JonThysell
Well-known member
I've done more than my fair share of string experimentation, and like many, started with Aquilas (since they did a great job of becoming the factory strings on so many ukes). But also like many, I kind of "wrote them off" as good for "cheaper" ukes but the real action was in fluorocarbon territory.
While I always had some ukes that sounded better with nylgut, (two out of a dozen or so) the rest have been fluorocarbon only (Worth and SouthCoast mostly) for a couple of years now.
Lately I seem to be going back the other direction though, even with my more expensive ukes. I never liked Aquila Nylgut Baritones, too thick and the wounds too dead, squeaky, and unbalanced to my ear. Then I tried D'Addario's Nyltech strings. Supposedly it's a formula worked out with Aquila, and maybe it's the same formula as theirs, maybe it isn't, but I like them a lot. Their baritone EJ88B string set has thinner gauges and I like their tension, balance and warm sound. Even the wounds don't seem to be as squeaky when sliding.
Now I've got my tenor back on Aquilas with a Fremont Soloist Low-G, and I'm liking that a lot too. Strumming and finger-picking both.
I still have a bunch of other string set experiments in the queue, but I just thought I put it out there. Anyone else "write-off" Aquila and go to fluorocarbon? Have you tried going back? Have you tried Nyltechs? Anyone rocking nylgut on expensive ukes?
While I always had some ukes that sounded better with nylgut, (two out of a dozen or so) the rest have been fluorocarbon only (Worth and SouthCoast mostly) for a couple of years now.
Lately I seem to be going back the other direction though, even with my more expensive ukes. I never liked Aquila Nylgut Baritones, too thick and the wounds too dead, squeaky, and unbalanced to my ear. Then I tried D'Addario's Nyltech strings. Supposedly it's a formula worked out with Aquila, and maybe it's the same formula as theirs, maybe it isn't, but I like them a lot. Their baritone EJ88B string set has thinner gauges and I like their tension, balance and warm sound. Even the wounds don't seem to be as squeaky when sliding.
Now I've got my tenor back on Aquilas with a Fremont Soloist Low-G, and I'm liking that a lot too. Strumming and finger-picking both.
I still have a bunch of other string set experiments in the queue, but I just thought I put it out there. Anyone else "write-off" Aquila and go to fluorocarbon? Have you tried going back? Have you tried Nyltechs? Anyone rocking nylgut on expensive ukes?