found the right one.
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marzullo
`Olu`olu
USA
923 Posts |
Posted - 05/18/2005 : 06:30:19 AM
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quote:
I have a Kamaka concert that I really love. Can a tenor really offer that much more?
there's always room for more than one more ukulele in any uke-friendly home... i'm still looking for the perfect 8 string.
aloha,
keith
PS okay - you can play higher up the neck on a tenor more easily. so, if you're working towards slack key style, a tenor helps a lot. |
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KoAloha
Akahai
USA
68 Posts |
Posted - 05/18/2005 : 08:19:08 AM
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Although I build ukes for a living, I actually only own one prototype tenor. I have to borrow my wife's concert, when I want to play one. Although she never plays it, she makes it known that it's hers, not mine.
Anyway, as some others have said, the tenor is nice for the deeper sound and room on the fretboard, while the concert generally has a brighter sound. I feel comfortable on both instruments.
I keep my tenor strung low "g" and my wife's concert high "g," so I pretty much use my tenor for low "g" songs and the concert for high "g" songs. |
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Retro
Ahonui
USA
2368 Posts |
Posted - 05/18/2005 : 11:16:22 AM
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| Fran's note (and the others) sum it up nicely - I started learning on a concert, but found that a tenor fits my hands better, so I own two of them; I have one electric soprano, that I only use when I need the plug-in option, but I find my playing is not as precise on non-tenors now. |
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