Songster Tenor

Tenor - there are two models of the Songster - #1 is traditionally shaped with f holes and #2 is a cutaway design. A tenor uke is normally tuned to the same pitch as the concert uke GCEA. It has a longer 17”scale length making the fret spacings further apart so fingering can be easier for people with large fingers.

As each instrument is made to order, many different variations have been constructed for example -

1. Low G or High G stringing on the 4th string.
The low wound G gives a more guitar sound and widens picking options along the lines of a tenor guitar. The high G is the same as the conventional arrangement for concert and soprano ukes.

2. Steel Stringing.
This is great for slide playing or just a more bluesy edge.

3. The Baritone Variation
Replaces the 17” scale length tenor neck with a short baritone one of 19”. This deepens the sound but still allows the instrument to be tuned up to the same pitch as the tenor.

4. The 6 String “Lili’U” variation
Named after the Hawaiian Queen Lili’ukolani. This is a tenor uke with two added strings. The first and third course are doubled with he first having a lower octave wound string and the third a higher octave string. This sound is unique and beautifully accompanies the voice.

5. The Square-neck Lap Uke.
Another instrument unique to Beltona – the concept suggested and played by ukemaster James Hill. It features a raised nut, square wooden neck and a 24 fret fingerboard with inlay fret markers in place of metal frets. It is held flat on the lap and its metal strings are played with an overhand metal slide in the Hawaiian steel guitar style.