Strings String suggestions for Cedar on Rosewood?

wengr

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Hello. What are your preferred strings for a Cedar / Rosewood tenor? I am in the market for such an instrument, most likely a Pono PC with low G. Thanks in advance.
 
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I guess that might depend on if you want to further enhance the warmth that that wood combo would give you.
 
I like using 2 wound strings and 2 fluorocarbon. For the G and C strings I've been using Thomastik Infeld CF30 and CF27 (thanks Booli). For the E and A strings I have ukes set up with Oasis warm and another set up with Savarez Alliance KF71 and KF60 (I think that recommendation came from Brad B). I like both sets very much. The TI strings have become my standard lately.
 
@wengr, welcome to UU. There are lots of factors to consider when selecting strings besides tone preferences, including string diameter (thin, medium, thick), hardness (soft, medium, hard), tension (higher vs. lower), etc.

And then there is the uke itself. While many of us tend to prefer certain strings, I have yet to find one that is my preferred string on every uke. For example, I recently tried Aquila Carbonblacks on four different ukes. They sounded great on 3 of the 4 and did not work at all on the 4th, on which they sounded dull.

For me, I tend to use one of these four: Oasis Brights, Aquila Carbonblacks, Southcoast Mediums, and Worth Browns (BT). I prefer medium diameter, mid-tension and do not like hard strings (e.g., Savarez, the old Ko'olau Golds).
 
I have a cedar top bari that has Living Water fluorcarbon strings on it, gives it a great tone.
All my tenor scale ukes have their concert low G strings on them, I like the feel & sound quality.
 
I've got a Mainland Cedar/Rosewood Tenor, and to date, the Martin 620s are my favorite string. Same for my solid Cedar/laminate Acacia Kala. I was so impressed with the sound that I put Martins on most of my other ukes, but haven't been as impressed with them there as I am with the cedar tops.
 
I have two cedar topped rosewood Ukes both with Living Waters.
The spruce topped rosewood has Latitude 34 flouro carbons. All have the sound I like.
 
Hello. What are your preferred strings for a Cedar / Rosewood tenor? I am in the market for such an instrument, most likely a Pono PC with low G. Thanks in advance.

Strumsilly posted this article in another thread recently. As a relatively new ukulele player, I found it to be a very detailed and informative article explaining the pitfalls of taking popular ukulele string lore at face value. Definitely it is worth a read for someone asking the question you are asking.

As I am fairly inexperienced (I have not changed from the provided default strings on any ukulele yet), I cannot properly recommend any strings to you. I would suggest, however, that you will receive better responses if you explain the sound and feel you are looking to achieve. Other players who prefer similar characteristics on one or more of their instruments will then be able to tell you what strings they have discovered work for them. In the end, you will have to discover the strings you like by trial and error.

There is another user on this site, Booli, who seems to have a vast amount of string knowledge. You might find it worth your time to look through some of his posts.

Good luck, happy hunting, and keep on strummin! :cool:
 
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Thanks for all the replies, very interesting and helpful. I have a used Pono RTSH(C)-PC enroute to me. Is it typical to require nut slot work in order to accomodate different gauges, or low G as opposed to high?
 
Ok, good to know. One more newbie question. Is it common practice to switch out string sets and save them for reinstallation later? Or is it more like steel string guitar, where I would almost never reuse a string once it comes off.
 
Ok, good to know. One more newbie question. Is it common practice to switch out string sets and save them for reinstallation later? Or is it more like steel string guitar, where I would almost never reuse a string once it comes off.

I've never had a problem with using switched out strings at a later time. I've done it on a few of my ukes. I'm sure someone will come in and prove me wrong about how stretched strings put back on later won't be the best, but yeah I do it.
 
Thanks for all the replies, very interesting and helpful. I have a used Pono RTSH(C)-PC enroute to me. Is it typical to require nut slot work in order to accomodate different gauges, or low G as opposed to high?

I think it depends on how sensative you are, and the nut material.
If the new string is thicker than the old string, it will sit higher at the nut, so fretting up near the nut will be a little harder.
How "little" that is depends on you.

One think that I have noticed.. is that with Nubone... it will kinda.. self slot especially with wound strings. Im not sure I like that at all.

If it's a new to you uke.. I'd wait and just see. If it feels like it's high you can decide if you want it lowered. If you don't feel anything.. don't worry. If it feels too low though... thats more of a problem.
 
Flurocarbons. Oasis or Southcoast. I have that Pono Pro Classic uke, it's a winner and a keeper, especially since Pono will no longer be using rosewood. I just bought a Cordoba C10 classical guitar in Canadian cedar over EIR, and I have a rare Tacoma crossover in the same. Cedar tops are already "played in" in their sound, and cedar is a super top in combination with rosewood. I also like it over mahogany.
 
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