Mini-Survey: What strings do you like on your 6-string?

I recently put the Aquila string set on mine and didn't like the overpowering sound of the wound low A, so I ordered a set of Worth Browns and replaced just the Aquila wound low A with the non-wound Brown low A.

The Brown low A still is quite prominent, but not like the wound Aquila was. The elimination of the" wound string scratch" is another advantage.

What string sets or string combinations do you like on your 6-string and why?

Which one of those is the 6 string, Kamaka? Kanilea? There's a 6 string Kanilea in my future unless I can find one that sounds very nearly that good for a whole lot less money.

PhilUSAFRet said:

Which one of those is the 6 string, Kamaka? Kanilea? There's a 6 string Kanilea in my future unless I can find one that sounds very nearly that good for a whole lot less money.

Click to expand...

The Kamaka "Lili'u" is the 6-string. I understand that Sam Kamaka Jr. designed the first one in the 50s and named it after Queen Liliukalani. I think now all 6-strings, not just Kamakas, are called "Lili'u"s.

I have a Kanile'a 6 string with tha aquila strings and yes the low A is the wound string and I like the added depth it gives to what I am playing.

I had read that that original 6 string was made in honor or Hawaii becoming a state in 1959. The 8 string was apparently made in the 1970s over some other anniversay or something, i forget what at the moment.

I just bought an oscar schmidt ou26 (concert 6 string) and while checking out those Aquila strings was a little concerned about the mention of the wound A. I've just been playing both a's at the same pitch and thought that seemed to be fairly standard. (maybe i'm thinking of the 8 string uke with it's octave G and C but then unison E and A) But i even am just playing both C's in unison because once I changed the stock strings (ghs i believe) to some pro arte classsical guitar strings i had around, I couldn't quite get the C to not sound floppy when i did an octave below and then when I changed that to a lighter string (b or e??) i was freaking out about it being too high when i went in that direction.

I'm not quite sure what to do either other than just leave them both in unison. Someone on an earlier thread had mentioned getting an 8 string set of Worth clear nylgut which i think would give you the c strings to do the octaves with (going lower on the other c??) keeping the a's in unison and mainly giving you both g strings so you'd have the option of making that a low or high g.

I just changed the Aquilas for Worth Browns on and immediately I noticed an increase in sustain and the strings are a bit easier to play. The Lili'u really rings. I'd like a low G but I'd have to get the nut slot filed wider to accommodate the thicker string and I'm not sure I want to do that just yet.

Yep, I like the Browns on this uke....