Help with Aquila strings please!

Manuke

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Guys, I need help. I'm new to the forum, though I frequently come here to read discussions and opinions since I value the knowledge of the people gathered here. I'm learning to play the Uke, I play the guitar since I was 15 or so and well, just wanted to try something new. I have a solid mahogany concert Uke manufactured by Stagg (UC80-S model), it's a nice instrument for the money, made in China but still, good for beginners I think.

Here's the thing: my Uke came with those black & rubbery standard GHS strings. They sounded ok (you know, kinda) but felt cheap and didn't stay in tune for long. So, I decided to change them and bought what I thought was the best set of strings in the world: Aquila Nylgut. They are impossible to find where I'm at, but I made an effort (of economy and logistics) and I finally got them.

The only thing is: they feel so damn rigid! I mean, ok they are obviously of great quality, I can tell, I know good strings when I see them. But man oh man, this is hard stuff, they hardly vibrate at all, I feel like picking on hard plastic... I dunno... I certainly don't want to put the GHS strings back but... well...

I'm thinking that maybe I should have bought the Worth brown strings instead.

My question is: the Aquila strings, they get softer with time, right? If so, how much time?

Should I change them already, and accept the fact that Aquila strings are not for me?

Please, I need your advice, good strings are hard to come by over here, I have to order them internationally.

Thank you!

Manuke.

Oh, one other thing: is it not wise to put back on the Uke the very same set of strings that I recently removed?
 
Aquilas seem to be a bit thicker than other brands, if you can't play them take them off and put the old ones back on. On the other hand, if you practice a bit chances are you'll get used to them. Worth strings are much thinner and easy to play, get a set and you will be a happy player for a long time.

Put your old strings back on if you want. Or just order a new set, it is not that critical. If you are in the US, getting some stringz by mail order should not be a big problem. MGM, Strings by Mail, and how about the Ukulele Underground store? They have D'Addario strings which make you sound like Jake and Aldrine, support the site and get some now!
 
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Thank you UkeNinja for your kind and prompt response.

Actually, I'm not that concerned about the "feel" of the strings, I'm used to hard nylon strings, I play mostly a classical guitar so I think my fingers can handle it.

I'm worried about the sound... or maybe both, I dunno... After all, aren't sound and feel very much intertwined? In fact, not only the feel of the strings is hard, the sound is "hard" too, if you know what I mean.

The thing is, I'm not in the US, I have to mail order the new strings from abroad.

Getting the old GHS strings back on the Uke may be the temporary solution at hand, but those damn rubery things, they can't sing a chord right! (I'm basically a nut when it comes to tuning string instruments.)

I was so excited about the new set of Aquilas...

So, should I conclude from your input that Aquila strings are naturally hard and won't give even a little with a couple of days of playing time?
 
Actually, I'm not that concerned about the "feel" of the strings, I'm used to hard nylon strings, I play mostly a classical guitar so I think my fingers can handle it...I'm worried about the sound... or maybe both, I dunno... In fact, not only the feel of the strings is hard, the sound is "hard" too, if you know what I mean.
Sorry, I missed the guitar part there, finger strength is obviously not the issue then. Aquilas have a strong attack (which may be the "hard" sound you are talking about), which gives the impression that you win a lot in sound at first (and in particular when coming from cheap stringz or on a cheap uke). Still, I like the fluorocarbon type (Worth, Orcas, etc) better for their clear sound.
There are numerous shops in Europe as well. Give us an indication of where you are, maybe there is a shop you didn't know about yet. On the other hand, pay a bit extra for shipping and you will be a happy player, instead of continuously worrying about your sound. That's worth a few bucks right there.
 
Nope, sorry, Aquilas are naturally hard, and they do not get any softer. I had the same set on my Kanilea for a year (didn't want to mess with bridge pins), and they were just as hard one year later with a good amount of play, as they were the day I bought them. As for the "hard" sound you're talkinga bout, I think that you could describe Aquilas as being a little more "hard" than say Worth clears, but it's really a matter of preference. I wouldn't call it "hard" sounding, but it definitely has a distinct bright penetrating focused sound to it.

Aquilas are good strings. But they are hard, and their sound is not quite as full or round as say Worths in my experience. And believe me, I've spent a lot of money on Aquila strings when I thought they were the best strings on the market.
 
I'm not an aquila fan. I've had a set on my mele tenor for about four months now and they are still hard. I think the word is high tension. They stay in tune and I have finally got used to the sound of them but I prefer my worth clears and my kala reds.
 
Yes Ninja, you are certainly right: it's worth a few bucks. It's just that, well, it takes about 10 days for a strings shipment to get here from where I order them. And, naive as I am, with the arrival of my new Aquilas I was expecting some magic to happen.

