Alchemy Brand Strings, your experiences please.

Graham Greenbag

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Alchemy are a very small brand that trades on EBay in the U.K. but, after paying massive shipping costs, these strings are also available on eBay USA. Strings in various materials are offered, the U.K. price is very competitive but is the product?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Alchemy-...796070?hash=item2a5ea98ba6:g:W~UAAOSw3KFWhCdK
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Alchemy-Fl...hash=item2834f80fee:m:mTEXRP6OBFWxJmDhQcuI0gA

I wonder if anyone has any experience or knowledge of this brand, if so please share it here. Thanks.
 
8 sold 7 available!
Doesn’t seem to be a bigh volume seller.
Only information given is ‘Nylon’
Why bother, for the sake of a couple of quid buy known strings!
H
 
Yep, not a high volume seller and maybe just some industrious person selling from their kitchen table. Fluorocarbon is also available as well as nylon and the seller has being offering strings for over a year - the sales figures listed are probably for part of a batch only.

I wouldn’t want to be penny wise and pound foolish, but if I can spend £8 for two sets of good strings rather than twice that then it’s worth asking about.

(A pocket of Martin M600’s is currently £8.00 inc. delivery here in the U.K. and, at $8.00, they’re slightly less expensive in the USA - eBay prices quoted).
 
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Alchemy strings are actually only available in the UK. There is just the one supplier, that sell them on Amazon and eBay. The range is small, the is packaging is cheap, as are the strings But the strings are good quality . The black nylon Ukulele string are mello and the fluorocarbon are bright . I use the carbon sets on all my Ukuleles .
 
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Alchemy strings are actually only available in the UK. There is just the one supplier, that sell them on Amazon and eBay. The range is small, the is packaging is cheap, as are the strings But the strings are good quality . The black nylon Ukulele string are mello and the fluorocarbon are bright . I use the carbon sets on all my Ukuleles .

Thank you, that’s just the type of information I was looking for. I’m hoping that a few more people will add their experience(s) too.

I want to avoid being ‘penny wise and pound foolish’, but if there’s a bit more information available on them then I’d be inclined to take a calculated risk and support the supplier’s enterprise. The strings are likely to be repackaged fishing line but as Mr Timms supplies his Ukes with that now and Baz Maz (I believe) uses it too it can’t be that bad. I would guess that ‘Living Waters’ strings are similar stuff too and they’re very well thought of.

Besides price how do the fluorocarbon strings compare with other string sets available? (Sound the same or better, last as well, no noticeable difference, intonation variable, etc. ?)
 
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Hello Graham
I am new to the ukulele, but I have played nylon strung guitars for years. I have read the fishing line conspiracy stories with some amusement. It is common knowledge that in 1948 Albert Augustine and Olinto Mari , the owner of La Bella , needed to find an alternative to silk and catgut to make guitar strings . The war had made both unobtainable . Together they made the first set of nylon guitar strings , using same nylon that was used in silk stockings, tow ropes and fishing line . The first concert using the nylon strings was by Andres Segovia . It is said that Segovia compared the strings to elastic bands, but he never went back to catgut. Anyway, Alchemy strings . I have tried the black nylon and they seem to be good strings. On my guitars I like the sharpness of Fluorocarbon and the Alchemy compare well to the guitar strings I use , in regards to tone , staying in tune and durability.
 
Thanks @Finch1.

For the sake of (thread) completeness I add a few of the details that I’ve been able to find out. I contacted the seller and he’s a really helpful chap who knows about his product. Obviously he’s not going to give away his trade secrets and I wouldn’t knowingly pass on any if he did. As best I can understand matters he uses a higher quality than normal line from the parent company of the ‘usual’ supplier. He balances the tension on his lines and to me they appear to be 30, 40, 50 and 60 lb weight, that seems to be a common configuration. Some people, including my favoured supplier, use an 80 lb line on the C string instead and I would prefer to stick with that.

From what I’ve found out there is no reason, besides your own personal preference, not to buy Alchemy strings and save your self a few bob. Additionally the seller offered to refund my string costs if they weren’t to my liking. In summary I have discovered they are actually worth a punt - a fiver isn’t much to risk and they’ll likely be fine enough.
 
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Joining in a bit late here! As Finch1 says, Alchemy flourocarbon strings are bright in tone. I actually use Living Water strings for the GCE strings on my uke but then use an Alchemy on the A to pick up that string. When I tried all Alchemy strings the sound was a bit too bright and slightly 'thin' for my liking but that's probably because they are on a homemade ply ukulele that is just a bit smaller than normal soprano. The Alchemy A string is just a bit thinner gauge than the Living Water strings.
 
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