low tension strings

What size of uke is it....tenor???!
 
Friends rave about the soft feel of Living Waters on their tenors. I love the sound of them on my concert, but wouldn't put them in the low tension category, especially.
 
While waiting to try other strings, you could tune DOWN to Bb or A6, i.e.,

instead of GCEA, F-Bb-D-G or E-A-C#-F#

...although once your strings are stretched out and settled in C6 tuning, if you tune down afterwards, you may find the strings too floppy since they've already had their tension higher...

I've been able to use the Martin M620 strings on my tenor in A6 tuning as per above, in order to better match my vocal range and this is the ONLY fluoro string set that comes with a 3rd or "C" string that is 0.0340" and as such is the thickest and most tension I've seen in stock string packs, but the trick is that you DO NOT tune any higher than E-A-C#-F# as your target pitches otherwise the strings will be ruined for that tuning.


Case in point, I have the Martin M600 'concert/soprano' set on one of my tenor Flea ukes tuned to GCEA and it has LOWER tension, as a set, than the M620 strings on the same instrument in the same tuning.

Likely it is ALSO more tension than on concert or soprano scale, but NOT in any way hurting this tenor instrument. The gauges of the M600 set are significantly thinner than the gauges of the M620 set.

Also, after testing dozens and dozens of string sets across way too many string-makers, I've found that as a general rule that NYLON strings seem to have very slightly lower tension than fluorocarbon, and with fluorocarbon strings, THINNER strings will usually have LESS tension and a BRIGHTER more chimey tone than thicker strings - but keep in mind it is not string diameter that is the key here it is molecular weight a.k.a. linear density that is the determining factor of string tension, and that string diameter is a by-product of linear density, and not the qualifying cause of it.

However, a disclaimer - I am not responsible if you mix-and-match strings and damage your instrument, and it's important to do your own research and become educated about string tension and the build of your instrument, an that you willingly assume any and all risks yourself.
 
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Tuning lower really helps. I play my tenors dGBE and the tension for normal tenor strings is a lot lower, but not unplayable. Mostly I've tried fluorocarbons not sure how Nylon will work. Fremont Black lines, Worth Browns and D'Addario Carbons do work nice though. I haven't tried the tunings that Booli suggested.
 
Yeah its a Tenor!!

I quick fix is to install "concert" strings on your tenor. They are smaller in diameter and will have less tension. This is what Jim Hanks is recommending with those South Coast strings, smaller diameters. Same as Booli with M600 vs M620. You can try Worth CM or BM as well. Any concert gauge string will work, they will usually be brigther with a bit less volume.
 
Any thin soft compound strings will work.. worth, oasis, southcoast, living waters, phd, ghs, hilo etc
 
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