Mystery strings

Joyful Uke · Jul 3, 2016

I ordered a set of Southcoast strings. I received 4 strings in 4 separate envelopes with nothing marked except 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th on each envelope. Nothing indicates that it's Southcoast, or anything else. Is this how they usually ship? Seems odd to me.

I just tried changing my 1st string, and though it needs time to settle in, I'm not thrilled with it. (I had Living Water strings on.) Sounds very bright?

I also got a Freemont low G, and was surprised that it's not a wound string. That's probably my error, and I simply bought the wrong thing. It sure is a thick string, but I was able to use it, and so far, like the sound OK. I'll try to order the wound string, though.

I know there are endless string threads here, but I'm still confused about it all. I bought SC MU-NW strings (but have no idea if that was what was sent in the mystery envelopes.) Would that be a bright sounding set? How do you know which set to buy? (I'd probably like a warmer sound in general. I like the Living Water strings, but wanted to try some different sets of strings.)

Guess I'll go change out the other strings to the mystery strings, and give it a go.

ETA:
I found my receipt for the Freemont, and I definitely ordered a wound string, and definitely got fluorocarbon, according to the packaging and appearance. Guess I should have caught that mix-up earlier.

Alytw · Jul 3, 2016

I got Southcoast strings from HMS and they were packaged the same as you mentioned. Also, the Fremont soloists is the wound low g. I haven't tried the Southcoast strings yet, so I can't comment on the sound.

Joyful Uke · Jul 3, 2016

Alytw said:
I got Southcoast strings from HMS and they were packaged the same as you mentioned. Also, the Fremont soloists is the wound low g. I haven't tried the Southcoast strings yet, so I can't comment on the sound.

OK, I'll assume that the mystery strings are SC.

The packaging of the Freemont says "Fluorocarbon", and it's 0.036, unlike the wound string. So, somehow, I was sent the wrong thing, and it's my bad that I didn't know what I was looking at when I got it, and I didn't get what I ordered. I'll have to reorder and now I know what to look for when it arrives.

UkerDanno · Jul 3, 2016

Good luck with your string experiment! Living Waters are great strings in some instances. I like them on my Kanile'a, but didn't care for them on other instruments. Try Worth browns for a warmer sound.

What uke do you have?

Jim Hanks · Jul 3, 2016

I've always ordered direct from Southcoast and the packaging has always been more elaborate than that - outer sleeve printed with SC logos and descriptions and stickers indicating the specific string set. Very "professional".

MU would be the brighter set compared against the SMU set but I haven't ever tried the MU. I use the SMU for Bb tuning on tenor and it is a very pleasant sound. Not too bright but not dull either.

Booli · Jul 3, 2016

The Fremont soloist is a gold-colored, smoothwound string that is 0.029" in diameter.

The 0.036" that you have is their unwound fluoro low G, and should be black or clear depending upon what the package says...

Joyful Uke · Jul 3, 2016

Jim Hanks said:
I've always ordered direct from Southcoast and the packaging has always been more elaborate than that - outer sleeve printed with SC logos and descriptions and stickers indicating the specific string set. Very "professional".

MU would be the brighter set compared against the SMU set but I haven't ever tried the MU. I use the SMU for Bb tuning on tenor and it is a very pleasant sound. Not too bright but not dull either.

Maybe I'll have to order directly from SC, so I don't end up confused about what was shipped to me.
Sounds like I'd prefer the SMU set. The 2 & 3 strings of the MU set so far don't sound bad, but the 1st string sounds very bright to me. I've got the Freemont fluorocarbon on as the low G. Not a bad fluorocarbon string, but I'd prefer the wound string, I think. I should check these things more carefully when I receive them.

I probably shouldn't start projects like this on the Sunday of a holiday weekend. LOL.

stevejfc · Jul 4, 2016

I find Southcoasts kind of "quirky", in that they almost always seem to sound VERY different on one uke to another. But, I enjoy testing them on different ukes. When you find the right SC/uke combination, they are outstanding. Also, they offer a number of variations. Their packaging is as Jim Hanks describes above. I find Living Waters strings very consistant in tone from one instrument to another.........very laid back, warm and mellow. The Fremont smooth wound Soloist is probably, IMHO, the finest low g made.......nothing like their fluorocarbon low g. My current favorite combo is the Soloist low g with PHD 1 - 3.

Joyful Uke · Jul 4, 2016

stevejfc said:
I find Southcoasts kind of "quirky", in that they almost always seem to sound VERY different on one uke to another. But, I enjoy testing them on different ukes. When you find the right SC/uke combination, they are outstanding. Also, they offer a number of variations. Their packaging is as Jim Hanks describes above. I find Living Waters strings very consistant in tone from one instrument to another.........very laid back, warm and mellow. The Fremont smooth wound Soloist is probably, IMHO, the finest low g made.......nothing like their fluorocarbon low g. My current favorite combo is the Soloist low g with PHD 1 - 3.

I like the Living Water strings, but wanted to try some of the strings that others seem to like here at UU. Based on Alytw's post, I assume I do have SC strings, but probably would have preferred a different set. Not sure why I was sent the wrong Fremont low G, but I'll reorder, and hopefully really get the right one next time. We all make mistakes, and whoever packed up my order was having one of those days.

