what kind of strings are these on my new-to-me Kamaka?

janeray1940

janeray1940

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A secondhand Kamaka HF-1 made its way to me this week. It came with black nylong (?) strings that look pretty much like these. Can anybody take a guess as to what they are?

At first glance they look and feel like the GHS strings that came with my Ohana - but, unlike those, they surprised me by sounding really *good*! While I'll probably experiment with different strings in the near future, I would like to know what these are in case I decide I like them.

(And oh yeah - I can post pictures of the actual uke in question later, just haven't had a chance to photograph it yet. Too busy playing it, you know!)
 
janeray1940 said:
A secondhand Kamaka HF-1 made its way to me this week. It came with black nylong (?) strings that look pretty much like these. Can anybody take a guess as to what they are?

At first glance they look and feel like the GHS strings that came with my Ohana - but, unlike those, they surprised me by sounding really *good*! While I'll probably experiment with different strings in the near future, I would like to know what these are in case I decide I like them.

(And oh yeah - I can post pictures of the actual uke in question later, just haven't had a chance to photograph it yet. Too busy playing it, you know!)
Click to expand...

Most probably Kamaka strings. BTW, Kamaka and Hilo strings are severely underrated. These type of strings come into their own and are worth the wait, IMO. I've played a Kamaka soprano with settled down Kamaka strings and loved them. For more immediate gratification even prior to settling down (because of volume?): Aquilas.

Aquilas on a Kamaka? Kinda like putting ketchup on caviar.
 
Well, they could be about anything. GHS, Hilo, etc. A Kamaka would make darn near any string sound surprisingly good.

They could, in fact, be Fremont Blacklines, which look like black nylon but are actually black fluorocarbon. They would probably sound great on there.

Have you thought of asking the person you bought the uke from?
 
RevWill said:
Have you thought of asking the person you bought the uke from?
Click to expand...

He didn't know, but thought they were the stock strings from the factory, which I assumed would likely be Kamakas.
 
I was just reading in an online interview with Fred Kamaka that their strings are made for them by DiAddario.

I bet that is what your strings are if they were original to the uke.
 
RyanMFT said:
I was just reading in an online interview with Fred Kamaka that their strings are made for them by DiAddario.
Click to expand...

Thanks - you wouldn't happen to have a link to that would you? Sounds like a good read.
 
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