HBolte
Well-known member
Both my MB and Kanile'a concerts sound best with Aquilas...to me. They would sound terrible on my vintage Martin sopranos, M600's only on them. I experimented a lot with various strings, you should too.
Why so many ukes shipped with Aquilas?
- Thread starter deschutestrout
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deschutestrout
Well-known member
So Dick, unless I'm misunderstanding, you've never tried any different strings? If that's the case, you really don't have basis to offer an opinion on "strings and the difference they make in tone and playability"? :stop: If I misread this, I apologize.
deschutestrout
Well-known member
Re-read my original post ... I've tried various strings on all my ukes, (and have even gone back and re-tried Aquilas to see "if I'd missed something") For the sound I'm looking for, I have yet to own a uke that prefers Aquilas ... and, that's just me .... I will continue to experiment with strings (lots out there I haven't tried) as I enjoy how often I'm pleasantly surprised by a positive change in tone and playability.
Down Up Dick
Well-known member
I didn't offer an opinion of the difference strings make in tone and playability. I do think the difference is a tempest in a teapot though. And I have tried a different brand, but I didn't see any difference in tone. I did notice that it was easier to barre with the Aquilas.
I also stated why I thought Ukers went through all the string changing and testing. What else can one easily and cheaply change to be different (better?)?
It's okay to change and sample and change and sample. It's part of the hobby, and it's something to debate.
ld:spookelele
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I would disagree here. I have a kala teme3 that sounds better with aquilas than fc's. The clean/clearness of the FC really shows how dead the plywood tone sounds. The fuzzy bark of the aquilas fills out the tone more than the 620's, worth, and d'addario I tried on it. I'm probably going to go back to regular nylguts on that one from the supers on the next set.
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RAB11
Well-known member
How can you disagree with him saying he hasn't has a uke that sounds best with Aquilas yet? He didn't say there is not a single uke out there that sounds good with them.
Down Up Dick
Well-known member
Your apology is accepted, and be careful about spitting coffee in your computer. I don't think adding coffee is good for a computer's tone or playability, but that's just an untried opinion.
Have a nice day. Go change your strings.
ld:spookelele
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How can you disagree with what I can disagree with? Call a lawyer!
Are we not supposed to reductio ad absurdum twice in the same thread?
jthomas
Member
String threads are so amusingly contentious. I'm definitely in the minority opinion on strings. I like Aquila and I'm not a fan of fluorocarbon. There, I said it, I don't really like fluorocarbon. I've tried it on several ukes, from my Kamaka pineapple (which sounds great with Martin strings, but has a set of Lava's on the way to try) to my new Risa stick which is the closest I've come to generally liking them.
Aquila definitely has a sound of their own, which I like on most lower end to mid-range ukes. I like them on my Kala solid spruce top concert (have not tried Fluoro's on that on).
In recent years, I've become a hobby builder of cigar box ukuleles. Even though I only use solid wood tops and I'm careful to thin them out as much as possible, with the box shape, getting the top to really resonate can be tough, and Aquila strings seem to give me better performance across the board, from simple volume, to complexity and depth of sound. I also like their feel.
Aquila definitely has a sound of their own, which I like on most lower end to mid-range ukes. I like them on my Kala solid spruce top concert (have not tried Fluoro's on that on).
In recent years, I've become a hobby builder of cigar box ukuleles. Even though I only use solid wood tops and I'm careful to thin them out as much as possible, with the box shape, getting the top to really resonate can be tough, and Aquila strings seem to give me better performance across the board, from simple volume, to complexity and depth of sound. I also like their feel.
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deschutestrout
Well-known member
Good to know ... and I said "I'VE never owned one ... " (yet). I fully understand (and have learned from many of you who experiment like I do) that Aquilas are THE string for many ukes. And I'm open to trying them again as my "taste in tone" evolves, and my desire to have ukes on hand that have a very different sound quality.
Brian W
Well-known member
I tend to prefer fluorocarbon strings on my sopranos, however I recently tried a set of the Super Nylgut on an Ohana SK35, and I have to admit that I do like the tone and feel of these strings. They are incredibly smooth to the touch and intonate really well--after settling in of course. The tone is a bit warmer than typical clear fluorocarbon strings, but a tad louder. I like the fact that Aquila as a company is constantly innovating and improving upon their string designs. I agree that they do not work well on every uke, but the same can be said for any string. I went through about 8 different sets of strings on a Kanilea K-1C before I finally relented and went back to Aquila stings; they sounded the best on that particular uke.
wayfarer75
Well-known member
Last night I put Aquila's new Lava strings on my Kamaka pineapple. They're still stretching, of course, but there is such a distinct difference between the Lavas and the fluorocarbons the uke's been wearing since I took off the Kamaka strings (Martin M600 and Oasis bright). Compared to the Kamaka strings, these have more tension and more volume but still have the punch that I think the Kamaka strings try to achieve. Perhaps on a uke with a longer scale the Kamaka strings are fine, but on a soprano I don't like them. As for the Lavas vs fluorocarbons, the Lavas are not so chimey/bell-like, and give the pineapple more of a classic, percussive uke sound. (I found the Oasis and Martin strings to be similar, and couldn't hear much difference between them.) I think it's all a matter of preference.
