Low G Intonation off.

First time I've used Aquilla's Bionylon tenor strings with both the low G and C being wound. Strung up a new tenor today with them, and in the low register they sound great, but moving up the neck the low G gets progressively flatter. The other strings are spot on at the octave. Actually couldn't compensate the saddle at all to improve them....But that low G is a full 30+ cents flat.

I've never come across strings that would be more than a couple of cents flat on the octave. Always just a touch sharp if anything.

Have any of you used these strings?

And yes, I've checked the nut and the saddle for break over point. Action is set at 0.090"

I always use Aquila sets...but use a classical guitar "D" string for Tenor low "G"..with my compensated bridge its spot on...i find the saddle needs to be almost 5mm set back from the high G position....I got the dimensions from "David Hurds Website"..An excellent builder in the US "Kerry Char" also uses this moving saddle method on his Tenors http://www.charguitars.com/custom-builds/ukuleles/
KERRY CHAR BRIDGE

It looks to me that you have a wound low G. It makes sense to me that in your picture it would be a low G and if the saddle was in the front position it would be sharp, so the back position would be used. Using the front position for the high G option.

The picture of Kerry Chars bridge looks to be a high G in the forward position. The low G would be considerably sharp so putting the saddle in the back position would flatten it.

However this particular low G on my tenor is so flat that I'd need to move it considerably forward of the straight across saddle that I'm using now. Not back as I'd have expected.

I've always used StewMacs fret compensation numbers to set my bridge back and with a 3mm thick saddle I've always had plenty of room to adjust the intonation on previous string sets I've used. And all the other strings are spot on.

Further to my last Post I realise you are saying that the intonation is flat not sharp..then it must be a "Duff string" i sometimes find reversing the string can cure that if the bad bit is near the bridge..otherwise replace it.

I'm thinking it must be a bad one. It's now 40 cents flat.

I tried a set of the Aquilla bionylons with a high G a while ago, and the A was a bit of a dud. Very short with no sustain at all. Swapped the strings for some D'Addarios and everything was sweet. So it seems that I'm not having any luck with this new flavour of Aquillas.

Allen said:

I'm thinking it must be a bad one. It's now 40 cents flat.

I tried a set of the Aquilla bionylons with a high G a while ago, and the A was a bit of a dud. Very short with no sustain at all. Swapped the strings for some D'Addarios and everything was sweet. So it seems that I'm not having any luck with this new flavour of Aquillas.

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Pretty much THE reason why I don't use Aquila at all anymore (starting from the Nylguts); meaning dead strings and/or bad intonation. Scratch that, that's the 2nd reason. The first reason is because of how they make my instruments sound. And this is coming from a guy who used to string exclusively with Aquila (but that was over 5 or 6 years ago. . .I can't even remember).

Soundwise, admittedly, Aquila has their place. Intonation wise, there is no place.

So it's not just me. Good to know.

I had used them almost exclusively for about a year because that is what people seemed to be always asking for, but I wasn't really that fond of the way they sounded or felt on my ukes. That was a few years ago. Thought I'd try this new formulation that they have and got 5 sets in, but I the last 3 sets are destined for the "Bargain" box at the next markets.

Every dozen or so ukes I string up with Aquila's i'll get a bad string in the set..i've saved a few of them so i can get the micrometer out and inspect them over the full length one day.. and i'll see if i can find out what's wrong with them.

Allen said:

So it's not just me. Good to know.

I had used them almost exclusively for about a year because that is what people seemed to be always asking for, but I wasn't really that fond of the way they sounded or felt on my ukes.

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People ask for them because people ask for them - go figure, the power of the internet. I'll admit (again) they do have their place among cheap instruments, but I feel higher end, scratch that, midrange instruments such as Kamaka and KoAloha can do much better than what Aquila will not bring to the table, other than volume. Lets just sum it up as tonal complexity. I sum it up as R&D, as in, much more R&D is directed towards guitar strings than `ukulele strings, so I just got over it and started stringing with D'Addario and Savarez, and haven't looked back.

I didn't even waste my time trying to make money off all my Aquila sets - I just gave them away (not to my friends, I wouldn't do that to them) to be resold on eBay by a friend.

Aaron

Update to the Low G. Today its 48-50 cents flat. So bad that I had to check what fret I was on.

If I get time tomorrow they're getting cut off and some D'Addario's going on.