Which strings for Ko'olau tenor?

grownupboy

grownupboy

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hey all,

the new kanilea concert isn't even here yet and i'm already thinking about my next uke (i got it bad!)

thinking of a ko'olau tenor. this would be my second ko'olau - the first met an untimely demise in an unfortunate shipping incident. waa!

i'm interested to know what ko'olau tenor owners have found to work for strings. i used to use ko'olau golds but always thought they sounded a big thumpy... would love to hear what you guys are using!

g

p.s. i've included a pic of the kanilea concert in transit from mgm - he was nice enough to snap a pic before popping it in the mail!
 

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If you haven't used any fluorocarbon strings before, maybe you should try them either on your ukulele that's coming, or the ukulele you want to buy. They're nice and bright and they make your ukulele sound loud!
 
I replaced the Ko'olau (low G) strings that came on my Pono Tenor with Worth Brown BT-LG (low G all unwound strings). The Worths are much brighter and the low G sounds better than the wound Ko'olau low G.

I had two Ko'olau A strings break (at an unstressed place) within a few months. Both times the strings were fine when I put the uke in the case and when I opened the case the next day or so the string was broke.
 
"Shipping accident..." AHHHHHH!

We own three Ko'olaus and use Savarez on all of them.
 
grownupboy said:
i'm interested to know what ko'olau tenor owners have found to work for strings. i used to use ko'olau golds but always thought they sounded a big thumpy... would love to hear what you guys are using!
Click to expand...


Stick with the ko'olau golds for a while, without the wound third if possible. I have tried just about every string possible on the ko'olau in koa and spruce and the golds really have the best sound to my ears. I had absolutely no luck with the classical stuff, they sound dead in my hands.

Low G is another story, I had the best luck with a Aquila but thats a personal choice on tone and what I was going for. .
 
I've tried many different brands of strings on my Pono PKT2E with looks and sounds better than many Ko'olau's. I don't care for the sound of Aquillas and the constant tuning required, I have been using Saverez Alliance Classical Guitar strings for the past 2 months and love the clean crisp sound and feel of the strings. I am also using low G tuning.
picture.php
See this thread: http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14285&page=2
 
which savarez

Craig said:
"Shipping accident..." AHHHHHH!

We own three Ko'olaus and use Savarez on all of them.
Click to expand...

Craig and danged
Which Savarez do you use?
Is it the Alliance standard tension (red) or high tension (blue) sets or do you get individual strings?
Would they be good on a pono koa 8 string or surf fluke with r/w fretboard, do you think?
Which of these strings is likely to be easier to play on the uke on higher frets?
 
Last edited:
well, i took the plunge and ordered the ko'olau t-1 tenor. how many ukes can one man get in a week?? :)

this one sure is pretty though...

g
 

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I've played a couple of them at the past two NAMM shows. They're a wonderful, "stock," Ko'olau ukulele. I'm sure you'll be pleased.
 
rainbowprof said:
Craig and danged
Which Savarez do you use?
Is it the Alliance standard tension (red) or high tension (blue) sets or do you get individual strings?
Would they be good on a pono koa 8 string or surf fluke with r/w fretboard, do you think?
Which of these strings is likely to be easier to play on the uke on higher frets?
Click to expand...

I use the Red card or standard tension and order them individually at stringsbymail.com, haven't got around to my PKT8 yet, but have ordered the strings prescribed by Aaron:

For Savarez 8:
541J x2
542J x2
543J and 541R (high C)
544J and 542R (high G)
 
danged said:
I've tried many different brands of strings on my Pono PKT2E with looks and sounds better than many Ko'olau's. I don't care for the sound of Aquillas and the constant tuning required, I have been using Saverez Alliance Classical Guitar strings for the past 2 months and love the clean crisp sound and feel of the strings. I am also using low G tuning.
picture.php
See this thread: http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14285&page=2
Click to expand...

That is the coolest Uke I have ever seen!!! (I have same one :D) but have settled on D'Addario Pro-Arte..not as loud as Aquila, but the sound is much better I think. Ko'olau Golds were to dang heavy for me...
 
danged said:
I use the Red card or standard tension and order them individually at stringsbymail.com, haven't got around to my PKT8 yet, but have ordered the strings prescribed by Aaron:

For Savarez 8:
541J x2
542J x2
543J and 541R (high C)
544J and 542R (high G)
Click to expand...
Here's the link for the strings and where I purchase them:

http://stringsbymail.com/prolist.asp?tCat=1&tMan=11&dMan=Savarez&tSer=49&dSer=500+Corum+Series&tSub=121&dSub=500AR+Corum+Alliance&pType=1&pDes=Single%20Strings
 
DeG said:
That is the coolest Uke I have ever seen!!! (I have same one :D) but have settled on D'Addario Pro-Arte..not as loud as Aquila, but the sound is much better I think. Ko'olau Golds were to dang heavy for me...
Click to expand...

You have good taste DeG! I love this uke, I have not tried the D'addario Pro-arte, but have heard great things about them, many of the UU'ers rave about both D'addario and Savarez, I agree with you, much better than the Golds. And I really don't care for the Aquilla's, but they do make a cheap uke sound better.

I'm a Ko'olau/Pono dealer, and John Kitakis hand picked and set up this uke for my personal use. He later changed the model of his remaining PKT2E which looked similar to mine to PKT5E and they went for around $1600.. Working on getting a Kulawood Ko'olau Model 100 next.
 
Craig said:
I love working with John and the boys!
Click to expand...

Aloha Craig,

This is Ed at the Aloha Warehouse, in SF, you sent my a copy of your CD a couple of months ago. Nice Uke playing! I forgot to get back to you, but nice finding you on UU, of course you are on a Ko'olau thread. :)
 
danged said:
Aloha Craig,

This is Ed at the Aloha Warehouse, in SF, you sent my a copy of your CD a couple of months ago. Nice Uke playing! I forgot to get back to you, but nice finding you on UU, of course you are on a Ko'olau thread. :)
Click to expand...
I'm glad you like the CD!

Aloha! :shaka:
 
danged said:
I use the Red card or standard tension and order them individually at stringsbymail.com, haven't got around to my PKT8 yet, but have ordered the strings prescribed by Aaron:

For Savarez 8:
541J x2
542J x2
543J and 541R (high C)
544J and 542R (high G)
Click to expand...

So although you usually use standard tension strings, you've decided to try the mostly high tension ones on your 8 string. Do you think it will be harder to play barre chords clearly up the fret with those strings suggested by Aaron?
 
I'm using D'Addarrio J71's on my Ko'olau tenor. Though I have a CE-1, so it's not a "true" acoustic tenor...but it sure sounds nice.

I'm thinking of trying the J53 Black Nylon set (for concerts) the next time I restring. I like the sound they get on my KoAloha concert and I think the slightly lower tension might work a bit better for my playing style.

-John
 
DeG said:
That is the coolest Uke I have ever seen!!! (I have same one :D) but have settled on D'Addario Pro-Arte..not as loud as Aquila, but the sound is much better I think. Ko'olau Golds were to dang heavy for me...
Click to expand...

Ed let me play the buggah for a bit and this `ukulele sings mo bettah than look which says alot.
 
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