strings for kamaka pineapple

peterp

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i replaced the strings on my new kamaka soprano with aquila sopranos (regular) right after i bought it, and i now think the sound from the aquilas is too bright. what do you folks use? what were the original strings on the kamaka? i'd like to try d'addarios, but i can't seem to find them for sopranos. can i use concert strings on a soprano (w/regular tuning)? thanks.
 
I currently have Worth brown mediums mine and very happy with them. I had Aquilas on it before which was okay though a tad overpowering. I needed Aquilas for another laminate 'ukulele so took them off the Kamaka and replaced them with the Worths.
 
Sound is probably more subjective than even taste so eat and enjoy what tastes and sounds best to you because that's what matters the most. If I didn't need the Aquila strings for another 'ukulele I would have happily left them on my pineapple. I like Aquila strings and several of my other instruments wear Aquila strings but I have no brand loyalties and use Worths, Kala Reds, Ko'olau Golds, D'addario, Hilos, even (the dreaded) GHS which sound great on a couple of my 'ukuleles. Variety is the spice of life, and each 'ukulele an individual with string preferences. My Kamaka I bought over a year ago, and it is a 1972 vintage so I'm pretty sure they were not original strings. They black and I'm guessing were Hilo strings. They were stretched out so the Aquilas were a BIG improvement. I do like the mellower sound of the Worth browns, and they look nicer to me against the Koa of my particular pineapple.
 
I've got the black Fremont fluorocarbon strings on mine and like them very much. The uke had black strings on it when I bought it used and I'm thinking they might have been Hilo's. They also sounded good. I bought a couple sets of Kamaka brand black strings for soprano but they were to thick too fit in the bridge string grooves and I'm afraid to try and force them.

Jude
 
the strings that came on my kamaka pineapple were black, and the webite says they're kamaka strings. i didn't give the kamaka strings a chance. i just assumed aquilas would make every uke sound better. like ahnko says, i find the aquilas a little overpowering for the uke, and i'm looking for a mellower sound.
 
I second the vote for Fremont Blackline Fluorocarbons. Those are my favorite strings to use on my Kamaka (I use the low g tuning ones since they are unwound) but the regular re-entrant tuned ones are good as well.
 
strings for Kamaka Concert

I just bought a Kamaka concert with factory strings on it. Like other posters, I think Aquilas improve the sound of a laminate ukulele, but are somewhat strident on better instruments. I have a set of Worth Browns and a set of Ko'olau Alohis (strings that I like a lot and would recommend to others) and I don't know which to use. I've not played any other solid koa ukulele. The Alohis are bright and kind of "bubbly" sounding, but they are thicker strings, like Aquilas, and I'm not sure they will fit in the bridge slots. The Worths, as everyone probably knows, are quite slender (no problem with fit) and mellow. Ahnko, have you tried Alohis? Has anyone else? What about Worth clears?
 
I use Worth Browns on my Kamaka soprano. Love 'em. The Fremonts are probably very similar. The bridge slots on Kamaka's sopranos are pretty narrow; I couldn't even get Aquilas on mine when I tried.

The stock Kamaka strings are made by D'Addario so I'm guessing they're the same as D'Addario's black "Hawaiian" uke strings.
 
Ahnko, have you tried Alohis? Has anyone else? What about Worth clears?

I have Alohis on my Tangi Gecko and it sounds awesome. I have a set of Worth clears low g strings on my Flea and this too sounds great. Give them a try, I doubt you will be disappointed.
 
What i use on my 2005 kamaka is Aquilla's and a low wound "G" string which add rich tone and for balance.
But you gotta try them out for yourself, because everyone has their own taste of how it sound like...ie.preference..
What may sound good to others may not sound good to you and the other way around...I remember Kanaka 916
suggested to another post that MGM sell a variety pack....Good Luck...trying new and different strings is about the
journey....take time to observe, learn, and have fun...
 
Thanks, haole. I think I'll try the Worth Browns that I have. The Ko'olau Alohis won't fit. I'm still curious about Worth Clears. Never heard them played.
 
Thanks everyone for your responses. I tried Worth Browns, very nice (have used them before), but my wife said she thought they were a little too mellow. Tried Worth Clear, perfect.
 
The stock Kamaka strings are made by D'Addario so I'm guessing they're the same as D'Addario's black "Hawaiian" uke strings.

No, they're not, they're fatter. The J53 Hawaiian Ukulele Black Nylon are:
0.028
0.032
0.036
0.028

The Kamaka Standard and Concert are:
0.028
0.035
0.040
0.028

I really like them and will keep them on my kamaka :)
 
Thanks everyone for your responses. I tried Worth Browns, very nice (have used them before), but my wife said she thought they were a little too mellow. Tried Worth Clear, perfect.

glad you found them hmgberg. I've just read this thread for the first time and my answer was gonna be exactly that: worth clears. Beautiful strings...have them on my Kamaka pineapple and Mya Moe soprano
 
glad you found them hmgberg. I've just read this thread for the first time and my answer was gonna be exactly that: worth clears. Beautiful strings...have them on my Kamaka pineapple and Mya Moe soprano

Eugene are these worth clears medium, or light, or hard?

I've tried worth clear lights on a soprano, I've got mediums on my Kamaka concert and hard clears on a Kanilea concert. And they all sound good.
I guess the greater the tension the more larger the sound (more force behind it) ?
 
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