Experimentjon & Haolejohn, I appreciate your opinions. Tell me, you guys think Worth Clears are better than Worth Browns? I'm asking of course with the problem mentioned above in mind... that is, the hard/strong attack aspect of the Aquilas.

Haolejohn, I think you're right: the word IS tension. As I said, they feel like hard plastic, that's how much tension these things hold. I mostly play a classical/spanish guitar and I tend to use all my right hand fingers: when I play, I like to feel the vibration of the strings on all my nails.

I have to apologize to all if I'm not verbally clear or accurate when it comes to describing sound, English is not my first language and sound is already a hard thing to explain as it is, even without the usual problems of translation! Your effort to understand my ramblings is very much appreciated.

Well then, I guess Worth strings it is. Clear or Brown, that is the question now. Man, I wish I wasn't this obsessive when it comes to sound.
 
I play classical guitar too, and I think you will prefer the Worth strings. I have only tried the Clear Medium ones so far, and have been pretty happy. I would guess that you will like the Clear ones on your Mahogany Uke. If those sound too bright or harsh, I would go for the Brown ones. So far, I have liked the Worth Clear strings over the Aquila every time. I am considering trying the Worth Browns on my Zebrawood soprano, because that wood has a tendency to have a harsher high end. The Aquila strings were too harsh sounding to my ear. The Worth clears are better, but I am still evaluating the effect.

If the Aquila strings seem extremely harsh to your ears, the Worth Browns might be the logical choice. To save on shipping costs, I would order both Brown and Clear sets to try.

–Lori
 
I would definiely go with Worth Clears. It is indeed about personal preference and the sound you want. But I've found nothing (and I've tried many different brands) that compares. Aquila's are a little brighter on the attack, but the Worth's have greater sustain. I have the high tension Worth clears on my tenor Moore Bettah, and also have them on my Ko'aloha soprano. They last a long time and keep in tune pretty well. Save yourself allot of grief and go for the worth clears.
 
Or Worth browns even ... I think they are even softer than the clears. All my ukes have them I like them that much.
 
Manuke, where are you located at? :confused:
 
Hi Manuke,

I've had a couple of Stagg mahogany ukes. If you get a good one they can be a real bargain. I sold my Stagg concert to get my Kala tenor, but my wife still has her Stagg solid mahogany soprano.

Personally I quite like the Aquilas. They are hard, and a little... strident, but with practice it is possible to get quite a range of tones out of them, and great volume.

That said, I changed to Worth browns on my Kala mahogany tenor and I absolutely love them. If you don't get on with Aquilas, the Worths really could be worth a try. Don't freak at the prices... the sets are double, so you get two sets in a pack (by cutting the strings in half). Even though I like Aquilas I think I'll be sticking with the Worths as they are just so nice.

I'm afraid I really, really don't like the GHS strings at all.
 
If this were MY ukulele, I would give the Aquila's some time to settle in and get the sweet sound they are capable of. In the meanwhile, you can order the Worths, or several other types you want to try. Since you know it's going to take some time for them to arrive. One thing I notice with the Aquilas is that the sound gets better as they stretch out to the correct degree. Then they hold a tune and make even a so-so uke sound great. True they won't get any softer, but I find myself playing better with them in the long run. I try different strings on every uke I get and each one has a string that makes them come to life...so experiment a little and...relax! Enjoying a good uke is like a fine cigar, wine or whiskey...it's meant to be savored!:cool:
 
Thank you all so much for your help! All of your two cents putted together make me a millionaire.

Lori, I value your input, really, since it comes from a classical guitar player like me.

Ukukachoo (great nickname by the way), yes, i guess what I'm looking for is "sustain".

Ahnko Honu, sorry I didn't mention this before, didn't think you guys care. I live in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Ukeleles are rare (the most popular way to acquire one is, well, having it build by a professional luthier), not to mention good quality uke strings. I even made a few calls to local D'Addario approved distributors, with no luck at all. I'm sure there is at least one little store selling good uke strings somewhere in the city, but I haven't found it yet.

Buddhu, I'm quite happy with my UC80, it's solid wood, top of the Stagg line. I know some Stagg ukes may come with finishing problems due to poor quality control, but mine is alright.

I think "strident" is a good word for the Aquilas, Buddhu. You are right about the GHS strings, I don't want them back! But in their defense, they were... well, they were melow, and I liked that.

Ukeffect, that's exactly what I'll do: I'll give the Aquilas some time (I hope they will get a little sweeter as the days go by) and in the mean time order some Worth Brown sets.

If you guys see this thread at the top of the forum in a couple of weeks, that is me commenting on a new set of Worths.

