Strings for dummies (or uninformed)

I've been hunting around, and can't find a thread that gives a good overview of all the different strings. If there is one already, maybe someone knows where?

It seems like I have company in being confused about the various string options. Is there a way to have a quick overview of some of the string options?

Having recently been looking at the options, I can't figure out which set would give a warm vs. bright sound, (Oasis seems to label that, but not everyone does), which ones might have more sustain vs. less sustain, and so on.

Without buying every set of strings on the market, is there a way to make a guess on the different sound qualities of the different sets?

Joyful Uke said:

is there a way to make a guess on the different sound qualities of the different sets?

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Sure, but it's only a guess, because different strings sound different on different ukes. A set that's warm on one uke might just be dull on another. Or a set might be pleasantly bright on one uke and overly harsh on another. Tuning also matters. A set that is too bright in C tuning might be warm enough in Bb or A tuning. The UU hive mind can give you some pointers in the right direction but there really is no magic formula.

You don't have to try every set on the market though. Trying a few (even in a music store or uke group) should give you a good idea of what you like in terms of feel and sound and then it might take a few more tries to find a good set for a particular uke. Notice I didn't say to "find the right set" as I don't believe there is one perfect set even for a particular uke. Strings can really change the sound and feel of a uke and that's part of the fun of discovery in my view.

I get what you're saying, but are there some general things that can be said? (Oasis labels one set warm and another bright, so they're making a generalization, though I have no idea what the difference is between those sets of strings.)

Do Worth Browns generally sound warmer than the clears?

Do fluorocarbons have more sustain - in general - than nylon strings?

Can any general statements be made, (which won't be true for 100% of the ukuleles out there), for those of us who find this all confusing, or is it all a string buying gamble?

This was written some time ago, and several brands of strings have been introduced since it was written. Still, I think it provides some of the generalizations you're asking for;
http://liveukulele.com/gear/strings/

Futurethink said:

This was written some time ago, and several brands of strings have been introduced since it was written. Still, I think it provides some of the generalizations you're asking for;
http://liveukulele.com/gear/strings/

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That looks very helpful. Thanks.

Futurethink said:

This was written some time ago, and several brands of strings have been introduced since it was written. Still, I think it provides some of the generalizations you're asking for;
http://liveukulele.com/gear/strings/

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Thanks for this. I posted it on our club's FB page, all most people around here know about are Aquilas. I couldn't wait to get em off my cocobolo ukulele, and when I broke one, I was elated.

Nickie said:

when I broke one, I was elated.

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Haha! I know it's not good to waste resources, but I make a blanket exception when it comes to replacing new uke Aquilas. I didn't wait til one broke.

Jim Hanks said:

Haha! I know it's not good to waste resources, but I make a blanket exception when it comes to replacing new uke Aquilas. I didn't wait til one broke.

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I don't rush to replace the strings supplied with a new ukulele unless they are truly dreadful. As long as they sound OK, I leave them on until they need replacing. Most ukes seem to come with Aquilas and, while I prefer fluorocarbons, I don't generally find them so objectionable that I can't live with them. One exception was my tenor Fluke. I wanted to tune it down and while I tuned the stock strings down (D'addarion Nyltechs rather than Aquila as it happens) to try them for general tone, they were too floppy tuned down to dGBE so I changed them for strings with higher tension.

My main preference is for a mellow/warm but strong sound, so far I am able to achieve this with Living Water strings.

The bigger the uke the better the quality of sound that I was looking for, as I'm a 'picker', & I now have a cedar top baritone.

Occasionally I like a brighter sound, & I find I can get that by using my solid spruce concert, fitted with Living Water low G strings.

(But I may yet succumb to another bari with spruce top or maybe even a solid acacia.)

(I use my Aquila strings on my plastic concert & my cheaper laminates which I am keeping for the time being, for strumming.)

Several uke demos on youtube where they compare them with different string sets on each.

Joyful Uke said:

I get what you're saying, but are there some general things that can be said? (Oasis labels one set warm and another bright, so they're making a generalization, though I have no idea what the difference is between those sets of strings.)

Do Worth Browns generally sound warmer than the clears?

Do fluorocarbons have more sustain - in general - than nylon strings?

Can any general statements be made, (which won't be true for 100% of the ukuleles out there), for those of us who find this all confusing, or is it all a string buying gamble?

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You have those generalizations pretty close. Jim Hanks gave a very good answer and summary of the wild world of ukulele strings. So many variables!!!!!

Worth Clears are bright and Worth Browns are warm. Most nylon strings do sound warmer to me than florocarbon. Sustain has more to do with the instrument instead of nylon vs floro. Florocarbon are more netural sounding and let the true sound of the instrument come through.

An observation from strings I have used on instrument I have owned. Your mileage WILL vary
Bright : Worth Clear, Oasis brights, Aqulia nylguts, Aquila Reds
Medium: Fremont Blacklines, Phd, Living Water-bordering on warm
Warm : Worth Browns, D'addario Pro-Arte, Oasis Warm-bordering on medium.

This is what I hear and could start a big argument. As Jim said it can change so dramatically from instrument to instrument and person to person. Even for finger style to strummimg. Worth browns are warm when strummed but I find them bright and and clear when picked.

