All the talk about Tenor Low G strings, help me solve my Concert...

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Ukulele Dave

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...Low G string dilemma. I'll soon have a low-G designated concert and need some string advice.

I have Worth Clears on my PS so I already have one setup with super bright/trebly strings. I'm going for the opposite sound on this one - need some warm/mellow/deep low g sounding strings. I prefer unwound strings but the most important aspect here is getting proper tension across the concert scale specifically the Low G string.

What are my options? I'm only intrested in C-Tuning GCEA. If I go for unwound I'd have to probably get two different sets: 1st)For the Low G string I'd essentially be looking for the highest tension Low G string available for concert/soprano. This being because most Low G strings are meant for Tenor scales which pull greater tension(drop that down to a 15" concert scale and you've got issues). For example: Worth Browns only offer Medium tension Low G set for concert/soprano and I know for fact their medium tension Low G string will sound like a rubber band/dead/not in harmony with the others. 2nd)I'd then have to find a concert set for some C E & A strings keeping the warm/mellow/deep sound in mind.

I believe with the proper tension strings/right tonal characteristics I can find a winner concert low g string setup. Can you help?

Mahalo
 
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I had baritone strings (Martin) on my concert and they sounded quite good. That set has wound G and wound C. They are pretty high tension; baritones are shorter than guitars and play the same notes so the strings need to be fatter. When you put them on a concert and tune them up to GCEA they are about right. Measuring my baritone from the bridge to the 5th fret I get 16", about the same as my concert (15 1/2"), so the tension is about the same as a baritone with those strings.

If you want to go all plain, instead of two wound, get some fishing line. I now have my concert tuned like a mandolin, the low string is also G, and the 135 lb fishing line works pretty well. But I think you should try baritone strings first.
 
I have the Aquila low g concert set (wound low g) on my Kala and they sound great. That said, I'd also suggest Worth BM-LG which are all plain, browns, medium tension. The browns tend toward a mellower sound, IMHO.
 
beergeek said:
I have the Aquila low g concert set (wound low g) on my Kala and they sound great. That said, I'd also suggest Worth BM-LG which are all plain, browns, medium tension. The browns tend toward a mellower sound, IMHO.
Click to expand...

Yea lookin for warm/mellow strings. Aquila CEA strings are just as bright as worth clears if not more bright...and like I said in original post Worth Brown Medium just don't have enough tension in their low g string, sounds like a rubber band/dead/not in harmony with the others strings. Gonna need a higher tension Low G then medium tension, CE&A strings sound good though.
 
I'm using Worth CT-LG on my tenor, and I'm very pleased. The tension on the low G is not as tight as the Savarez wound string I had been using, but it is much better than using a C string tuned low (Iz tuning). They also have a heavier gauge low G that would probably be even tighter.
 
Dougf said:
I'm using Worth CT-LG on my tenor, and I'm very pleased. The tension on the low G is not as tight as the Savarez wound string I had been using, but it is much better than using a C string tuned low (Iz tuning). They also have a heavier gauge low G that would probably be even tighter.
Click to expand...

Well I took a Worth BT-LG(made for tenors) low g and put it on my concert, again it sounded like a rubber band. I've found trying to use tenor gauge strings on concert just doesn't work like that with unwound strings =\
 
Ukulele Dave said:
Well I took a Worth BT-LG(made for tenors) low g and put it on my concert, again it sounded like a rubber band. I've found trying to use tenor gauge strings on concert just doesn't work like that with unwound strings =\
Click to expand...

The sound of the browns is apparently quite different from the clears, but there may still be an issue on a concert.
 
True BT-LG browns are way more mellow and less bright then CT-LG clears, but that's not what make it sound so bad it's the lack of tension pulling on the low g string - the string itself it is too slack on a concert hence rubber band/dead string sound. This is just naturally what happens when you take an unwound low g meant for a tenor(63" string sets) and try to fit it to a concert scale(46" string sets)
 
I am not sure there are many options out there for an un wound low g concert string. I think Orca makes low g sets with different tensions for concerts. I bought a set a while back but have not used them yet, orca strings do not seem to be readily availible in the states though. Also I think you can get a single Freemont low g unwound string but I have not used one.

Or you might have to try out a wound string or two to get the sound you want.
 
dnewton2 said:
I am not sure there are many options out there for an un wound low g concert string. I think Orca makes low g sets with different tensions for concerts. I bought a set a while back but have not used them yet, orca strings do not seem to be readily availible in the states though. Also I think you can get a single Freemont low g unwound string but I have not used one.

Or you might have to try out a wound string or two to get the sound you want.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestions, think I will also try getting a set of the highest possible tension strings for concert and use the C string for Low G.
 
