Aquila and Worth strings compared

Which do you like best: Aquila or Worth? I compared them on almost identical instruments.

Improv on a TK-35G and a TK-35CG

KEN


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They both sound terrific. I've been listening without watching, and occasionally looking up to see which one you're playing. Consistently I find I like the non-cutaway better. So I'll be interested to see which strings are on which uke.

This is a great way to compare them, by not letting people know which is which, thus eliminating any brand prejudice. Thanks for doing this!

hey there!
it should be my first post around here... I preferr Aquila. They just sound better and you also have a better feeling playing Aquila's nylgut

Unfortunately the color of the strings makes the brand indentifiable, but I think I truly prefer the Worth strings in this case.

My Lanakai spruce top concert came with Aquilas and initially I was impressed by the volume and sustain. But after awhile, I became annoyed by what I hear as metalic scratchiness. I hear the same thing on your video. The Worths sound more clean.

Right now, I'm trying D'Addario Pro Arte, but I'm looking forward to trying Worths. Not widely available, though.

A couple of questions, Ken. Is there a difference in how the strings feel? I play with a similar technique (I started with classical guitar and have always suspected that you play classical guitar as well), although I'm not nearly as accomplished. Also, can you comment on your perception of the difference between Worth clear and Worth brown?

Thanks

eldaddy007 said:

Unfortunately the color of the strings makes the brand indentifiable, but I think I truly prefer the Worth strings in this case.

My Lanakai spruce top concert came with Aquilas and initially I was impressed by the volume and sustain. But after awhile, I became annoyed by what I hear as metalic scratchiness. I hear the same thing on your video. The Worths sound more clean.

Right now, I'm trying D'Addario Pro Arte, but I'm looking forward to trying Worths. Not widely available, though.

A couple of questions, Ken. Is there a difference in how the strings feel? I play with a similar technique (I started with classical guitar and have always suspected that you play classical guitar as well), although I'm not nearly as accomplished. Also, can you comment on your perception of the difference between Worth clear and Worth brown?

Thanks

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I think a lot of people will be able to identify the strings, but some won't. Some players never bother too much about strings. But, of course, they do make a big difference.

To me, Aquilas feel harder and thicker than Worths. It is easier to bend Worths too. And Worths feel very much smoother. But Aquilas give a great depth of tone. There is no difference between brown and clear Worths, except colour and lack of it.

KEN

Sorry to drag this out of the depths. I have just watched this video and read through all the comments and I still don't know which strings were on which instrument.

Personally I liked the sound of the non-cutaway and I'm guessing these were the Worth strings?

Is there a definitive answer?

thanks.

shiftysquirrel said:

Sorry to drag this out of the depths. I have just watched this video and read through all the comments and I still don't know which strings were on which instrument.

Personally I liked the sound of the non-cutaway and I'm guessing these were the Worth strings?

Is there a definitive answer?

thanks.

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They were Worths on the non-cutaway.

Here are the results.

19 people preferred the Worths. 5 people preferred the Aquilas.16 people liked both. 5 people said that the Worths were better for picking and the Aquilas for strumming.

Thanks for the great video! I have always debated on which strings to buy. They both sounded really great and at first I could not tell the difference. After a listening for a while I decided I liked the sound of the non-cutaway. Thanks a bunch this helped me decide!
:drool:KP

Great video! I really like the Aquila's. They sound bright yet mellow.

But, in the end, you make both kinds of strings sound wonderful!

KalaPineapple said:

Thanks for the great video! I have always debated on which strings to buy. They both sounded really great and at first I could not tell the difference. After a listening for a while I decided I liked the sound of the non-cutaway. Thanks a bunch this helped me decide!
:drool:KP

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The only other uke strings that I like are D'Addarios.

Melissa82 said:

Great video! I really like the Aquila's. They sound bright yet mellow.

But, in the end, you make both kinds of strings sound wonderful!

Click to expand...

The Aquilas certainly have a lovely tone. They have a very full sound and are really great for strumming.

I personally favour Worths or D'Addarios for picking.

Not to give it away, but visually it's clear which is which, so if you're trying to do a blind test, look away and just listen. I find the Aquilas to produce a warmer sound and the Worths to be a bit brighter so depending on which sound is a better fit to the player or song, one might be a better choice over the other. (Oh, jeez, I need multiple ukes, I can see it now...). The Aquilas also have more texture to them, less polish. You can hear the fingers on the matte surface more than the Worths, which could be bothersome to some players who don't want to hear that, particularly in the fingerstyle parts of the sample.

BTW, Ken, very nice improv going on here, and a good range of representative styles to give a good sense of the properties of the strings. Thanks for the demo.

This test was over 5 months ago when I announced the results. But since then I have continued to compare the two types of strings on several models of Ohana ukes.

If I could have just one brand of string for all ukes, it would be Aquila. They are an amazing all-round string. Mimmo, who makes them, works hard all the time to experiment with a view to improving his product.

I have found that certain strings work better on certain wood combinations. For instance, Worths sound much better on mahogany tables than spruce ones. I tried a set of Worths on an Ohana TK-75CG (spruce/maple) and Worths sounded awful. However, Worth strings sound beautiful on Kanilea's and all mahogany instruments.

But playing style is the biggest factor. If you want a full, loud strum to accompany a song, you really can't beat Aquilas. They are also great for really punchy music, like blues, for instance. If you want a clear, thin, harp-like sound form fingerpicking, use Worths.

Just to complicate the issue, in some ways D'Addarios give you the best of both worlds. They are a long-established company with a great product.

These thoughts are just my opinions based on my personal observations (on many, many different ukes).

Ken, I didn't notice the date on the original post. Glad you've continued the experimenting, I appreciate your insights. Interesting, I hadn't considered that the same string would be more desired on one type of wood or combination of woods over others, but that makes sense. So far I'm an Aquila user for the sound and, but just as important to me, the feel under my fingers. I like the matte finish and the soft touch, if you will. I will at some point try the Worths, out of curiosity if nothing else, and who knows, I may end up wondering why I hadn't done so earlier.

Thanks again.

Thanks for clearing that up Ken. It would have driven me mad not knowing the answer!