Worth Low G Clear Tenor Strings on Guitalele?

I have the Yamaha GL-1. Although some have reported the strings that ship on them to be bad, I have found them to be decent, therefore so far have kept those on.

However, I am considering what to try when I decide to change the strings?

Others have reported, that a set of classical guitar strings works on the GL-1. Yes, I can see how that would work. The GL-1 has a much shorter scale than a full-size classical guitar (about 17"), which would make CG strings way too loose if tuned the same as a guitar. However, tuned a fourth up (like a capo on the fifth fret), the way guitalele is supposed to be tuned, that should work well.

However, as the GL-1 body is about the same size and shape as a tenor uke body, with the same 17" scale, I would think that a good tenor low G set would also work well for the first four strings.

Therefore, I was thinking, as an option to try, to put a set of Worth clear low G tenor strings for 1-4.

If I do that though, of course I will have to buy other strings for 5 and 6. I have no idea, what strings on 5 and 6 would best match the Worth clears on 1-4.

Does anyone have any suggestions for what strings to try on 5 and 6, to best match the Worths on 1-4?

One thing that would be different with such a setup, than using a full set of guitar strings. On a set of guitar strings--4,5, and 6 are all wound. On a set of Worth low G tenors, no strings are wound. Therefore, with such a setup on a guitalele--5 and 6 would presumably be wound, but not 4. I don't know if that would make much difference though.

Thank you for your input.

I have some vague idea that one might be able to use say a Pro Arte classical treble string, maybe G & B. You'd have to check diameters of the strings in question as they would have to be each a little bit bigger diameter than the Worth 4th. But I'm up too late to go research string diameters. I do like the Pro Artes on my 1/2 size classical. They are full size strings on a 530mm scale, tuned normally. I did get a requinto set to try on it later, so I can tune it up to a more typical requinto tuning. There may be an option there as well.

I'm sure the experts will give us all some input later however. I would also for myself like to know what is possible as far as unwound.

How about LaBella FG114, quarter size classic guitar set. There made for instruments with 17" scale.

Yay! I forgot there were quarter size, and who made them. Brilliant, thank you.

Teek said:

Yay! I forgot there were quarter size, and who made them. Brilliant, thank you.

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wouldn't the 1/4 scale guitar strings be made to tune like a guitar? is the 6th string would be tuned E not A so that could causeproblems.. he needs to go with something else i think..

Am I thinking right here?

I'm interested in this area as well. I just picked up a GL-1 a couple of days ago. After scrutiny I found a buzz on the C (3rd) string right up to fret 5 which was annoying, but I quickly replaced the strings with a set of Pro Arte EJ45 normal tension. They bedded in quite quickly and seem to be fine. Can't really find any fault with the wound 4th apart from previous (classical) experience that the 4th soon gets dull. (If you want to hear them I'm going to put up a video before I go to bed in the video section).

With that in mind I have ordered a set of - "D'Addario EJ45C Pro-Arte Composites Normal (.028-.044) Classical Guitar Strings" where an 'extra' unwound version of the 4th string is included. They describe it as a monofilament close to gut and I think is a light brown colour. Going to get exotic this little Yamaha!

I won't be putting them on straight away, I have 2 or 3 sets of Worth Low G so I will experiment first by putting a clear set on with the 2 wounds that are already on and see how they integrate with each other.

Richie23 said:

How about LaBella FG114, quarter size classic guitar set. There made for instruments with 17" scale.

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Nope, wouldn't work. That is for tuning a small guitar to regular guitar tuning. They would be way too tight for tuning the small guitar up to requinto/guitalele tuning.

As I wrote, a regular classical guitar set, for a full size guitar, would work fine on this small guitar, tuned up to requinto tuning.

However, I was wondering about an alternative--using a set of Worth low G tenor strings on 1-4 (which I am sure would work), but would then wonder--what strings to use on 5 and 6?

Ken of York said:

I won't be putting them on straight away, I have 2 or 3 sets of Worth Low G so I will experiment first by putting a clear set on with the 2 wounds that are already on and see how they integrate with each other.

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Let me know how that works, as that is exactly what I was thinking of trying. In buying two bass strings to go with the Worth set though, I have no idea what might work best. (Are there any guitar strings where the wound strings are over a fluorocarbon core? There are some a few sets with fluorocarbon trebles, but I don't think that the basses are also carbon. I don't know if that would make them match better anyhow.)

Teek said:

I have some vague idea that one might be able to use say a Pro Arte classical treble string, maybe G & B. You'd have to check diameters of the strings in question as they would have to be each a little bit bigger diameter than the Worth 4th. But I'm up too late to go research string diameters. I do like the Pro Artes on my 1/2 size classical. They are full size strings on a 530mm scale, tuned normally. I did get a requinto set to try on it later, so I can tune it up to a more typical requinto tuning. There may be an option there as well.

I'm sure the experts will give us all some input later however. I would also for myself like to know what is possible as far as unwound.

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Teek-

Your strings must be very floppy, to use strings for a full size guitar on a 1/2 size guitar, tuned normally. If you want to keep it tuned normally, I would suggest using 1/2 size guitar strings.

However, being a smaller-bodied instrument, it will sound better tuned higher, such as requinto tuning. YOU DO NOT NEED REQUINTO STRINGS for that. Your full size guitar strings are way too floppy for regular tuning on your small guitar. They will be just right for requinto tuning. (A requinto is considerably larger than a half size guitar. (At least 3/4, perhaps 7/8.) To tune a requinto to requinto tuning using regular guitar strings would be too tight. So they have thinner requinto strings for that purpose. On your 1/2 size guitar, however, you do not need requinto strings for requinto tuning. Regular classical guitar strings would work fine.

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However, back to my original question..............................?

JT_Ukes said:

wouldn't the 1/4 scale guitar strings be made to tune like a guitar? is the 6th string would be tuned E not A so that could causeproblems.. he needs to go with something else i think..

Am I thinking right here?

Click to expand...

Yes, you are quite right.

In any case, I was not asking "what strings would work on a guitalele"? I know that regular full-sized guitar strings would work fine on them. Several users have reported that. As wrote in the OP, the difference in guitar size is made up by the higher tuning.

However, I have been considering an alternative--using a set of tenor uke strings, which I also know would work, being the same scale and tuning. The question is--in that case, what might work best for strings 5 and 6? (If someone suggests--"get a six string tenor uke set", nope, that would not work. Those sets are made for four course instruments with a couple of double-string courses.)