String change: Titanium to Worth Clear

OhioBelle

OhioBelle

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So I gave those D'Addario Titaniums the old college try. Really I did! They and I just did NOT get along. Too fat, too easy for me to bend out of tune. I lightened my touch (always a good idea when one is me), but the sound just went THUD most of the time. And on my beautiful new Primrose soprano, THUD was just not the sound I had imagined.

Ah, the loveliness that is Worth Clears! They give this little soprano the sound I was hoping for, and my fingers are happy with the feel.

So what was wrong with the Titaniums? The diameter is too close to nylons, and they are too soft. I came to this same conclusion with some Pro-Artes on my Cocobolo. How is it possible to make Cocobolo go THUD? Yuck. Mitch McDonald was playing jazz in the sound sample he posted of this soprano. It makes sense that he likes them. Too strong in the fundamentals for me. I finally know what that means.

The fluorocarbons have more sparkle and sustain. Yes, I know a soprano is not meant for sustain. But I knew it was capable of more than just THUD.

Mitch installed the Titaniums right before he shipped me the uke. If anyone wants a barely used soprano set, PM me and I'll be happy to send them your way.
 
I hear you.........pardon the pun. I am all about fluorocarbons, I guess my ears are in tune with them and that is the sound I like. I have tried nylons, titaniums, Aquila, Aquilas reds and none make me happy. Other people like them and that's cool, to each their own. But when it is your uke, you have to be happy. I am glad you're now happy and enjoying your new baby
 
D'Addario T2 Titanium strings *are* nylon, just a special blend from D'Addario with a light purple-ish coloring added to the mix, as opposed to their other plain and clear 'nylon' strings.

Nylon strings in general all have a lower linear density than fluorocarbon, and thus they have to be fatter to add enough mass to have enough tension in order to intonate well at the proper pitches on a given scale length.

Soprano is the trickiest of all, since compared to tenor, most soprano sets have about only 65% the total string tension of the SAME strings on a tenor scale, yes SAME DIAMETER strings. String tension is directly proportional to scale length, as well as the linear density of string material.

Most soprano sets will seem dead and floppy if you are used to the slightly higher tension of concert scale, or the slightly higher still going further up to tenor scale.

There are some sets that sound less dead on soprano and will have MORE tension, and nearly all that I've played that are like this are in fact fluorocarbon, and sometimes with a wound C string, such as the Thomastik-Infeld CF27 0.027" chrome flatwound classical guitar string, which works well every where and in every combination I've tried it with other strings.

MANY folks on UU are now using the Thomastik-Infeld strings, and despite HMS offering them, you can ALSO get them from stringsbymail.com, juststrings.com and stringsandbeyond.com for at least the past 4 yrs. I usually buy mine from stringsbymail.com.

The CF27 string will have a higher linear density due to the strings composition and a nice degree of tension, for the lowest pitch of C4 on a re-entrant soprano, and will NOT require the widening of the nut slot, since it is in fact THINNER than every single monofilament (nylon, fluoro) string which is anywhere from 0.0291"-0.032" fluoro (everyone except Martin) up to 0.034" fluoro (Martin M600/620) and all nylon 0.039"-0.041" strings.

So one way to get all the strings that are ON the uke to be closer in diameter and to intonate well is to use the CF27 as your C string.

Hope this helps. :)
 
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Well, one of these days I'll try that string since everyone raves about it. Right now, I'm just happy playing my little Primrose. I've discovered an interesting benefit to sopranos - I can play it even with a cat in my lap. :)
 
OhioBelle said:
I've discovered an interesting benefit to sopranos - I can play it even with a cat in my lap. :)
Click to expand...

I even bought a Washburn Rover small-body guitar so's my cat could "share the moment" with me ... she loves it when I play my ukuleles, plenty of room for us both on the couch ... the jumbo guitars elicit a very negative reaction ... she just walks out on my clarinet playing, but that could just be my clarinet playing :music:
 
Booli said:
D'Addario T2 Titanium strings *are* nylon, just a special blend from D'Addario with a light purple-ish coloring added to the mix, as opposed to their other plain and clear 'nylon' strings.

Nylon strings in general all have a lower linear density than fluorocarbon, and thus they have to be fatter to add enough mass to have enough tension in order to intonate well at the proper pitches on a given scale length.

Soprano is the trickiest of all, since compared to tenor, most soprano sets have about only 65% the total string tension of the SAME strings on a tenor scale, yes SAME DIAMETER strings. String tension is directly proportional to scale length, as well as the linear density of string material.

Most soprano sets will seem dead and floppy if you are used to the slightly higher tension of concert scale, or the slightly higher still going further up to tenor scale.

