GHS Strings

AC Baltimore

AC Baltimore

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So my C string broke on the Pro Arte's... sharp spot on the saddle, fixed. Anywho, I hate odd sets so I put on the black GHS set the uke came with. It is the black set with a wound C. I didn't give them five-seconds when I got the uke, but playing them now, they are not too bad. They are not the best I have heard, but not as awful as I have heard some folks say either. The tension does seem to be pretty high.
 
The GHS strings that came on my soprano were terrible. No wound strings, and all four seemed to be the same thickness. They were very thin, compared to Aquilas, and they had very low tension. I finally swapped them for a set of Aquilas....what a difference! This is not to say I like Aquilas the best on this uke....I haven't tried any others yet. Worth browns will be next, I think.

I also think you countn't talk me into crossing the street for a lifetime supply of free GHSs....
 
mailman said:
The GHS strings that came on my soprano were terrible. No wound strings, and all four seemed to be the same thickness. They were very thin, compared to Aquilas, and they had very low tension. I finally swapped them for a set of Aquilas....what a difference! This is not to say I like Aquilas the best on this uke....I haven't tried any others yet. Worth browns will be next, I think.

I also think you countn't talk me into crossing the street for a lifetime supply of free GHSs....
Click to expand...

lol I hear ya. These are deff. not all one diamiter. I am kinda' diggin' them. Having said that, I am going to try out some worths on it :). But they are not awful.
 
Both my Makala MK-C and Stagg EUK came with GHS strings and they're really not that bad. My main issues with them is they're quiet and kind of stiff making them uncomfortable to play. I keep the set from my MK-C around just as a backup set.
 
FourChordWonder said:
Both my Makala MK-C and Stagg EUK came with GHS strings and they're really not that bad. My main issues with them is they're quiet and kind of stiff making them uncomfortable to play. I keep the set from my MK-C around just as a backup set.
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Bingo. They are very stiff, which I sorta' like for finger picking, but to my ears it gets a bit blah on strumming. I won't be keeping them on, but I don't hate them. I will keep a couple backup sets around like you. They are dirt cheap at juststrings.com.
 
when i bought my tenor, i bought the best sounding one with the ghs strings on it. i really don't mind the sound of them and i don't mind the wound c either. however, i do like the sound of my tenor with the pro artes on it sooooooo much more. if all i had was ghs strings, i'd put them on because i know it doesn't sound bad.
 
I've only tried one set of GHS no wound and the C seems a bit thicker than the others and I wouldn't describe them as terrible, but I have to agree with Mailman! I don't think I'd buy another set but I was able to put them to good use, I put them on my old warped tourist soprano so my 2 year old grandson can play along with his brother, sister, and I. He seems perfectly happy with the sound, and I don't worry as much about him breaking one as I did with the old fishing line strings it had on it.
 
Update.

Since I was digging the GHS a bit, I decided to grab a set of the d' addario Hawaiians, they are similar sets but I assumed the DA's would be an overall higher quality. I was correct. The texture is nice, intonation on point, and the tension is perfect. They are not super loud strings, but mellow with good articulation and sustain. I think the wound C really evens things out.
 
When I bought my tenor Ohana last year, I put on a set of aquilas (as seemed to be the rule)

Thing is, I've never really bonded with the instrument and it's sound, as I think the strings dominated the wood (if that makes sense) So yesterday I put on a set of brown worths. At first I had to double check the supplier as they're much much thinner than the Aquilas, but it they ARE for a tenor instrument afterall.

They've totally transformed the look and sound of my uke, and I think I'm actually hearing the Uke's true sound for the first time. I'm impressed!

I think they look better as well!
 
I did this with my Mainland Mahog Tenor after using almost exclusively Aquilas. The strings are much thinner and the sound comes alive when I pick!
 
It's good to know it's not just me rasputinsghost!

Aquilas have been amazing on my soprano and concert ukes, but it seems the tenor strings are a bit butch!
 
Sir said:
It's good to know it's not just me rasputinsghost!

Aquilas have been amazing on my soprano and concert ukes, but it seems the tenor strings are a bit butch!
Click to expand...

Agree. I have them on a tenor, but I just ain't 100% happy with them.
 
Off with the Aquilas for me on my tenor and on with the believe it or not Hilo tenor plain 3rds...waiting on an order from the great folks at Elderly Instruments. Hilo like some GHS offerings is a string option which gets a very unfair bashing. Frankly I think some of the "great" sound Aquilas give cheapo sops esp. is an assessment based mostly on decibels.
 
I bought a pack of GHS strings a while back, but I haven't used them yet. I was planning to put them on my Fluke, but reading this I think I'm probably a little more inclined to try the D'Addarios I bought as well.
 
Vindelanda said:
I bought a pack of GHS strings a while back, but I haven't used them yet. I was planning to put them on my Fluke, but reading this I think I'm probably a little more inclined to try the D'Addarios I bought as well.
Click to expand...

The GHS are decent, but I am loving these DA's. They really lend themselves to fingerpicking.
 
Sir said:
When I bought my tenor Ohana last year, I put on a set of aquilas (as seemed to be the rule)

Thing is, I've never really bonded with the instrument and it's sound, as I think the strings dominated the wood (if that makes sense) So yesterday I put on a set of brown worths. At first I had to double check the supplier as they're much much thinner than the Aquilas, but it they ARE for a tenor instrument afterall.

They've totally transformed the look and sound of my uke, and I think I'm actually hearing the Uke's true sound for the first time. I'm impressed!

I think they look better as well!
Click to expand...

I think "hearing the uke's true sound for the first time" is a great way of putting it and describes that experience very well. Someone could argue that "Well you're always hearing the uke's true sound...with X brand of strings this time." I think Aquilas are very good in certain applications, but have come to conclude that overall they are overrated, and mostly because of their decibel output. I also think their rep for transforming cheapo or less expensive ukes even sops and concerts comes down mostly to decibels and maximizing that with fingerstyle play. Doesn't louder fingerstyle play make almost any uke sound "better?"

In some ways, Aquilas are to ukes what garlic is to cooking...some folks think a lot of garlic makes everything taste great...even when you really can't taste the eggplant...and for the most part and in a lot of application Aquilas are already a lot of garlic...

I think the most elusive thing is finding strings that sound decent and above when simply strummed.
 
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