DownUpDave said:

Florocarbon are more netural sounding and let the true sound of the instrument come through.

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I haven't tried many different strings, but this was my experience with my Pono, with Martin fluorocarbons bringing out a woodier and livelier tone than other string types.

I've kept stock Aquilas on inexpensive instruments for the most part, as they sound nice on those ukes, including a solid spruce top Hola concert. But I put Martins on my painted ukes (all Makalas) because they're clear and don't detract from the design, and I was happily surprised by the tone.

I believe a good start is to settle the material question for yourself. Try Aquila Nylguts, Aquila Reds, any kind of fluorocarbon strings, and a set with nylon strings. You'll like one of them better than the others, on your particular ukulele. If it's fluorocarbon or nylon, research the options within those categories. Strings of the same material sound closer to each other than to strings of other materials, in my observation.

Personally, I settled on the Aquila Reds that I seem to love on any ukulele I have tried them on. Right now, I have them on my baritone, on my KoAloha LN soprano, and on my KoAloha Opio concert. I had avoided trying them for ages because of the 2013-14 posts about breaking issues, but I have not had a single string break so far. They sound distinctly different from anything else I've tried. They're really their own thing.

Mivo said:

Personally, I settled on the Aquila Reds that I seem to love on any ukulele I have tried them on. Right now, I have them on my baritone, on my KoAloha LN soprano, and on my KoAloha Opio concert. I had avoided trying them for ages because of the 2013-14 posts about breaking issues, but I have not had a single string break so far. They sound distinctly different from anything else I've tried. They're really their own thing.

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Since you have them on a few different ukuleles, it's not just the ukulele itself that sounds distinctive to you, it seems. Can you give a general idea of how the strings sound different?

Joyful Uke said:

Since you have them on a few different ukuleles, it's not just the ukulele itself that sounds distinctive to you, it seems. Can you give a general idea of how the strings sound different?

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This is difficult to answer, because a lot of the adjectives we use are so personal and may mean different things to different people. Kind of like trying to describe why I like strawberry ice cream better than blueberry ice cream: I just do. When you try a lot of strings, you forget a little what you want, or what you heard, and it gets confusing (for me anyway), but when I got to the Reds, something just clicked and I stopped experimenting there because they "felt right". There was nothing I wanted to be different. But yes, it's much like flavor, and super subjective.

That said, I feel that the Aquila Reds combine clarity (note separation and such) with a good amount of fullness/richness, while sounding lively. Dynamic, is a word that comes to mind. They strike me as well-rounded, and have, on my ukuleles, great sustain and volume. In contrast, fluorocarbon strings sound more sterile to me. Cold, you could say, but also very precise. Nylon strings sound fuller yet, but they border a little to muddy, too mid-range-y, and they are also quieter.

I also like the tactile feel of the Reds (which is something I can't say about the thicker white nylgut), at least when they have been played for a bit and the initially papery texture becomes polished. They have high density, so they are thin, but don't sound thin. I noticed this most drastically with the B string on the baritone. Both nylon and fluorocarbon Bs got thuddy halfway up the neck, but the red B stayed clear, without being tinny. The C string on smaller ukuleles is similar in that regard, but I think I'd use a wound one on tenors. Wound strings are a wholly different topic. I'll just say that I was skeptical of those, but fell in love with them for the "bass" strings, like the D and G on baritone, and the low-G and C on smaller ukes. It's hard to "unhear" how lovely wound bass strings sound in comparison to unwound ones, but this too is a matter of preference.

.....& I find that Living Water strings have a great feel to them & sound nice, kind of warm & mellow on my ukes.

You really do have to try some out for yourself. My suggestion would be to try both Living Water & Aquila reds.

(I use a low G Aquila red with nylguts on my electric.)

Of the fluorocarbon strings I tried, I liked the Living Water ones best. They have a nice feel to them, kind of soft on the fingers. Plus, Ken included a button!

uke1950 said:

.....& I find that Living Water strings have a great feel to them & sound nice, kind of warm & mellow on my ukes.

You really do have to try some out for yourself. My suggestion would be to try both Living Water & Aquila reds.

(I use a low G Aquila red with nylguts on my electric.)

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How long do you leave a set on before you decide that they're not right? I have a new set on right now that had me deciding that I no longer like my ukulele and need a new one, but suppose I should give them a chance to settle in?

I have tried Living Water strings, and so far, they're my favorite, but based on what people like on UU, I have a long list of other strings to try. (Oasis, Southcoast, PHD, Worth, and more.)

Joyful Uke said:

How long do you leave a set on before you decide that they're not right? I have a new set on right now that had me deciding that I no longer like my ukulele and need a new one, but suppose I should give them a chance to settle in?

I have tried Living Water strings, and so far, they're my favorite, but based on what people like on UU, I have a long list of other strings to try. (Oasis, Southcoast, PHD, Worth, and more.)

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If you don't like them, they probably will not improve much. Take them off.

I think once your strings have settled, maybe a week, you should be able to tell whether you like them or not.

(Just because they don't 'work' on one uke doesn't mean they won't work on another.)

Edit: D'Addario Titaniums were another string that was quite nice.