the underdog

String sets. I've learned a bit about strings since I've been here and once you're in you can't get out, at least in my case. I've tried many of the recommended strings and am coming up with a few favorites but it can still be very iffy at times.

I digress, I was just at strings by mail looking over the selections and I notice most string sellers with a decent selection will have string sets that I don't recall any discussion about here. What does that say about them if anything?

I'm going to list a few and you folk can add any you've noticed and maybe someone who's tried them can chime in about the set. I'm curious enough to buy some of them but I'd like to have an idea what I'm buying.

So here's a few, chime in if you have experience with them please.

Royal Classics, Sound Generation, Aroara, Mahalo, Tycoon Percussion Kona, Jim Dunlop,Kala,Alice ukulele,Black Diamond,DaKINE, Aquila (just kidding)

Hey Ice, I'd just like to make a couple of general points that make sense to me and have been useful on my own uke journey:

1. sound is always subjective
2. some strings sings on certain instruments
3. those same strings may sound like decomposing turds on other instruments
4. There is inevitably a uke out there for even the strings that everyone says are dogs

What to do about this?

1. Build up a gradual bank of string sets at home
2. Don't be afraid to experiment
3. Keep a notebook of what you have used on what instruments and your impressions. Use this as a reference resource for future buying and trying.

So, my long winded way of trying to answer your question brother:

Buy a set of all of them.
And a roll of fishing line.
My string diary will one day be auctioned on ebay so start saving your pennies.

Well my actions so far seem to be following much of your advice. Of course I could buy one of everything available or instead buy a very nice new uke. There's a lot of string sets out there.

So have you taken your own advice and tried any of the string sets I've mentioned? And what do you think in general?

I'm sorry mate but I've never heard of most of those. And yeah, as being on the OCD side I actually have a notebook like I described.

I have tried the Dunlops a couple of times but they were a little dull to my liking, but, as per my previous post, there's only one way to find out and that's with your own ears and experimentation I guess.

I am wondering whether some of these may be newer brands introduced to capitalise on an expanding uke market in general?

Like you I don't know anything about them. Hence this thread. I realize that string sets perform differently on different ukes but if several people echoed your views on Dunlop strings I'd likely skip them. In the end of course any strings will work if they are what's on hand and you want to play. And if you're not obsessed you'll be just dandy. But it's really true that these sets can really affect the sound of your instrument.

Icelander53 said:

String sets. I've learned a bit about strings since I've been here and once you're in you can't get out, at least in my case. I've tried many of the recommended strings and am coming up with a few favorites but it can still be very iffy at times.

I digress, I was just at strings by mail looking over the selections and I notice most string sellers with a decent selection will have string sets that I don't recall any discussion about here. What does that say about them if anything?

I'm going to list a few and you folk can add any you've noticed and maybe someone who's tried them can chime in about the set. I'm curious enough to buy some of them but I'd like to have an idea what I'm buying.

So here's a few, chime in if you have experience with them please.

Royal Classics, Sound Generation, Aroara, Mahalo, Tycoon Percussion Kona, Jim Dunlop,Kala,Alice ukulele,Black Diamond,DaKINE, Aquila (just kidding)

Click to expand...

Hi Ice,

Do you remember this thread?: http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/showthread.php?93141-It-s-like-UAS-only-worse-SCO

I just read it again and laugh at what a newb I was compared to now. I am still learning and open to new ideas.

As per your topic here, I too had been curious about the other brands on SBM that you listed, but like you, due to little mention here and on the ukulele subreddit, and having very FEW video demos on YT and Vimeo, I've had little motivation to try many of those brands you've listed, save for the JIM DUNLOP nylon strings (which I found on Amazon for $3.99 and gave in to temptation, to round out an order) and the DaKine single low-g bought way back when I first started with the uke. Having said that, I found these strings unremarkable. Not bad or good, just average, functional, meh.

Why are we not all raving about the other brands you listed?

