Strings for KoAloha Concert?

Larry U

Larry U

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I purchased a sweet little KoAloha Concert uke (2015 build date) from Mim early this spring and I've been playing the hell out of it. It's still got the original strings, but I'm sure that at the rate I'm going, I'm going to kill them soon.

Two questions:

What brand/type of strings does KoAloha use for their instruments?

What would you recommend as replacement strings for this uke? My playing style is probably 75% fingerpicking/chord melodies and 25% straight strumming. Tuning is standard re-entrant "C".
 
KoAloha uses Worth CM strings for their concerts (all models, including Opio) and LN sopranos.
 
Mivo said:
KoAloha uses Worth CM strings for their concerts (all models, including Opio) and LN sopranos.
Click to expand...

I do not believe so. I just received a set of tenor stock strings from Koaloha, according to Brian its their own line of flourcarbon. What I received today was unpackaged and unlabeled. I'm sure worth is very similar.

Larry, contact Koaloha by email and they will sell you their sets directly.
 
KoAloha uses Japanese fishing line. Worth or pretty close and so are Oasis. Southeast is always a good bet as well.
 
Recstar24 said:
I do not believe so. I just received a set of tenor stock strings from Koaloha, according to Brian its their own line of flourcarbon. What I received today was unpackaged and unlabeled. I'm sure worth is very similar.

Larry, contact Koaloha by email and they will sell you their sets directly.
Click to expand...

Ryan is correct. They feel very similar to Worth CM, but they are their own line. If you want similar strings you could contact KoAloha or put some CMs on it and it would be very close. However, I would recommend getting a set of PhDs. They were designed on KoAloha ukes and sound great on them.
 
My info came from Andreas David, who sells KoAloha ukuleles over here. I can't tell any difference between the factory strings my two KoAlohas came with and the Worth CM strings concerning sound, feel, and diameter, so the info given to me seemed credible.
 
Japanese fishing line, they told me at the factory. There is a difference and I like the stock KoAloha better than the CM Worth on a concert uke. Not a huge difference, perhaps slightly different gauge. I didn't care for the PhD's on a Tenor, but have not tried them on a concert.
 
My experience - On my tenor I've tried worth ct, two types of Southcoast, Fremont blacklines, and oasis (all with a Fremont soloist low g). For my ears the worth ct is by far the best for this uke with oasis next. The oasis were good but much quieter. The Southcoast and Fremont didn't work at all on this Uke.
 
The PHD's work great on the concert. Living Waters are also nice,........with a warmer more mellow tone.
 
I have worth clears on mine, sounds good to me :)!
 
The KoAlana series (KoAloha's all-laminate) come with D'Addario Titaniums standard. I'm using Seaguar fishing line on my concert, and they work great. If you want to go brand name, I'd bet Living Waters or Worth clears would be mighty fine, too.
 
Mivo said:
My info came from Andreas David, who sells KoAloha ukuleles over here. I can't tell any difference between the factory strings my two KoAlohas came with and the Worth CM strings concerning sound, feel, and diameter, so the info given to me seemed credible.
Click to expand...

Sounds good. My info was direct from Koaloha, Brian to be exact and confirmed by pops. If one wants to be exact they can order from Koaloha directly. For all purposes, they look and feel very similar to other fluorocarbons.
 
Thanks to all for the suggestions. Looks like I'm going to order a set of Worth CMs and possibly a set of PHDs. I already have the Worth CM strings on a Mainland Pineapple right now and I like them there, so I'll probably be happy with them on my KoAloha.
 
I've got Worth clear low G on one Koaloha Concert and Worth brown low G on another. They both sound spectacular. But, the browns are mellower and the clears are louder and brighter. I like loud and bright for playing at a jam and I like the mellow browns for playing at home. I am VERY happy with them both.

I've read all the fishing line threads here on UU, even experimented with some, and I would assume that all uke strings are fishing line repackaged. If Koaloha has figured out the formula (or were clued in) to which gauge works for which string and are using fishing line, right on.

But ya know, every time I buy Worth strings, the package has so much Koaloha info on it, you'd think they made the strings.

P.s., the Okami's are wonderful people. Where else could you find the owner of a company telling people on the factory tour that they just use fishing line?! Lol!
 
Thought I'd throw my tuppence worth in. I string mine with Worth CLs. I found they are closer to the original strings than CMs. They're easier on the fingers too and produce a lovely sound.
 
Reviving this thread for an update.

A couple of months ago, I changed the strings on my KoAloha Concert ukulele. I installed a set of Southcoast "Soft Light Medium" strings and tuned it up. It took at least two weeks before the tuning was holding, but they sounded OK.

Over time, I found myself picking up that uke less and less frequently. I wasn't sure why, but I was even thinking about selling it. It finally came to me that it wasn't the ukulele that was the problem, or me that was the problem, but maybe it was the strings that was the problem! I had a set of "plain vanilla" Martin M600 strings laying around that I kept for a backup set, so I figured I'd give it a shot. I switched the strings to the Martins, tuned them up, and started playing. Wow! There was the KoAloha that I knew and loved. They sound great, and were easily holding tuning after only a couple of days.

So, boys and girls, the moral of the story is if you don't like the sound of your ukulele, try a different set of strings! :rolleyes:
 
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