Strings...?!

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cherry pie

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Hello Ukulovelies...
on my introduction thread, there was much talk of string quality...
i'm already finding my fingers are blistering up a treat on these pesky cheap ones... I think thats more to do with learning to play nylons again (something i haven't done since i picked up a guitar in my teens)
Here's my question... what strings would you reccommend for an absolute beginner (i.e not performance ready strings... but suitable for heavy practice)? Obviously, there are many- but i'm not familiar with any uke brands, so i don't know who to trust!

Thanks in advance, guys :D xx
 
I definitely recommend the Aquilas. I've tried playing a couple different types of strings, but nothing really sounds quite as nice to me as a nice set of Aquila Nygluts :)
 
What type of uke do you have? The aquila strings are probably the best strings for the laminate ukes (lower end of the $$$ spectrum) After that you can always have fun experimenting with different strings. But...the aquila strings are a pretty safe bet!!!
 
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For someone trying to get used to the feel of the strings, I would probably stick with something like Aquilas or the D'addario J71s that UU sells. They tend to be thicker and I know when I first started playing, they were much easier on my fingers than the thinner fluorocarbon string styles like Worth or Fremonts. Good luck to you! :)
 
Weirdly, when I first started playing, I found fluorocarbon strings (I use worths) to be more painful when I play, but my fingers stayed smooth and nice (no flaking) - while with aquilas, it was the other way around - flaky skin on my fingers, but less pain when I play. So... I guess it depends on the fingers.

Though, I think beginners are always prone to a little bit of 'blistering', no matter what brand they use (at least, it as for me). Chalk it up to holding chords too hard or simply just getting used to playing a stringed instrument (if you've never played one before). But your fingers will get used to it with time.
 
Aloha Cherry Pie,
You must be practicing alot eh!!!Well those calouses are a badge of honor for string players....he he....I'd say just
keep at it until your fingers toughen up....no worries....You could try different strings, For me, it seems lighter guage(thinner strings)hence less
tension for more comfort, but still you finger tips will need to be broken in too...You must be playing for hours eh, usually
in a day or two of rest helps....as mentioned Aquilla's or Hilo's work well... Good Luck!!and have fun!!!! MM Stan....
 
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like just about everyone else : AQUILAS! bright and nice sound and very easy on your fingers. never got blisters when i practiced for a long time.. worst i got were calluses :)
 
thanks so much everyone :D
as i said- i'm horribly familiar with the searing pain of playing the strings... guitar/bass/mandolin have all been harsh torturers of my stumpy little digits! lol!
I automatically want to try a thinner string... i know they'll cut in more, but i know i won't be as hard on the chords on a thinner/lighter string, so it should even out nicely before long... i hope!
I've had a few days break as i've been staying with my boyfriend's family this week, but i've been missing it like mad! lol!
i looked at flurocarbon/nygluts... they automatically appealed to me, so i'm thinking i'll give them a go... not worried so much about sound quality just yet as i'll experiment with that later (and am watching a gorgeous electro-acoustic pineapple on ebay! lol!) but i'd at least like strings that don't de-tune after half a song! lol!
Thanks guys and gals :D :D :D x
 
Realistically, all new strings are going to lose their tune very quickly. After about a week or two they should finish stretching out and start holding their tune for longer and longer. So just buying new strings won't really help the tuning problem.
 
I'd say Aquilas are a pretty safe bet, but it's always worth (ho ho) a bit of experimentation.

I use Worth Browns (the light tension, although I'm going to try medium when I next restring) on my Kala KA-FMS (solid spruce top, laminate maple back and sides) as I found the Aquilas too overpowering on it.

Having recently put Aquilas onto a Makala Dolphin (on which they sound fab), however, I've been struck again by how much 'easier' they play than the Worths.

I think my ideal would be a string that looked (they complement the spruce and spalted flamed maple a treat!) and sounded like the Worth Browns, but felt like the Aquilas. I'm guessing such a string-grail doesn't exist, though...
 
I started with the D'adarios, then switched to Aquila Nylguts when I first started playing and I blistered pretty good at first. Might have been a coincidence.

I switched to Worth Brown Medium LowG about 8 months ago and really like them. They are way mellower than the Aquila's bright tones. I am about to try on a set of Worth Clear Mediums to try something new. I do love the look of the browns on my 'Surf'.
 
I've been doing a lot of testing on strings on various instruments and wrote a summary on my blog here

http://gotaukulele.blogspot.com/2009/11/all-things-strings.html (there are other string findings on that blog if you do a search or better still, click this link and hey presto... http://gotaukulele.blogspot.com/search/label/strings )

My view is that its easy to say "aquila" which are very very decent, but I find it depends on the uke. I too hate the slippy nylon GHS strings etc - find they dont have enough tension for me.


Aquilas work very well on cheaper instruments I find as they have the power to drive plywood tops.

Worths are good, but I find them pricey.

What I've been very pleased with of late on my more delicate expensive instruments are Martin flourocarbons - real nice bell like chiming tone, good tension and reliable.

Just my two cents - playing and testing strings is a long long road
 
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bryanperk said:
Realistically, all new strings are going to lose their tune very quickly. After about a week or two they should finish stretching out and start holding their tune for longer and longer. So just buying new strings won't really help the tuning problem.
Click to expand...
THANKS SO MUCH. I thought I was doing something wrong I was worried I was breaking my uke, I am completely a newbie and I get so nervous I feel like I will pop a string if I kept tuning. ;)
 
Aloha cherry pie,
I think flurocarbon/nylguts are higher tension strings....I prefer regular Aquilla's...betta on the digits..
I notice that if you do slides, bending, and pulling..those sorts of things, those callouses come pretty
quickly....Just my opinion... Good luck!! MM Stan....
 
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