I have 2 theories:

1) Due to the lack of info as stated above, we are all in a petrified (as in atrophied) state, and/or too timid to be the Maverick or Pioneer and be 'the first' one to test them out, lest the money be wasted or the strings are bad and we are publicly shamed for being so 'foolish' LOL

2) Testing Fatigue - i.e., using my personal experience as an example: I have personally tested all *yes ALL* varieties of PhD, Living Water, Aquila, Fremont, D'Addario, GHS, La Bella, Martin, Oasis, SouthCoast and about 6 or 7 other brands that evade my immediate memory. As well as experimenting with 100lb (0.0408") and 130lb (0.0444") fluorocarbon fishing leader in 33 yd spools to try and get a good unwound low-g. After having spent a small fortune, huge time investment, and extensive listening tests across 18 ukuleles and more uke-like instruments, as well as guitars, guitaleles and uke bass, I've run out of funding, free time and energy to keep going with string testing, and at least for now.

I have to accept what I've found that I like as 'good enough', and work through the existing 'inventory' somewhat before I buy ANY more strings. So the TL;DR is that I've kinda burnt out on string testing after having hands-on experience with nearly 100 different sets of strings.

So with the above in mind, the only other thing that I'd like to add is that those folks that say that ALL strings sound or feel the same, are either

a) easily satisfied (they buy/use 'whatever' is readily available)
b) lack the hearing perception to tell the difference (this must be such bliss)
c) just dont care (they spent their time/attention on other things)

I want to be clear that I'm not judging anyone for their preferences, to each his own as to what make your experience with the instrument most satisfying for YOU, for THAT joy is all that should matter. However, there is no 'one-size-fits-all' and THAT is the only opinion that I would challenge.

My record-keeping is not as thorough as Hippie Dribble. I keep a post-it note (or 2, or 3) in each string pack with the date of installation and what uke it was on, and then if I take the strings off, that date as well, in addition to the tuning used, and my thoughts/impressions in 5 words or less. I also have a lot of recordings I made, but since my recording setup has changed several times over the past 3 yrs, there is quite a variety in the sound quality, so my notes are more important than the recordings. I never throw the string packs out, and have gotten to be somewhat of an expert as to how to install the strings so they can be re-used many times. Most of these string sets that are NOT currently installed have less than 20 hrs play time on them, which is about how long it takes for them to settle to pitch and proper tension and reveal their true nature, so in most cases this is about 14 days from installation.

Sorry if I went off on a tangent. You can recommend appropriate penance if necessary. :music: :2cents::shaka:

Hippie Dribble said:

...I have tried the Dunlops a couple of times but they were a little dull to my liking...

Click to expand...

Icelander53 said:

... I realize that string sets perform differently on different ukes but if several people echoed your views on Dunlop strings I'd likely skip them....But it's really true that these sets can really affect the sound of your instrument.

Click to expand...

I should mention that as per a suggestion by fellow UU brother Kissing, in another thread a few weeks ago, I installed a set of NYLON strings (the Jim Dunlops) to effect a change in the sound of my solid-body electric Sojing tenor.

Sojing Tenor:


Immediately after receiving the Sojing I experienced problems with the pickup and the preamp (it was a crappy one anyway), which I removed and replaced with a Mi-Si that I had on hand which was actually intended for another instrument.

The Mi-Si has worked out great and this instrument is exactly what I needed for silent practice into headphones via either the iPad and Apogee JAM interface, or into the Korg PXMINI pocket effects unit (mainly just for a bit of Hall reverb so the sound is not so sterile in headphones).

iPad w/Apogee JAM:


Korg Pandora PXMINI:


Both of which I've detailed in the past. However, as my ears became more educated, I found that the sound was too brash and plasticky. I tried lots of fluorocarbon strings and all varieties of Aquila with no joy. But when Kissing mention that NYLON strings would have a more pronounced effect at giving a warm sound on an electric ukulele, I gave them a try.

