What string should i use for my future kala KA-STG?

Jonathan80

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Hello good folks of uu,

Im would like to hear some suggestion on string to use on my comming kala KA-STG uke... any suggestion is appreciated and im a real beginner in uke.

I read alot about doffrent string barand and about hi-g and low-g setup which makes me kinda lost in it.

Regards
Jonathan
 
Call me old fashioned, but I think your first ukulele should be the classic re enterant tuning.
As for strings, my wife's Kala cedar top came with nygut string.
She hasn't changed them, and they sound amazing.
I like fluorocarbon for feel and brightness, so far all I use are
Martins, 600, or 620.
There are of course hundreds of choices.
The stock nygut are good strings, you might love them and never need anything else.
 
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Call me old fashioned, but I think your first ukulele should be the classic re enterant tuning.
As for strings, my wife's Kala cedar top came with nygut string.
She hasn't changed them, and they sound amazing.
I like fluorocarbon for feel and brightness, so far all I use are
Martins, 600, or 620.
There are of course hundreds of choices.
The stock nygut are good strings, you might love them and never need anything else.

hello maki66,

Thank you for opinion.. i guess i get to save some on strings for now =)

Regards
Jonathan
 
I agree, try using what comes with it first, then, if you don't like their feel or tone, that's the time to look at others.
(Fluorocarbon strings tend to feel nicer under my fingers too.)

P.S. I use Concert scale fluorocarbon (low G) strings on my tenor scale ukes, it's another option, gives less tension.
 
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I agree, try using what comes with it first, then, if you don't like their feel or tone, that's the time to look at others.
(Fluorocarbon strings tend to feel nicer under my fingers too.)

P.S. I use Concert scale fluorocarbon (low G) strings on my tenor scale ukes, it's another option, gives less tension.

Hello Croaky,

Thank you for the opinion and advice... i was asking partly also because i might oder a snark yuner online and i though of getting string too to save on shipment fee...

Regards
Jonathan
 
Good idea! So, I would order fluorocarbons in both high & low G, then you will know in the future which to get. :)
(Start with normal tenor strings, as the flouros are a softer feeling material than Nylgut.)
 
From my experience, I would recommend fluorocarbon strings. To me, they sound better and feel better than nylon or nylgut. My favorites are Oasis and Martin strings but I also like Worth clears.
 
Strings are always a personal preference. I prefer Nylgut. I like the feeling of a substantial string under my fingers, and I actually find Nylgut to be easier on my fingers than most fluorocarbon strings I've tried. I also like the brasher sounds of nylon to the more demure tone of fluorocarbon. In the end, there is no way of predicting what you'll prefer. I recommend asking the dealer you buy from what string the uke will ship with, and buy one set of another kind-- so if it's shipping with Nylgut, buy a set of fluorocarbon and then you can decide for yourself which you like better.
 
Hello Croaky,

Thank you for the opinion and advice... i was asking partly also because i might oder a snark yuner online and i though of getting string too to save on shipment fee...

Regards
Jonathan
Good idea. I like having spares.
 
I have this ukulele as my first uke as well. In the 2 weeks that I've had it, I decided I didn't like the stock strings that came with it. Too stiff/hard feeling, especially at the first fret. Not knowing that they came with Aqulia Nylgut, I bought a pack of Nylgut and still don't like them. I ordered a pack of Fremont Blacklines and Aquila Sugar strings for further testing, and will likely go into a store and pick up some Martin 620's as well (per suggestions in another thread of mine).

Make sure you get the ukulele setup too!
 
Have had some time to play with Nylgut, Sugar Strings, and Fremont Blacklines on this Uke and here are my opinions:

Nylgut: No surprise here. Pretty good all-around sound. Everything you'd expect from Nylgut, but a bit uncomfortable to play.

Sugar Strings: These take some time to get used to. They have a texture on them that causes squeaking and can feel harder than the Nylgut. If you give these strings some time to settle in (a day or so), they magically become something different. They really sing. More bell-like than the Nylgut, but with the same punch and projection. Mimmo suggested using hand cream and some folks say they don't experience the squeakyness of it at all, so I guess it depends on how well moisturized you keep your hands.

Fremont Blacklines: Definitely the most comfortable of the three to play. Plenty loud, but they're a bit too bright for my taste when paired with the spruce top of this uke. Kinda like a harpsichord type sound to them. They would probably sound nicer when paired with a more warm tone wood like mahogany.