There are some sets that sound less dead on soprano and will have MORE tension, and nearly all that I've played that are like this are in fact fluorocarbon, and sometimes with a wound C string, such as the Thomastik-Infeld CF27 0.027" chrome flatwound classical guitar string, which works well every where and in every combination I've tried it with.
Click to expand...
Thanks for this. All your coaching on strings is finally sinking in - your posts on this are much appreciated!

I love the soprano size but really hated the thuddy C string. T2 strings seemed a little better than nylgut- didn't realize they were just nylons. Found a huge improvement with Worth CL that DownUpDave gifted me. On a whim, and your previous recommendations, I picked up the Thomastik CF27 and 30 for the C and G strings on a laminate super concert and paired with Martin M620s and loved it. Now I have string envy and am itching to put the Thomastiks with CLs on another concert I have that seems boomy with nylgut. I think my new obsession is SAS.
 
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Worth Clears are great. They are always the first brand I try on any uke. By the way, don't underestimate how good (and inexpensive!) the Martin fluorocarbon strings are.

I tend to mix sets these days, but Worth Clears are always in there somewhere!
 
I generally tend to like the fluorocarbons over most others. There is a ring and clarity and nice balance of overtones that they offer that seems to hit the sweet spot on many instruments.
 
keod said:
Thanks for this. All your coaching on strings is finally sinking in - your posts on this are much appreciated!
Click to expand...

Yes, Booli, thank you for sharing all of your research. I have learned much from your previous "educational-string-posts," but I am glad you posted it here as well. I deliberately included the string brands in my thread title, so anyone searching for "Worth" or "Titanium" would easily find it. Now when they find this thread, they will also find your information. :)

And bearbike137, I am becoming a big Worth fan as well. The great thing about using them on the soprano is that I was able to cut the 63" length into 3 sets. Pretty cheap, considering!
 
OhioBelle said:
Yes, Booli, thank you for sharing all of your research. I have learned much from your previous "educational-string-posts," but I am glad you posted it here as well. I deliberately included the string brands in my thread title, so anyone searching for "Worth" or "Titanium" would easily find it. Now when they find this thread, they will also find your information. :)

And bearbike137, I am becoming a big Worth fan as well. The great thing about using them on the soprano is that I was able to cut the 63" length into 3 sets. Pretty cheap, considering!
Click to expand...

Glad to help and that the info is useful. Nice to read your posts as well. :)

Being so used to the 'performance' (sound, feel, longevity) of fluoro strings myself, whenever I try the nylon strings again, whichever ukes I put them on, they just sound sad and 'less than' with the nylon strings.

Some ukes nylon is 'almost' the tone I want, but on soprano, I'm always disappointed by the best-yet-poor intonation, if not the tone and lack of sustain.

If I want thud-tub-tub, I'll buy a cajon or 26" diameter Bodhran drum, or just slap a large cardboard box, but not on a uke.

I NEED sustain like a green plant needs the sun. So far fluoro strings seem to give the most sustain.
 
That makes sense. I may try that in the near future. Hope I can find this thread when I need it.

Booli said:
D'Addario T2 Titanium strings *are* nylon, just a special blend from D'Addario with a light purple-ish coloring added to the mix, as opposed to their other plain and clear 'nylon' strings.

Nylon strings in general all have a lower linear density than fluorocarbon, and thus they have to be fatter to add enough mass to have enough tension in order to intonate well at the proper pitches on a given scale length.

Soprano is the trickiest of all, since compared to tenor, most soprano sets have about only 65% the total string tension of the SAME strings on a tenor scale, yes SAME DIAMETER strings. String tension is directly proportional to scale length, as well as the linear density of string material.

Most soprano sets will seem dead and floppy if you are used to the slightly higher tension of concert scale, or the slightly higher still going further up to tenor scale.

There are some sets that sound less dead on soprano and will have MORE tension, and nearly all that I've played that are like this are in fact fluorocarbon, and sometimes with a wound C string, such as the Thomastik-Infeld CF27 0.027" chrome flatwound classical guitar string, which works well every where and in every combination I've tried it with other strings.

MANY folks on UU are now using the Thomastik-Infeld strings, and despite HMS offering them, you can ALSO get them from stringsbymail.com, juststrings.com and stringsandbeyond.com for at least the past 4 yrs. I usually buy mine from stringsbymail.com.

The CF27 string will have a higher linear density due to the strings composition and a nice degree of tension, for the lowest pitch of C4 on a re-entrant soprano, and will NOT require the widening of the nut slot, since it is in fact THINNER than every single monofilament (nylon, fluoro) string which is anywhere from 0.0291"-0.032" fluoro (everyone except Martin) up to 0.034" fluoro (Martin M600/620) and all nylon 0.039"-0.041" strings.

So one way to get all the strings that are ON the uke to be closer in diameter and to intonate well is to use the CF27 as your C string.

Hope this helps. :)
Click to expand...
 
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