I wish I had more ukes to try things out... I think I have UAS already.

On a final, rather embarrasing note, I have to admit that, the very same day that I changed the strings, I had my right hand fingernails shorten in length. I do this every couple of weeks and it doesn't affect my guitar playing at all, but I guess it's a problem with the Aquilas!
 
Manuke,
Being that you play classical guitar, you might want to try out your favorite guitar set on your uke. The Savarez Alliance strings I use are classical guitar strings. The D'addario Proarte sets are classical guitar strings. The tension of these strings on an uke, in comparison to a classical guitar may be greater, which to you may feel hard in comparison to how they feel on the guitar. And by the way, some string manufacturers say "hard" and "extra hard" or "normal tension" and "high tension".

The advantages of using flurocarbon type strings is the clarity and sustain you'll hear, at least in an uke that is worthy of producing such sound.

If you have access to guitar strings, you may not have to wait 10 days for shipment to you. If you can purchase singles, consider getting classical guitar strings in normal tension "G", "B", "E", for "C", "E", "A" on the uke. If you play re-entrant tuning, you can use a high tension "E" string for the "G" on the uke. If you play low G, then a silver wound "D" string would work.
 
That's good advice uluapoundr, I always keep some guitar strings around so I will carefully consider that option.

I've watched some good vids on YouTube, I really think Worth Browns are my thing.

My concern about the Worth Browns is that, even thought I am looking for a melow sound with a sweet sustain, some people say they sound dry & dead and don't resonate... Of course, I don't want dead strings on my Uke. Bare in mind, that's exactly what I dislike about Aquilas: they sure are strong and loud but, after that initial and surprising punch, they don't vibrate as much as I would hope. I can go as far as to say that it makes my Uke sound almost toylike. I know I have a cheap chinese Uke, but even the lousy GHS strings were better, or should I say warmer (not better, no, sorry about that).

Also, I've read that Worth strings are so thin they can hurt your fingers. Is that correct? I find it hard to believe...

If I dislike the rougher, thiker feel of Aquilas, are Medium Worths thin enough, or even maybe too thin?

Guys, thank you for your trouble. Because of the unfavorable present time currency exchange, buying new strings is not small potatoes to me.
 
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Found an excelent quote right here on the Forum:

Originally Posted by Aldrine Guerrero:

"I didn't really like the aquillas too much... The tone is much too bright and it doesn't really resonate. It's as if the sound is loud for a split second and then fades away just as fast. The tone dies easily and I'm not too fond of that. I guess this is good if you like to strum a lot and get that bright punch.

I look for more sustain and warmth. The worth clears are not bad with this actually. They are like a really skinny version of D'Addario's pro artes. The worth browns were really bright. Not as bright as the aquillas but bright enough to make you cringe every time it's strummed too loud."


Wow, that's exactly how I feel!!!

But Aldrine recommends the Worth clears, not the browns, to achieve warmth. Isn't it curious?
 
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Also, I've read that Worth strings are so thin they can hurt your fingers. Is that correct? I find it hard to believe...

If I dislike the rougher, thiker feel of Aquilas, are Medium Worths thin enough, or even maybe too thin?
I haven't found the Worth Mediums uncomfortable. They seem fine on all the sizes too, from soprano to tenor. Now if they were steel strings...on a guitar, that is a different matter...

Ukulele strings are easier to hold down than standard classical guitar strings, both because of scale length and thickness. You don't need that "death grip" to get a clear tone. So, experiment with lighter pressure on the fretboard. Pressing too hard may bend the note a little.

–Lori
 
Also, I've read that Worth strings are so thin they can hurt your fingers. Is that correct? I find it hard to believe...

If I dislike the rougher, thiker feel of Aquilas, are Medium Worths thin enough, or even maybe too thin?
I'm pretty new to uke as well, having played classical guitar for many years. My tenor (mahogany) came with Aquilas. I have to say that they've taken my calluses to a whole new level of hard and rough.

Have you ever used carbon trebles on your guitar? I started using them a few years ago and there was no going back. I was using Hannbach Goldins, but somehow with the currency exchange, they have basically doubled in price, so I switched to Oasis GPX trebles, which I've found to be every bit as good.

The carbons are a little thinner than standard nylon, but I never felt it affected my fingers. If anything, I'd say they feel more "fluid" under my fingers than regular nylon and they just sound "sweeter" to me. I don't think you'll have any problem with the Worths.

In fact this whole discussion has made me want to try some. :)

Lori, are these the clear "mediums" you were referring to?

http://elderly.com/accessories/items/WSCT.htm

They seem to be the only clear tenors other than the low G or "heavy" sets, or at least those are the only ones that Elderly stocks.
 
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