Southcoast Squeakless Strings

Steveperrywriter

Steveperrywriter

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So, I ordered a couple sets of the Southcoast Light Medium Gauge Linears (LML-WB) and they showed up today. I put a set on my Carruth tenor, and I was so impressed with how they felt and sounded that I strung up my Hannam tenor with the second set.

I so liked how that felt and sounded that I am about to order more sets of these to try on my other tenors.

Neither the wound G nor the C squeak, least not much that my impaired old ears noticed. Soon as they settle in, I'll do a sound clip with as much sliding as I can so you can hear (or not hear) how they sound. Certainly the most squeakless strings I have ever played. That's only part of the sound, of course.

I don't know anything about how strings are made and Dirk's explanation as to how these were designed and balanced certainly seems comprehensive to me. Maybe it is controversial, but I know what I like, and I really like these.

They are spendy, but if you have plunked down enough on a quality ukulele, great strings certainly seem worth it from where I sit.
 
Thanks for sharing. I've been happy with every set of Southcoasts I've bought. Have them on my Mele koa tenor, Pono 6 string tenor, and bought a set for my Mele 6 string mahogany concert.
 
Thanks for sharing! I am waiting for the ML-WB's to be release, which I think the tension will be a little higher and more in line with what I'm looking for on my tenors. I believe those will have the same wound 3 and 4 string formulation as the new 1.5 series.
 
I just put a set of Light Mediums (reentrant) on my Kala tenor after soliciting (great!) advice from other UU folks about strings for fingerstyle and I am sooooo happy with them. The sustain, the warmth of sound, _everything_ is a vast improvement over the Aquilas that were previously on there. I also plan to upgrade some of my other ukes with Southcoasts as I have time.
 
Thanks for the review on the new South Coast strings. The fact the you like them so much you put them on your Beau Hanamm tenor is a huge stamp of approval. I am a huge SC fan and have the old HML-RW on my three best tenors. I will be getting the new 1.5 HML-WB and try them out on one of the three for a head to head shoot out.

Thanks for the good info Steve, it's appreciated.
 
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DownUpDave said:
Thanks for the review on the new South Coast strings. The fact the you like them so much you put them on your Beau Hanamm tenor is as big of a stamp of approval as there is.
Thanks for the good info Steve, it's appreciated.
Click to expand...
+ 1 for the review notes and the application to certain ukes, Steve!
 
I have had good experiences with a range of strings: Worths, Oasis, Living Waters, and the earlier incarnations of Southcoasts. Each had pluses and minuses, and the Hannam has been wearing the 1.0 version of the Southcoast mediums to good effect.

I like the light-medium 1.5's more than the the others, but we are probably talking about small variations at best. If you are a fan of the G & C wound-sound, and I am, these are the best on my instruments, to my ears.

I don't know how much real difference strings make, but since I'm the one who listens to myself the most, and I think I hear a difference, then that's what matters the most. The new ones definitely are more squeakless, and the overall effect is more pleasing. They are spendy, as I have said, and buying several sets will cost you as much as an inexpensive ukulele, so you have to take that into account. What sounds good on my instruments might not do the same for yours.
 
String Check



New strings, still going flat in a hurry, but just a quick listen to hear the no-squeak aspect. Obviously, any string can squeak, but these do so less than any I have played. Just some slides and noodling.

(Forgive the crappy playing, that goes with the territory, sorry.)
 
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Any thoughts as to how these compare to fluorocarbons tension-wise? My Scott Wise tenor came with Aquila Nylgut with a wound g, I've been playing with Fremont Blacklines with their Soloist wound g. As lightly-made as the uke is, I don't want to risk too high a tension. But would like to see if Southcoasts double wound theory/experience sounds good to me. So I'm thinking LML-WB vs. ML's when they come out. Thanks for any input!
 
Got me. Probably a question a luthier or string dealer would know. My lightest-built uke is the Carruth, and I am watching it with the new strings. One of the luthiers who post here -- Forgive me, I can't recall which one -- allowed once that properly-built ukes are always on on the edge of collapse, but if you look around, there are a fair-number of really old ones still being played.

I guess if the bridge pops off or the top caves in, the tension would have been too much; I suspect most handmade are sturdy enough to deal with the tension of two wound strings.
 
macfish said:
Any thoughts as to how these compare to fluorocarbons tension-wise? My Scott Wise tenor came with Aquila Nylgut with a wound g, I've been playing with Fremont Blacklines with their Soloist wound g. As lightly-made as the uke is, I don't want to risk too high a tension. But would like to see if Southcoasts double wound theory/experience sounds good to me. So I'm thinking LML-WB vs. ML's when they come out. Thanks for any input!
Click to expand...
southcoast has a tension chart for each of it's string sets.
 
strumsilly said:
southcoast has a tension chart for each of it's string sets.
Click to expand...

They do show charts, but unless I missed it, these don't show tension related to other makers' strings. And the charts speak to kinds and scale length with a color-code that gives you an approximation of tension. So a chart will allow that a set of strings would work on a baritone but not on a tenor, like that.

I think Macfish is wondering how much more tension a set of Southcoast double wounds would put on his bridge than, say, a set of Aquila or Worth fluorocarbons would.
 
Steve,

How do the light mediums compare to worth clear mediums tension wise?

I have found the tension charts for southcoast to be very consistent when comparing different southcoast models, but since other companies don't release tension info like that, any comparison would be based on subjective feel.
 
Recstar24 said:
Steve,

How do the light mediums compare to worth clear mediums tension wise?

I have found the tension charts for southcoast to be very consistent when comparing different southcoast models, but since other companies don't release tension info like that, any comparison would be based on subjective feel.
Click to expand...

Yeah, this is completely subjective, and I don't have numbers, but the LM Southcoast feel a little tighter under my fingers than the Worths. The LMs (Linears) feel a bit less tight than the Medium SC 1.0 version, but bear in mind, my fingers are unique, so I can't say how valid the feel is.
 
macfish said:
Any thoughts as to how these compare to fluorocarbons tension-wise? My Scott Wise tenor came with Aquila Nylgut with a wound g, I've been playing with Fremont Blacklines with their Soloist wound g. As lightly-made as the uke is, I don't want to risk too high a tension. But would like to see if Southcoasts double wound theory/experience sounds good to me. So I'm thinking LML-WB vs. ML's when they come out. Thanks for any input!
Click to expand...

You will not have to worry about the higher tension damaging your Scott Wise tenor. I have had HML-RW (heavy mediums) on some very light custom builds with no issue. Dirk uses that tension chart for tuning at scale length and for customer preference in feel.

As an example I talked to Dirk about a double wound set for a Ono 16" concert I am having built. He talked primarily about my feel preference. He said if I am keeping it in C tuning I could go HML, ML, or LML. It just boils down to how I want the strings to feel under my fingers
 
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macfish said:
Thanks much Dave!
Click to expand...

Your very welcome. If you are looking for a guitar like sound the SC with wound G and C strings are fantastic. It has a very balanced sound from string to string. As far as tension under finger goes compared to your Aquila I would say ML would have a little less but close, HML would be a little more and LML would definetly have less tension under finger.
 
Are these the 1.5 version, the web site says new but not yet the new version.

Thanks again for all the info folks!
 
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