Worth Brown vs D’Addario Rectified vs Martin Fluorocarbon for Low Tension?

haziz

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Any of the above will go on an Ohana solid mahogany tenor. I will use the concert gauge on the tenor with the D’Addario and the Soprano/Concert Martin string for lower tension. I think the Light Worth Brown are also technically soprano/concert gauge (46 inch length in the packet).

I am trying to find a gentler string on my fingers while I build up strength and calluses. Sound is secondary at this point. I currently have Aquila Nylgut on the tenor which sound great but which are killing me. I plan to downtune to F#-B-D#-G# until I get the new strings.
 
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Finger tips will take a little bit of time to harden, but don't be tempted to play through the pain, little but often will get them hardened up. :)
 
I can't imagine pay off of the effort to change strings except to change sound. Sorry tho, your fingers hurt!
One plays a bit everyday and the fingers get used to it. I find ukuleles strings do not cause much pain at all and it matters not what strings... unless you play too long or you have the wrong strings to begin with...which is not likely. Frequency is the answer. If you are in a hurry, pick your uke up and play two or three times a day for 2-5 minutes and in a few days to a week you should be good. Unless you have a medical condition...then all bets are off and I stand down.
I can not imagine searching for softer or lower tension strings to make it easier on my fingers. There may be no cheese at the end of that mouse hole in my opinion. Better to spend the time playing. Aquila Nylgut strings should be fine and better than most, unless you are looking for a change of sound. Just my strongly held but humble opinion. I have a bucket of new strings to try but I am loath to keep changing strings unless necessary because it takes away from my PLAYING time, so I only change when absolutely needed.
 
That is interesting. Most of my ukuleles are strung with Martins, Living Waters, or Worth Browns. I rotate taking them to my weekly ukulele choir where we strum and fingerpick for an hour. I usually leave feeling like the fingerprints have been rubbed off my fingers. These are sopranos and tenors.

Last night I took my only concert. It is still strung with the version of Aquila Nylgut strings from the HMS purchase four years ago. I was remarking on how much better my fingers felt after the hour of practice, to the point that I am considering re-stringing one of my usual choir uke with Aquilas.
 
Any negatives to using a Soprano string (D'Addarrio Nylon) in a Tenor Ukulele? I am not too concerned regarding longevity (within reason) or ultimate cost. It will be tuned for a reentrant GCEA (high G).

Does this in fact give me slightly lower tension because of the gauge?

Thanks.
 
Stress on the neck or bridge might be an issue even though the nylon probably is more “stretchy” (technical term ��) than the fluro. You wouldn’t want to pop a bridge or warp a neck.
 
Stress on the neck or bridge might be an issue even though the nylon probably is more “stretchy” (technical term ��) than the fluro. You wouldn’t want to pop a bridge or warp a neck.

If that is the case, wouldn't that imply that the tension is in fact higher (which is the opposite of what I am trying to achieve)?
 
Any of the above will go on an Ohana solid mahogany tenor. I will use the concert gauge on the tenor with the D’Addario and the Soprano/Concert Martin string for lower tension. I think the Light Worth Brown are also technically soprano/concert gauge (46 inch length in the packet).

I am trying to find a gentler string on my fingers while I build up strength and calluses. Sound is secondary at this point. I currently have Aquila Nylgut on the tenor which sound great but which are killing me. I plan to downtune to F#-B-D#-G# until I get the new strings.

For my mahogany tenor I use the brown Worth strings. I've never had a problem with them. They are very gentle. I do a lot of string bending and don't have any soreness. I can get a little sore on my Kamaka which has D'Addario strings. I solve that problem not by changing strings or down-tuning; I just give it a rest and play again a little later.
 
Any negatives to using a Soprano string (D'Addarrio Nylon) in a Tenor Ukulele? I am not too concerned regarding longevity (within reason) or ultimate cost. It will be tuned for a reentrant GCEA (high G).

Does this in fact give me slightly lower tension because of the gauge?

Thanks.

Yes it will give you a lower tension. Because the strings are smaller in diameter they will stretch more, yielding greater give and feeling less firm under your fingers. It might give you a brighter sound and less volume but will do NO harm to the uke. The opposite is true if installing tenor gauge strings on a soprano. It will feel firmer and usually is warmer and louder
 
"For my mahogany tenor I use the brown Worth strings. I've never had a problem with them. They are very gentle. " could you tell me if you use the regular Worth Brown medium or the pack that is specifically designed for a tenor ?
 
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