U-Bass string suggestions?

I just got a Kala mahogany U-Bass for cheap due to a finish flaw. It has black strings, but I love the tone this guy Richard Coughlan gets on his, that has white strings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YbKCYKe4jA

Does anyone have any suggestions as far as the strings? Do you know what type he is using? I can't imagine there are too many string options for these out there. Is there a better type than the black ones, and why?

Thanks!

Go to the Kala web site and see their list of strings, many choices (http://www.kalabrand.com/ProductPages/StringsU-BASS.html). I'm using Aquila Thundergut off white strings that came with my Gold Tone GT MicroBass, and having them put on the custom bass uke being made right now.

Great, thanks. How do the white strings sound different from the standard black that come with it? I think they are the Pahoehoe's at the top of that page that are on this now - it is an SMHG-FS. They don't really say much about them on this page, I'm just wondering if the tone is different (brighter, darker?), or if it's just resonating differently.

kohanmike said:

Go to the Kala web site and see their list of strings, many choices (http://www.kalabrand.com/ProductPages/StringsU-BASS.html). I'm using Aquila Thundergut off white strings that came with my Gold Tone GT MicroBass, and having them put on the custom bass uke being made right now.

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This is the only bass I've ever played, so I can't compare. When I was deciding on buying one, the reviews I read leaned towards the off white Thundergut, that they were a little less sticky and tuned a little easier. I really like the warm sound they have, a little like a stand up bass, less like an electric bass.

I think your options are Pahoehoe which are black polyeurethane and keep on stretching forever. Acquila thunderguts which are white and are fairly stable, and I believe they have acquila red thunderguts as well.

Here's a video with some of the strings on an ashbory bass. Note the ashbory has a shorter scale than a ubass.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-zEGSRyOOs

Yeah the silicone sounds nice but they aren't serviceable strings, they stretch infinitely and break often.

CueFilmMusic said:

Great, thanks. How do the white strings sound different from the standard black that come with it? I think they are the Pahoehoe's at the top of that page that are on this now - it is an SMHG-FS. They don't really say much about them on this page, I'm just wondering if the tone is different (brighter, darker?), or if it's just resonating differently.

Click to expand...

I have the OEM (Pahoehoe) strings on my U-Bass, which have held up for a couple of years now, despite having to have them stretched on a regular basis. The tone is big and boomy, and has some tonal characteristics of an upright bass.

I put the Aquila Thundergut strings on for a couple of months, and then took them off. Yes, they settle in quickly and are more stable. However, I found the material stickier to the touch, making slides, glissandos or anything that would require motion a little hard. Plus, the tone was more focused and punchy, making my U-Bass sound more like a vintage Fender P-Bass, which if that's what you're going after is fine. But since it wasn't what I had bought the instrument for, the strings were a bad fit for me.