Previously, I had been opposed to using nylon strings because I found that for the most part, when compared to fluorocarbon strings (on a tenor), they really lack the amount of sustain that I require. On an electric ukulele using an effect such as compression, with a ratio of about 4:1, you can extend the sustain and this no longer becomes a problem. So now the problem of not having a warm enough sound, is fixed by using the Jim Dunlop nylon strings, and the sustain problem (in headphones) is fixed by adding a bit of compression in the signal chain of effects BEFORE the Hall reverb.

So, in summary, what I had thought was previously a waste of $3.99 has actually turned out to solve a problem for me. I am a happy camper now.

Once again the UU community has helped me to extend the joy I get from my ukuleles, and my music

Well there you have it. Complexity galore. BTW you sure have neat toys.

Icelander53 said:

Well there you have it. Complexity galore. BTW you sure have neat toys.

Click to expand...

Actually it's quite simple to me. I've had some form of recording setup since my first Tascam 4-track tape machine back in 1986, as well as having worked as a mobile and club DJ from that time up until about 8 yrs ago, so I am pretty well versed in audio gear as well as recording gear.

However, I avoid them as 'toys' since Gear Acquisition Syndrome can get pretty out of hand for some folks, and for me, it's about SOLVING a problem.

My problem was that some days when I had time to practice, others were alseep or near bedtime, and I needed a way to play without having the sound carry throughout the house and keep folks awake. I needed a SILENT ukulele.

The details below are how I solved that problem 18 months ago...

The iPad I already had before the ukulele, and was using a different thingy to connect my guitar to it, and over time this technology has improved leaps and bounds, especially in the $99 price tag zone. Apogee is a leader in audio technology and considered very high end, and I am amazed at the sound that I can get out of both the Apogee JAM and Apogee MIC, when in the past, I had to use 3-4 different pieces of pro equipment to achieve the same end result.

The Korg PXMINI is currently the ONLY standalone pocket effect unit, that can also run on batteries and is about the size of an audio cassette tape. Sure you can get an effect pedal that does all the same stuff, but mine is actually MOUNTED on the Sojing electric uke such that the entire thing is completely untethered save for the headphones. The PXMINI can also be powered by USB, so I have a small rechargeable 1800 mAh USB power pack (got it at the FIVEBELOW store, for $3.50) to drive that as well. Between the Mi-Si and the USB pack, I get about 18 hrs of play time before needing to recharge.

I have included a picture of the setup below.


The USB Battery Pack and the Korg PXMINI are both attached with adhesive velcro strips. Also, I had to cut down the 'horns' on the front of the uke as there was no case on the planet that I could find in MONTHS of searching that would fit this size and shape, and I refuse to use a gigbag.

As it is now, it fits PERFECTLY into a Uke-Crazy style canvas-covered polyfoam case width-wise, and I have added foam where needed for the rest to have a good and straight fit.

Keep in mind this is NOT an expensive setup (compared to just about EVERY other solid-body nylon string ukulele alternate (with this level of sound quality output), and in fact I simply despise the look of the Teton and Eleuke tenors). The Sojing cost me $155 on Amazon, the Mi-Si was $115 from Kala, and the Korg PXMINI was $99 from Sweetwater, and USB Battery pack was $3.50 from fivebelow.The tenor polyfoam case from Empire Music in Canada was $29.

Does it sound like a Ko'olau TE or Pono TE or Godin MultiUke, I would suspect not, but I do not NEED nor want to spend $600 or more (which would NOT include my own customizations).

Out of the box, on the Sojing, the neck was straight, frets all level and well-dressed and action good. The only 'set up' I had to do was tweak the nut slots a tiny bit to perfect the intonation, and now this instrument will keep me happy for a very long time.

I took a basic instrument, fully intending upon heavily customizing it specifically for my own needs, PRIOR to purchase. In the end I have a go-anywhere, play-anywhere, SILENTLY into headphones or window-shattering into an amplifier or for a recording setup for ~$400 including a custom-fit case.

I have plucked strings on a wide variety of axes over the past five decades and I have observed a few things about strings.

#1: As a busker, all that matters is that the strings don't break.
#2: Playing instrumentals unamplified, all that matters is that the strings aren't dead.
#3: Amplified, even dead strings don't matter; they can be juiced by filters.
#4: Strings NEVER matter as much as my voice or my fingers.

