Strings for a Spruce Top?

JackLuis

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Either my strings are giving out or I have SAS, but I want to change the strings on my Ohana CK-22 Spruce top concert. I've had Fremont Blackline Low G on it and I wanted to try a 'Warmer Set"?

The Uke is very responsive being built very lightly and the Low G was a little 'boomy' .I also realized I like re-entrant tuning a bit better. I thought this time I'd try.....

D'Addario T2s
or???

What would mellow out the spruce a bit?
 
I have a Baton Rouge Sun (thinline cutaway concert electro acoustic) of solid spruce with low G Living Water strings that I like, maybe give them a try. :)
 
Either my strings are giving out or I have SAS, but I want to change the strings on my Ohana CK-22 Spruce top concert. I've had Fremont Blackline Low G on it and I wanted to try a 'Warmer Set"?

The Uke is very responsive being built very lightly and the Low G was a little 'boomy' .I also realized I like re-entrant tuning a bit better. I thought this time I'd try.....

D'Addario T2s
or???

What would mellow out the spruce a bit?

The T2s you mentioned above would be a warmer string then the Blacklines you had on before. T2 are monofilment which is bewteen florocarbon and nylon in terms of compostion, diameter and tone.
 
Well I changed out the strings to T2's and it does sound a little better. The re-entrant tuning is better for this little concert. They seem to have settled fast, ~12 Hours, and holding pretty well. Nice tension and not quite as 'sprucey' as the Fremonts, but still pretty bright. Intonation is good.

Keith: The Living Waters sound like they would be like the D'A Carbons, which are easy to get here in La La Land. I'd try LW's but the cost of mailing from England is more than the T2's cost and I don't have to wait on the post.
 
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I put Savarez Alliance strings on my Moore Bettah with a spruce top for the first year until it mellowed out enough to go back to Worths.
 
I would look at the offerings from Southcoast http://southcoastukes.com/stringuide.htm They have such a wide variety and those that I have tried are great- well balanced, great sound and intonation and with nice tension
 
I'd try LW's but the cost of mailing from England is more than the T2's cost and I don't have to wait on the post.

I purchased my LW from Uke Republic in Atlanta. Mike shipped them very quickly. I have them on a sapele uke. I like Martins on my spruce ukes.
 
I purchased my LW from Uke Republic in Atlanta. Mike shipped them very quickly. I have them on a sapele uke. I like Martins on my spruce ukes.

I would have tried Martins on my ck-22 but my local shop doesn't carry them! They have Martin Guitar strings but not Uke stings! I castigated them about that on Monday.
 
I'd try LW's but the cost of mailing from England is more than the T2's cost and I don't have to wait on the post.
Fair enough but FWIW, the cost is not as much as you might think, and the shipping is usually quicker than you might think. At current exchange rates, a single pack of concert strings is £8 plus £3 shipping which is $14.10 which is about the same price as from Uke Republic. If you wanted to try a custom set and/or order 2-3 sets (still £3 total to ship), then it really makes sense to order direct.

Yeah you can get T2s for, what, $5 or $6 locally and if you like them, fine. I'm just saying $12-15 for strings is not that expensive in the grand scheme of things.

I'll also second the vote for Southcoast. They've worked great on everything I've put them on.
 
So the T2's setup fast and are holding tune pretty well, but don't sound all that good. I like the Fremonts a lot better even with the boominess. The re-entrant tuning is better but, I may switch the T2's out for D'Addario Carbons. I like the Carbons on my Zebrawood concert, or maybe PhDs which sounded about the same when I tried them last year.

Would nylon be more mellow on Spruce?
 
Well the T2's were a bust, but only ~$4 wasted. I got some Phd's to try. They were ~$8 but I liked them on other ukes.
 
I got the Phd's to try Hi G on this uke. I bought a Soloist too, but more for other purposes, though I may try it on the CK-22 if the Hi G doesn't turn out. Now I just need to workup the inspiration to actually change strings. :D

I've been considering tuning down to Bb on this uke just to see what that sounds like before I tune up to C6. I've never detuned my concerts before, I do play my tenors in dGBE and eAC#F# and like how they sound.
 
Well I just put the PhD's on last night and tuned to eAC#F# ( A tuning) just for drill before I tune up to C6. Wow they sound really nice and not so 'sprucey' but this little CK-22 is LOUD! My next door neighbor came over to play Uke this morning, I let him play it and he remarked about how loud it was.

I put a capo on the second fret and it is still loud and a lot nicer sounding. Maybe it is a perception bias?

I had been thinking about selling this one because I've had it about 2 years and didn't play it much. Now I think I'll keep it and use it for learning finger picking, the intonation is just about perfect.
 
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