string suggestion

shortcircuit

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 8, 2014
Messages
168
Reaction score
0
Location
Tampa Bay, Florida
Mya Moe curly myrtle tenor classic. Other than what came on it, I have tried Phd and Worth browns. Do not like the sound! Don't get me wrong love everything else about this uke. Want a more mellow sound. Like my wifes Kanilea koa tenor or even my Gibson or martin guitar. Guess maybe I want more guitar sound. Help please.... My wife is rubbing it in that her uke sounds better and mine sound's like a toy.
 
You've tried fluorocarbon and didn't like them. Okay.

If you're looking for mellow, I'd try something in the nylon realm, whether you decide to go all the way to black nylon, or (what I'd do) start with a ground/rectified nylon. LaBella, D'Addario and GHS all have a ground/rectified nylon that is mellow, easily falls under the tension restrictions that Mya Moe have on their ukuleles (with good reason), and are very smooth to the touch.
 
More mellow than Worth Browns probably means a different material. I haven't tried those newer Aquila types, and I haven't experimented with nylons, but if Browns are not mellow enough, I'd start by looking outside of the fluorocarbon offerings.

edit: OBM beat me to it! :)
 
One bad monkey, which part number should I look around for in the D' Addario or GHS. Dont think I can find the LaBella local. Only have Sam Ash and Guitar Center nearby and some mom and pop shops. Thanks
 
One bad monkey, which part number should I look around for in the D' Addario or GHS. Dont think I can find the LaBella local. Only have Sam Ash and Guitar Center nearby and some mom and pop shops. Thanks

D'A - EJ53T
GHS - CU-CCR (it's Craig Chee's signature set)
 
Here is my unscientific take on it, I have a koa tenor ukulele that is overly bright. It has been bright from day one and it remains that way to this day. But the plus side is that it has great clarity and ringing all the way up the neck. For years I have tried various concoctions of strings, sometimes mix-n-match, fishing line, even changing saddle materials.

I can warm up the sound with different material strings and sometimes thicker strings but there is a catch 22 between clarity, sustain, volume... and tone. I may really like the sound on the lower frets but it loses that clarity as I play up the neck. Or I don't like the loss of the ringing sustain with some strings that give me warmth. Or it sings at the twelfth fret but too thin at the first.

I have also found that each instrument has a particular sweet spot where everything comes together. At one time I had been using Worth Brown Strong with the ukulele tuned down to Bb and they sounded pretty good but way too thin when tuned to C. Oddly enough, I now have Worth Clear Hard strings and I find them to be warmer, fuller and louder.

From all of this I have concluded, at least for my bright tenor, there is a fine line between getting just the right tension to drive the soundboard and string mass to fatten up the sound and I am not sure I won't try another set from someone else just to see if I can get it better.

I am assuming you have a myrtlewood soundboard. I imagine that it is a harder wood than cedar and therefore brighter. If Mya Moe can't give you other string recommendations, you'll just have to ask here, read reviews, and start buying strings... a lot of strings.

John
 
Are you using high or low g?
A low g will usually mellow the sound a lot.
 
Maybe it's me, but I find the Living Waters Low G very mellow. Strung on my Walnut Compass Rose tenor they project a warm Spanish guitar tone.
 
Last edited:
Mya Moe curly myrtle tenor classic. Other than what came on it, I have tried Phd and Worth browns. Do not like the sound! Don't get me wrong love everything else about this uke. Want a more mellow sound. Like my wifes Kanilea koa tenor or even my Gibson or martin guitar. Guess maybe I want more guitar sound. Help please.... My wife is rubbing it in that her uke sounds better and mine sound's like a toy.

Holy moly. The Worth Browns weren't mellow enough for you? They turned my Mango into mush they were so mellow. So mellow it didn't sound right at all.
And I am using the PHD low G now and I love them. I like how thin the strings are (about half the size of the D'Addario Pro Arte EJ65TLG low G stings I had on before) but not strung so tight they they dig into my calluses.
You might try the EJ65TLG. They turned my Pono MGT into a mellow sounding small classical guitar. They were balanced but the A came off a little soft for me. Which might work for the sound you are looking for. The Wound G wasn't too squeaky either.
D'Addario also makes a Nyltech string(not low G but you could get a Freemont Soloist or other Low G string with any string set). I didn't like them but they might soften up your Myrtle and they are medium tension strings.
:2cents:
 
Last edited:
Have to order a set of living waters string to try out. I also have several sets of D'Addaro strings on the way. It just might be the wood. Maybe I should not play near my wife with her "K" koa uke. If strings dont fix it for me kight just have tomtrade my MyaMoe for a "K". But Im not giving up yet! I do like the way my maya moe plays.
 
Have to order a set of living waters string to try out. I also have several sets of D'Addaro strings on the way. It just might be the wood. Maybe I should not play near my wife with her "K" koa uke. If strings dont fix it for me kight just have tomtrade my MyaMoe for a "K". But Im not giving up yet! I do like the way my maya moe plays.

Right on. Stay positive and good luck. =)
 
Have to order a set of living waters string to try out. I also have several sets of D'Addaro strings on the way. It just might be the wood. Maybe I should not play near my wife with her "K" koa uke. If strings dont fix it for me kight just have tomtrade my MyaMoe for a "K". But Im not giving up yet! I do like the way my maya moe plays.

Good luck with your quest. Although K's are great ukuleles, they are not known for their guitar like sound. If that is the sound you want, and you can't get there with your Mya Moe no matter what you do, you might want to look at a Compass Rose. Also research the best woods to give you that deep rich tone.

A classical guitar like sound in a ukulele package is not inherent in a typical ukulele.

John
 
You want mellow (compared to a Kanile'a) you bought the wrong ukulele. Your Mya moe will never be like your wife's instrument, unless you string it with a ball of yarn. Just that simple.
 
Ukuleles don't sound like guitars, and they're not supposed to! If you want guitar sound and say you're playing a ukulele, get a baritone.
 
Just want a more mellow sound . Or fuller sound. Ill use my guitar before I go to bari uke. Maytrade for a five string uke before Im done.
 
Top Bottom