Warm Strings?

I've got a spruce topped concert that is too bright, sharp, or brittle sounding to me. It's had Fremont Blacklines on it for a while now. I got an idea from a thread that Worth Browns might tone it down a bit?

I was looking at new strings and found that Oasis warms might be a good bit less money. I'm on a saving jag now after just buying a new Tenor.

I've never tried Oasis strings, but have tried Browns and like them on my baritone, but was wondering how the Oasis warms might compare?

I normally use a bright string on my Zebrawood Ukes and this spruce top is a bit different.

Any ideas on how to tone this spruce down a bit?

Just to confuse you: I like Savarez Alliance strings to tame a bright uke.

Hippie Guy said:

Just to confuse you: I like Savarez Alliance strings to tame a bright uke.

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Oh thanks.:cheers:

My Mom and Dad lived near Pahoa for a long time and I spent a lot of time on the Big Island. Kailua-Kona is my favorite place on earth, though it is awfully Touristy now.

I was really hoping that someone who had tried Oasis Warms might answer.

There is a comparison on YouTube of 11 different sets including Oasis Warms which might help, even though not on a spruce top:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsxmo63MW4E

Oasis are my go to strings but the warms are not as warm as the Worth Browns nor as warm as the Saverez that Brad mentioned.

I have used most of the "warm" strings around, including Worth Browns, Oasis Warms. I don't think there's any difference in warmth between them or between them and any florocarbons. But I'm not dissatisfied with what I've got.
Although I have not tried their strings, I recommend you get on Southcoast's website and slog your way through the pages of info. See if you find anything there.
Pull up a comfy chair. Serious reading time required. (Have a pencil handy, too. You'll want to take notes.)
http://www.southcoastukes.com/string sets.htm
Surely your best bet, but $$$$.

I'm with Steve here and find that strings have less influence on tonal color than finger technique or instrument itself. With that said, I do find the oasis warms to be slightly warmer sounding than oasis brights, all other factors being the same. It is a cheap enough string and quality enough sounding string that it is worth experimenting with for sure!

String choice is fairly personal, but for what its worth I really like the Oasis Warms. They came on my Blackbird Clara and nothing else sounds as good to me on that instrument.

As you are no doubt aware, strings are very subjective. In the end, it really is better to just try a few and see what works for you. I could tell you how amazing, or warm I think a string is, and you may find it quite different on your instrument and to your ear. That being said, and generally speaking, nylon strings tend to be a little "warmer" than fluorocarbon strings. If you aren't opposed to trying some, that may work for you.

DownUpDave said:

Oasis are my go to strings but the warms are not as warm as the Worth Browns nor as warm as the Saverez that Brad mentioned.

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Oh nah, you just gotta rub your hands together a little, you see

When you want to tone down an Ukulele, it's the highs that need smoothing out. The problem with "warm" strings (or "soft" as we call them) is that when they're all of the same material, you often end up with a dull thuddy bass in order to get what you want from the highs. Playing up the neck is not pretty at all.

What we do in all our lighter gauge reentrant sets and the Soft Medium reentrant sets, for example, is use lower density material for the high notes on the outside (for the softer sound), a medium density material for the second string, and a relatively high density for the 3rd. They're selected to blend and transition well, and so you get the smoother highs without the thuddy bass.

As Steve mentioned, that's obviously a more expensive way to go about things, but we like the result. As a side benefit, the strings are more even in diameter as well - no big giant 3rd - no thread thin outside strings.

I guess I'll go with the Browns Concert High G. I like the browns on my Zebra wood tenor and baritone. I prefer D'Addario Carbons on the fat tenor though.

"Blondie" is a Ohana CK-22 spruce/mahog concert and is very responsive and an easy player. I've had Fremont Blackline Low G's on her for awhile and like the strings, I have them on my travel tenor too. My SAS started when I got an Cedar topped Ohana TK-50G a couple of weeks ago and the C string boomed badly. I swapped strings around for a week trying to find a non booming third. I found that the string diameter made the booming and I fixed it with a PHD E string which was a good deal smaller. The tension is a little lower, but not noticeably, and she doesn't boom as much.

What Recstar24 said about technique, I think is right on target. I had to adjust my strumming technique for the TK-50G and perhaps the technique was more a problem than the string? I've been playing my Zebra Laminates for a couple of years and you can really thrash them around and get good sounds, but not the solid tops. It is real easy to 'overdrive' them.(maybe?)

The Worth Brown Concerts are a little lighter weight and might reduce the boom of the Fremont's low G. I can put the Low G back on my Zebra Concert.

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Dirk you answered while I was typing the above.
Yes That makes sense to me. The thudding third string seems to be a problem on my solid tops, a particular problem on the cedar topped Tenor. I tune my Tenors dGBE because I like the sound and the lower tension. I even keep my baritone in re-entrant so it sounds Uke like. I hope the tornados a few days ago missed you folks.
Maybe next payday I'll order some South coasts. I'm a little short this week.

I put a set of Southcoast HMU-W3 on my Concert Griffin Pinecone. I've never been a hi G player before but these strings are changing my mind. Dirk sells both linear and reentrant strings of various gauges. The HMU-W3 showed it has a higher tension in the soprano range. http://www.southcoastukes.com/string sets.htm They are more expensive but well worth it.

Oasis are great strings but they are made to accommodate three sizes of instruments. The shortest, soprano, is going to have the slinkyest feel natuarally.

There is really no mystery between Oasis warm and bright. I measured them a couple years ago and the brights have thinner A & G strings, the warms have slightly thicker A & G strings. I think .001" difference. The funny thing is the C & E strings are the same regardless of whether the set is warm or bright. In my opinion, warm are a little fuller, which I guess could mean warmer.

I use both warm and bright depending on the ukulele. They are my go to strings along with some Seaguar line for the A and C when needed. Worth Browns are a love/hate string depending on the uke. I'd give them a try.

I have a very bright tenor and have tried different strings and saddle material. Maybe a slight improvement, but it is still bright and I have come to just embrace it and enjoy the sound. That uke was the reason I got a cedar top tenor to mix things up.

John