Ah, fingers. Where and how I fret and pick influences the sound more than the string brand does. I can make good strings sound bad and bad strings sound at least appropriate, just as I can swamp-out imperfect intonation with some judicious bending and sliding of fingertips. And singing makes listeners focus on voice rather than fingerwork and string quality.

So, what matters? Good phrasing, and hitting your notes. It's like in photography, where I follow a simple rule: Nail the focus; everything else can be fixed in post-processing.

Believe it or not the Sojing electric uke was one of the first ukes I got a case of UAS over. I never ended up with one because I read some harsh reviews but I was attracted to the look of the thing. I grew up with Hendrix and air guitar was the only other instrument I've ever played. Well a year and a half later I own a Risa solid body. So I made it into my Hendrix phase of uke playing. lol

(mostly I play traditional folk or 50s pop and such)

Icelander53 said:

Believe it or not the Sojing electric uke was one of the first ukes I got a case of UAS over. I never ended up with one because I read some harsh reviews but I was attracted to the look of the thing. I grew up with Hendrix and air guitar was the only other instrument I've ever played. Well a year and a half later I own a Risa solid body. So I made it into my Hendrix phase of uke playing. lol

(mostly I play traditional folk or 50s pop and such)

Click to expand...

On the Sojing, the neck is a bit thicker (front-to-back) than my other ukes and is pretty much shaped like a baseball bat cut in half along the length, and at first was off-putting, but it took very little time to get used to it.

The preamp it came with was based upon an LM386N op-amp chip, which typically has a low-fi sound unless there is a simple J-FET buffer circuit supporting it. The LM386N and parts for this preamp I can buy at Mouser or DigiKey for around $4 and is based upon schematics that are in the public domain and easily found online. They basically put the cheapest possible circuit in it for a preamp (that did NOT have the J-FET circuit, also like another $4 in parts, and these are RETAIL prices, so much cheaper direct in Asia). As fellow UU member BazMaz says, a cheap uke with a preamp, is but a cheaply made uke, with a cheaply made preamp (I'm paraphrasing here), and while I could have built a replacement preamp in parts for the $8 or so in about 2 hrs time with a soldering iron (I've made a few in the past), I do NOT have the tools, the time, nor the skill with woodworking to make the uke body, fretboard and neck. This I was happy to pay the $155 for the body, and following the $100-Rule, since I already had the Mi-Si and this is known and proven item, and my time is more valuable to me, I opted to install the Mi-Si.

The $100-Rule is that if you can buy it premade for $100, or the parts for much less and a few hrs of your time, it's usually better to buy the premade item, unless you have lots of free time, and expertise but are low on funds.

In the end I'm quite happy with the result, but unless your expectations are low (for the preamp and it's use), or you plan to follow a similar path as me, I'd probably recommend AGAINST the Sojing for the average person. I'm a tinkerer, or 'hacker' of physical things by nature, so this project was pretty easy for me once I figured out what parts I'd use to make it happen, and getting back to the Jim Dunlop nylon strings, that was the last piece of the puzzle that made the sound of the instrument live up to it's potential for me...

So I made the right choice in forgoing it. You've got the tech skills for such things. I'm not really much on electronics. In fact I try to keep things as low tech as possible most of the time.

Icelander53 said:

So I made the right choice in forgoing it. You've got the tech skills for such things. I'm not really much on electronics. In fact I try to keep things as low tech as possible most of the time.

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Yes. For someone not looking for a 'project', it would be a disappointment and probably get returned, unless you care nothing for the audio fidelity of the preamp, which IMHO, and from YEARS of experience with audio gear, is quite sub-par. SO, by passing on this one, you have saved yourself lots of grief.

So far the Risa has been prefect. In fact it's my easiest uke to play. The action is very low and so is tension. It's pretty fun. As of yet however I really don't do much with it. I hope it inspires me to tackle fingerstyle playing. As of now though I can't really play it well.