So far, the sugar strings are the ones I like best, but I'm still in search for the "perfect" string on this uke. I'll try to get some sound samples up for you when I get some time. Will try to get my hands on some Martin tenor and concert strings, as well as Oasis Warm.
 
If you click the FAQ link in my signature below, you can see some of my previous explanations regarding my use of strings, in a few different threads linked from there...

Strings are subjective and there are no 'wrong' or 'right' or 'best' strings, it's all based upon what YOU want, and takes experimentation to figure it out.
 
From my experience, I would recommend fluorocarbon strings. To me, they sound better and feel better than nylon or nylgut. My favorites are Oasis and Martin strings but I also like Worth clears.

I agree, except my favorites are Fremont Black Lines. :)
 


There you go. I made a video comparing the Fremont Blacks and the Aquila Sugars on the KA-STG. I'm only a few weeks into playing ukulele so please be nice ;)
 
Not sure if the OP is still looking for information on this, but I have tried a number of strings now on this uke, and here are my findings from favorite to least favorite:

- Oasis Clear GPX Warm: Awesome sound. Warm tone with clear and airy sustain. Plenty of volume. A little stiff, but manageable even for beginners (such as myself). Love the sound from these strings.
- D'Addario EJ99T Fluorocarbon: Mellow and warm bell-like tone (despite the packaging saying they're bright). Good volume. Very comfortable to play. I like these a lot as well.
- Aquila Sugar: Lots of volume and very bell-like tone. They're a bit stiff and very squeaky depending on how dry your hands are. The sound is amazing if you can get past the squeaks.
- Fremont Blackline: Very bright sound. Almost like a harpsichord. Thinner feeling, but comfortable to play. I think I would like these strings better on a more mellow sounding tone wood like Mahogany.
- Martin M620 (Tenor): A little brighter, almost guitar like sound. I would say these are a good string to start with if you're getting away from your stock Nylgut for the first time to see if you like the fluorocarbon feel/tone.
- Aquila Nylgut: Everyone knows about these.
- Martin M600 (Concert): Experimented with concert strings to see if they were more comfortable. For me, I found the tension was almost the same, just a thinner line. Lacked volume and didn't provide as full a sound as the others.

If anyone wishes, I can make a video comparing all of them. Hope this helps!
 
Not sure if the OP is still looking for information on this, but I have tried a number of strings now on this uke, and here are my findings from favorite to least favorite:

- Oasis Clear GPX Warm: Awesome sound. Warm tone with clear and airy sustain. Plenty of volume. A little stiff, but manageable even for beginners (such as myself). Love the sound from these strings.
- D'Addario EJ99T Fluorocarbon: Mellow and warm bell-like tone (despite the packaging saying they're bright). Good volume. Very comfortable to play. I like these a lot as well.
- Aquila Sugar: Lots of volume and very bell-like tone. They're a bit stiff and very squeaky depending on how dry your hands are. The sound is amazing if you can get past the squeaks.
- Fremont Blackline: Very bright sound. Almost like a harpsichord. Thinner feeling, but comfortable to play. I think I would like these strings better on a more mellow sounding tone wood like Mahogany.
- Martin M620 (Tenor): A little brighter, almost guitar like sound. I would say these are a good string to start with if you're getting away from your stock Nylgut for the first time to see if you like the fluorocarbon feel/tone.
- Aquila Nylgut: Everyone knows about these.
- Martin M600 (Concert): Experimented with concert strings to see if they were more comfortable. For me, I found the tension was almost the same, just a thinner line. Lacked volume and didn't provide as full a sound as the others.

If anyone wishes, I can make a video comparing all of them. Hope this helps!
Nice break down, thanks!
 
Hello good folks of uu,

Im would like to hear some suggestion on string to use on my comming kala KA-STG uke... any suggestion is appreciated and im a real beginner in uke.

I read alot about doffrent string barand and about hi-g and low-g setup which makes me kinda lost in it.

Regards
Jonathan
Jonathan, no one can tell you the correct strings for your ukulele. Everyone's instrument is different, as is their hearing, as is the acoustics in the room you play in. Strings are a fairly inexpensive item. So if your budget permits, buy 2 or 3 different types of strings and try them. If you install the strings and don't trim them you can go back and forth, but as I said, only you know what strings are best for you.
 
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