There was a thread recently on the D'Addario (sp?) T2 stings for tenors. They make a low G for concert and soprano as well I think. I had a hard time following all the permutations mentioned in the thread
 
Ukulele Dave said:
Yea lookin for warm/mellow strings. Aquila CEA strings are just as bright as worth clears if not more bright...and like I said in original post Worth Brown Medium just don't have enough tension in their low g string, sounds like a rubber band/dead/not in harmony with the others strings. Gonna need a higher tension Low G then medium tension, CE&A strings sound good though.
Click to expand...

Sorry I missed the Worth reference in the original post....however, check this out:

http://elderly.com/accessories/names/worth-bs-lg-strong-with-low-g-uke-set--WSBSLG.htm

These are the higher tension strongs with a low g ;)
 
beergeek said:
Sorry I missed the Worth reference in the original post....however, check this out:

http://elderly.com/accessories/names/worth-bs-lg-strong-with-low-g-uke-set--WSBSLG.htm

These are the higher tension strongs with a low g ;)
Click to expand...

I saw those too but they are gauged for a tenor(note the 63" set length as opposed to concert/soprano gauged 46" set length). Have found tenor-gauged strings, especially low unwound G's just sound like crap when you try and change the dynamic by throwing them on a concert...

olgoat52 said:
There was a thread recently on the D'Addario (sp?) T2 stings for tenors. They make a low G for concert and soprano as well I think. I had a hard time following all the permutations mentioned in the thread
Click to expand...

As far as I was aware the T2's were just classical guitar strings, no concert/soprano specific. I'll look into which strings might possibly work on a concert - thanks
 
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Ukulele Dave said:
I saw those too but they are gauged for a tenor(note the 63" set length as opposed to concert/soprano gauged 46" set length). Have found tenor-gauged strings, especially low unwound G's just sound like crap when you try and change the dynamic by throwing them on a concert...



As far as I was aware the T2's were just classical guitar strings, no concert/soprano specific. I'll look into which strings might possibly work on a concert - thanks
Click to expand...

FWIW Worths are all that long. For soprano and concert, it is enough for 2 sets of strings. T2 thread was here http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?36560-D-addario-T2-normal-or-hard-tension&highlight=D%27addario
 
olgoat52 said:
FWIW Worths are all that long. For soprano and concert, it is enough for 2 sets of strings. T2 thread was here http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?36560-D-addario-T2-normal-or-hard-tension&highlight=D%27addario
Click to expand...

Thanks for linky. What do you mean all that long - 64"?? I assure you the con/sop sets are 46inches long and the tenor sets specifically 64inches long. The strings are guaged differently between the con/sop sets and the tenor sets, hence why my tenor low g feels like a super slack rubber band on my concert scale, and works perfectly on my tenor scale

http://www.worthc.to/W-Strings-e.pdf
 
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Ukulele Dave said:
I saw those too but they are gauged for a tenor(note the 63" set length as opposed to concert/soprano gauged 46" set length). Have found tenor-gauged strings, especially low unwound G's just sound like crap when you try and change the dynamic by throwing them on a concert...



As far as I was aware the T2's were just classical guitar strings, no concert/soprano specific. I'll look into which strings might possibly work on a concert - thanks
Click to expand...

Hey Dave....looking at the PDF you linked to...there is a set CD-LGEX which is 46" that looks like it might do the trick...
 
beergeek said:
Hey Dave....looking at the PDF you linked to...there is a set CD-LGEX which is 46" that looks like it might do the trick...
Click to expand...

I'm tempted to try the LGEX on my tenor, assuming the thicker gauge means it will have tighter tension. Seems like it might just work on the concert for that reason as well.
 
You may want to try the D'Addario Pro Arte strings, they could be a cheaper alternative. I got some for one of my concerts a while back but haven't had time to try them yet.
 
I'll tell you my thoughts on some I have my eye on:

Before I researched anything, I was looking at Worth CD-LGHD(46" Sop/Concert Clear Hard tension Low G<Hard> set).
Emailed Worth - to clear up some things:
•the <EX> tag does NOT mean there will be more tension
•the <FAT> tag is fatter strings and does have the highest tension
•The CH- series(Clear Heavy) and the CF- series(Clear Fat) have higher tension b/c they are made of a special different material then for example worth CT's, BT's, CD's, CM's..etc
They recommended I try CH-LGHD(63" tenor Clear Hard Low G<Hard>).

So I'm looking at getting a set of:
Worth CD-LGHD
Worth CH-LGHD

Figure even if the Low G strings themselves aren’t the best, with the higher tension I should be able to use the C strings in place of the G(I once had a good C string I used for a G but it needed more tension it was only CL's)
 
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