BTW, the Lava strings look awesome. Not black, but a dark gunmetal color with pearl. Much like cooled lava.
BTW, the Lava strings look awesome. Not black, but a dark gunmetal color with pearl. Much like cooled lava.
RAB11
Well-known member
Agreed on the tension and percussiveness of the Lavas. And the looking awesome bit. I put them on my concert a few weeks ago coupled with a Red Low G, sounds pretty cool but looks awesome. Other half then goes "you should have done a red one then a black one then a red one then a black one!"
Sorta wishing I'd done that in the first place, would have made for an interesting sound I think.
jthomas
Member
Now you have me excited. As I said, I think the Martin Fluorocarbon strings sound nice on my Kamaka pineapple, but I just don't care for the feel. I play the pineapple with a small old-timey, bluegrass style band (pretty much standing in for mandolin) so a little less chime, and a little more punch would fit exactly with what I'm looking for. If I get what I think is the superior Aquila feel as well, I may have found my perfect strings.
wayfarer75
Well-known member
The Lavas have a different feel than the regular Nylguts. I had those on my Kala KA-S so long ago that I don't remember exactly how they sounded vs. the Lavas, but the regular Aquilas had sort of a "matte" finish. The Lavas have a smooth shiny finish, with a slick feel.
I do like the sound of the Lavas; I liked what the Kamaka strings were trying to do, and I think the Lavas achieve it better. Whether that will suit my playing style remains to be seen. I'm a fingerpicker/chord soloist rather than a strummer/singer, but I play all kinds of songs.
I do like the sound of the Lavas; I liked what the Kamaka strings were trying to do, and I think the Lavas achieve it better. Whether that will suit my playing style remains to be seen. I'm a fingerpicker/chord soloist rather than a strummer/singer, but I play all kinds of songs.
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cdkrugjr
Well-known member
Nylguts are a Pretty Good, Not Too Expensive string that sounds Pretty Good on moderately-priced instruments.
I'm not sure who else has hit that sweet spot of "Moderate Price" and "Sounds Pretty Good." I like them on smaller instruments better than larger, and don't really care for their wound strings at all, to say nothing of Reds.
But strings are insanely personal, being the thing we touch Constantly while playing...
I'm not sure who else has hit that sweet spot of "Moderate Price" and "Sounds Pretty Good." I like them on smaller instruments better than larger, and don't really care for their wound strings at all, to say nothing of Reds.
But strings are insanely personal, being the thing we touch Constantly while playing...
brucemoffattreturns
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Several years back I ordered a whole heap of different strings from Michael Aratani, with the aim of finding the difference in sound and playability of them all on a uke I had at the time. I found lots of subjective differences and I ranked them all with a score, and played and loved the uke with the chosen strings. To me they sounded right on the uke. Then I sold the uke to a much better player than I am, and within a short time he had it strung with Aquilas and was getting the sound out of it that I wished I could have. Apart from admitting my own playing limitations, my point is that the way you play has a heck of a lot to do with what you get out of the uke. I really don't believe one size does fit all, even on the same uke.
By the way, despite my nagging Mike he never did take the money for all those strings out of my credit card account. Saint of a man.
By the way, despite my nagging Mike he never did take the money for all those strings out of my credit card account. Saint of a man.
Down Up Dick
Well-known member
I agree wholeheartedly, katysax. I stated just that on page 4. And one would be unwise to change strings right away without waiting for them to settle in. I changed some of mine 4 or 5 days ago, and they're just now sounding "correct". They still make mistakes though.
I still think that changing strings willy-nilly is a waste of time. One would be better served by practicing.
ld:
wayfarer75
Well-known member
I agree wholeheartedly, katysax. I stated just that on page 4. And one would be unwise to change strings right away without waiting for them to settle in. I changed some of mine 4 or 5 days ago, and they're just now sounding "correct". They still make mistakes though.
I still think that changing strings willy-nilly is a waste of time. One would be better served by practicing.
I agree. I intended to leave my Kamaka pineapple's stock strings on for a few weeks before I changed them, but I hated them too much! (I also figured that the uke had been wearing the strings for a while before it was bought.) I've left every other set on for at least a month. But practicing--that's the key. And that's what Corey does, undoubtedly. He makes every uke sound great because he's such an amazing player.
