I just put a set of Aquila Reds (88U) on my tenor, and the strings feel different. The manufacturing month was 11/2016. The strings no longer have the initially very noticeable rough/sandpaper-y texture, and generally seem more elastic. The wound string also strikes me as a bit thinner and more elastic.
They also stretch more. A lot. This is the first time ever that strings (reds included) started to go for a second round around the tuning posts, all three unwounds. Not that fond of that happening, but I suspect it won't affect anything negatively.
Can't comment much on the tone yet as they are settling still, but the few seconds the uke was in tune, the strings sounded phenomenal as always. Definitely my favorite strings still. I suspect something may have changed at some point late last year, though. I have sets from 4/2016 for both tenor and concert that have the old texture (that eventually smoothed out) and that aren't as stretchy.
Have the regular Red fans among you noticed any change with newer sets?
(Sadly, the A string in one of the packs was noticeably dented/scratched as if a sharp edge had slid along the length of a centimeter, so I took the A string from a second pack. Also not happy with that, but at least they are relatively inexpensive strings.)
P.S. and edit:
See further down for some experiences with the concert version of the reds, made from the latest formula in March 2017. Interestingly, these weren't stretchy at all and settled in at at amazing speed. So the production date really matters. The sound is always the same, at least to me, but the feel and "behavior" is not.
They also stretch more. A lot. This is the first time ever that strings (reds included) started to go for a second round around the tuning posts, all three unwounds. Not that fond of that happening, but I suspect it won't affect anything negatively.
Can't comment much on the tone yet as they are settling still, but the few seconds the uke was in tune, the strings sounded phenomenal as always. Definitely my favorite strings still. I suspect something may have changed at some point late last year, though. I have sets from 4/2016 for both tenor and concert that have the old texture (that eventually smoothed out) and that aren't as stretchy.
Have the regular Red fans among you noticed any change with newer sets?
(Sadly, the A string in one of the packs was noticeably dented/scratched as if a sharp edge had slid along the length of a centimeter, so I took the A string from a second pack. Also not happy with that, but at least they are relatively inexpensive strings.)
P.S. and edit:
See further down for some experiences with the concert version of the reds, made from the latest formula in March 2017. Interestingly, these weren't stretchy at all and settled in at at amazing speed. So the production date really matters. The sound is always the same, at least to me, but the feel and "behavior" is not.
Last edited: