Southcoast fan finds string success!!

Strumdaddy

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Success!!
I have a Black Bear koa concert that – after much searching, wore Southcoast Soft Mediums. It is my main uke for group music therapy sessions: loud and sweet. It’s also one that I use a lot, so strings were changed relatively often. With the sad demise of Southcoast strings I wasn’t sure what strings would give me the same sort of outcome. After a few string trials I found that Living Water tenor strings felt very similar. I’ve always thought of them as a more delicate tenor string anyway.
On my concert they still sound sweet, but a little “oomphier” than "concert" strings, without the sort of thickness that throws intonation out.
I'm a very happy strummer!
p.s. respect to Duane of Black Bear for making this magical instrument - my "Trigger"
 
Success!!
I have a Black Bear koa concert that – after much searching, wore Southcoast Soft Mediums. It is my main uke for group music therapy sessions: loud and sweet. It’s also one that I use a lot, so strings were changed relatively often. With the sad demise of Southcoast strings I wasn’t sure what strings would give me the same sort of outcome. After a few string trials I found that Living Water tenor strings felt very similar. I’ve always thought of them as a more delicate tenor string anyway.
On my concert they still sound sweet, but a little “oomphier” than "concert" strings, without the sort of thickness that throws intonation out.
I'm a very happy strummer!
p.s. respect to Duane of Black Bear for making this magical instrument - my "Trigger"

I really, really, really appreciate your feedback on this. I have a Kala super soprano, spruce/mahogany that loves the South Coast soft mediums. After lots of experimentation those were the best sounding strings on the uke. Naturally I was wondering what to do with South Coast no longer available.........now I know. Thanks again. I like the "Trigger" comment, post a pic when you have worn a hole in the sound board:biglaugh:
 
Don't tell Duane, but I used to tour around outback Australia with this uke - much drier out there than on the coast... Developed a back bend in the neck, it lowered the action to nearly unplayable. I was a long way from a luthier - or a music store to buy a cheap stand in, so I heated the neck over my car radiator and bent it back in shape with a cam buckle strap. Did the trick, still singing!
I don't treat all my ukes that way (hello potential 2nd hand buyers out there!), but I do believe great instruments are for playing.
 
I like Living Water strings, I have them on most of my ukes. :)

(It's nice to know you think they make a good replacement for the South Coast strings.)
 
I like Living Water strings, I have them on most of my ukes. :)

Living Waters are really nice strings. I am not sure if there is much difference from other fluorocarbon strings, but they are a good choice.
 
I actually just received the last 10 sets of Southcoast Heavy Medium Ukulele with no wound strings (HMU-NW), so I have about 5 years before I need to find a new string set!!
Color me and my Pono bari as happy!!
 
Don't tell Duane, but I used to tour around outback Australia with this uke - much drier out there than on the coast... Developed a back bend in the neck, it lowered the action to nearly unplayable. I was a long way from a luthier - or a music store to buy a cheap stand in, so I heated the neck over my car radiator and bent it back in shape with a cam buckle strap. Did the trick, still singing!

This is great to know -- now I have a place to take my uke for repairs if I'm ever in Australia.
 
Definitely good to know. I’m not too surprised. I have used the SMU before as well as LW linear sets but have never tried the LW reentrant sets.
 
This is great to know -- now I have a place to take my uke for repairs if I'm ever in Australia.

My kit includes No12 fence wire and gaffa tape...
Glad the string info was helpful. I'm not saying LW are identical - but they have the same sweet chimey tone, tension/feel and intonation on the Black Bear as SC. I'm happy with them.
 
The two middle strings on southcoast soft mediums are fluorocarbon, and the two outer strings are nylon. The nylon seems to be higher than average density. I am going to try making a similar set by using fluorocarbon for the middle two strings, and then Diadarrio Titaniums for the outer two nylon strings. The titaniums seem to be higher density nylon than usual, that makes them have the great qualities of fluorocarbon such as sustain and volume, but yet not be too strident and bright as fluorocarbon can sometimes be.
 
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