Amazing how strings can make a difference!

I had a 'problem uke' - my Applause UA10 is built well, handles well, and is attractive, if not minimalist. However, it always had an unpleasant sound; a harshness. I switched strings to D'Addario J65, and tuned it to 'D'. This made it fun for one or two vaudeville-type songs but not really pleasant to listen to. I tossed on some Aquilas and tuned to 'C'. This made it much louder, but still harsh. Finally, I ordered some Fremont Blacklines from MGM, and it brought out a mellowness to the uke that wasn't there before. It's now very clear in terms of articulation, projects well, but doesn't sound grating like it did.

Moral of the story:

Different ukes like different strings. (You all probably figured that out by now, but I'm new and this was a revelation to me!)

Anyway, I recommend the Fremonts for your Applause (at least my ears do).

Take it easy and Happy New Year, UU'ers!

John

Aloha John,
Happy New Year....I try different strings on different ukes and the same strings on different ukes react different too...try them all out, if they don't work well on one uke, try them on another...don't clip
the strings till you find ond one that fits so you can reuse them if needed...Have Fun and enjoy!! Happy Strummings!! MM Stan..

I love the Fremonts too John - they're my favorites. The Worth and Southcoast strings are similarly nice sounding on most ukes.