Now I'll have to add PHD on to my list of strings to try. Any particular set you recommend? I haven't looked at the options yet, but based on my current track record, I'd probably choose the wrong set, if there are options. LOL.

jollyboy · Jul 4, 2016

Joyful Uke said:
The packaging of the Freemont says "Fluorocarbon", and it's 0.036, unlike the wound string. So, somehow, I was sent the wrong thing, and it's my bad that I didn't know what I was looking at when I got it, and I didn't get what I ordered. I'll have to reorder and now I know what to look for when it arrives.

If you definitely ordered the wound string and got sent the wrong thing then contact whoever you bought it from - it's their error not yours. I would ask for a free replacement.

Joyful Uke · Jul 4, 2016

jollyboy said:
If you definitely ordered the wound string and got sent the wrong thing then contact whoever you bought it from - it's their error not yours. I would ask for a free replacement.

It's my error for not looking at it more closely when I got it, and since that was several months ago, and I just now am restringing the ukulele, that seems like too much of a time lag on my part.

The place I bought it from made a mistake once in the past, which I caught right away, and they promptly corrected the error, so I have no doubt that they would have done the same this time, if I had caught it in a timely fashion. They might be willing to do it even at this late date, too, but I'll take the blame for waiting this long.

pritch · Jul 4, 2016

If you odered a Fremont Low G then it would seem you have received what you ordered. As has been pointed out Fremont Soloist is the wound low G. Don't feel too bad though, I use both on different instruments and have no marked preference. Either is fine.

hawaii 50 · Jul 4, 2016

Joyful Uke said:
It's my error for not looking at it more closely when I got it, and since that was several months ago, and I just now am restringing the ukulele, that seems like too much of a time lag on my part.

The place I bought it from made a mistake once in the past, which I caught right away, and they promptly corrected the error, so I have no doubt that they would have done the same this time, if I had caught it in a timely fashion. They might be willing to do it even at this late date, too, but I'll take the blame for waiting this long.

if you did order the Fremont Soloist Low G string then they sent you the wrong string.....the other Fremont Low G not a wound string...
...ask for the correct string..should be no problems...

stevejfc · Jul 4, 2016

PHD's are pretty simple: Low G or High G.

Joyful Uke said:
I like the Living Water strings, but wanted to try some of the strings that others seem to like here at UU. Based on Alytw's post, I assume I do have SC strings, but probably would have preferred a different set. Not sure why I was sent the wrong Fremont low G, but I'll reorder, and hopefully really get the right one next time. We all make mistakes, and whoever packed up my order was having one of those days.

Now I'll have to add PHD on to my list of strings to try. Any particular set you recommend? I haven't looked at the options yet, but based on my current track record, I'd probably choose the wrong set, if there are options. LOL.

Booli · Jul 4, 2016

Where are you guys getting your PhD strings from?

I'd bought some from the UU Merchandise store in the past, but now that's gone away. Neither StringsByMail nor StringsAndBeyond sells PhD, and I been trying to persuade StringsAndBeyond to carry Oasis, but they've told me that there is no demand for them.

Kanaka916 · Jul 4, 2016

Booli said:
Where are you guys getting your PhD strings from?

I'd bought some from the UU Merchandise store in the past, but now that's gone away. Neither StringsByMail nor StringsAndBeyond sells PhD, and I been trying to persuade StringsAndBeyond to carry Oasis, but they've told me that there is no demand for them.

http://www.danielho.com/physical-shop/premium-ukulele-strings or http://www.ukulelesource.com/index/products/ukulelestrings.html

Booli · Jul 4, 2016

Kanaka916 said:
http://www.danielho.com/physical-shop/premium-ukulele-strings or http://www.ukulelesource.com/index/products/ukulelestrings.html

Thanks for the links! shaka

Joyful Uke · Jul 4, 2016

pritch said:
If you odered a Fremont Low G then it would seem you have received what you ordered. As has been pointed out Fremont Soloist is the wound low G. Don't feel too bad though, I use both on different instruments and have no marked preference. Either is fine.

On the receipt, I clearly ordered the wound string, but that's not what I got. But, I'll reorder, and try again.

Joyful Uke · Jul 4, 2016

stevejfc said:
PHD's are pretty simple: Low G or High G.

Sounds like the simplicity that I need. LOL. I'll definitely give them a try.

It's nice that there are so many options with strings, but I feel like I need to go back to college and study which set of SC strings to buy, (and others are not very straightforward, too.) I need "ukulele strings for dummies."

But, based on what many of you say, it might be worth trial and error, and trying out some of the various strings anyway.

stevejfc · Jul 4, 2016

Lately, Lucy's Ukulele on Ebay

Booli said:
Where are you guys getting your PhD strings from?

I'd bought some from the UU Merchandise store in the past, but now that's gone away. Neither StringsByMail nor StringsAndBeyond sells PhD, and I been trying to persuade StringsAndBeyond to carry Oasis, but they've told me that there is no demand for them.

Mystery strings

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