Bass Ukulele!

Well...I am originally a bassist...then I found the uke and it changed me life!

Anyhoo, I was wondering if I could tune a uke to EADG...just like a bass!

I'm assuming it would be a baritone uke...but could it be done? I mean, could the normal baritone strings make the tuning? Or would I have to get some, well, odd strings?

I know that there are a few actual bass ukuleles in existance, though it'd be a bit of a pain to get your hands on one.

As far as retuning a baritone, it should be doable, though you might need different guages of strings. Possibly the bottom four strings from a nylon guitar? It'd be an octave higher than a bass, but it'd still be the same notes.

As far as using normal baritone uke strings, I have no experience at all with a baritone ukulele. The only odd retuining that I've done was when I decided to try to tune my tenor as a tenor guitar (CGDA). This actually worked, and I have used the tuning a few times since, as I am familiar with it thanks to cello. So generally, you're safe tuning up to three or four whole steps down, if your strings are a heavy enough weight.

Hope I was of some help.

I'm in the process of converting a 6 string 3/4 scale guitar into a bass. It will be using strings from that bassuke.com site.

The guy that runs that site and makes those basses is Owen Holt. He is extremely helpful and very generous with his knowledge. I can't say enough good things about him. I've had lots of email conversations with him before begining this project.

According to him some people have done conversions using the black polyurethene strings on a baritone uke. You'd need to use those strings to get into the right octave btw. I chose not to convert a baritone because I felt the neck wouldn't be wide enough but i may try it at some point.

it's worth pointing out that these instruments probably need to be amped. I have a regular acoustic bass and unamped it is just barelyloud enough to be heard with a couple of ukes in a small room. These other instruments with the softer strings and smaller bodies are too quiet except for maybe practicing with another person right next to you.

Well I went the other way.  I already was playing a ukelele with standard tuning and had a lot of the chords and chord patterns memorized.  Then I picked up a baritone uke tuned EADG and I changed the strings to GCEA ukelele tuning.  I had to buy different strings but it works great.