Low G Curious

PoiDog

PoiDog

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So, I just strung up a low G on my tenor, you know, just because I'm totally unpredictable and an adrenaline junky. I swapped my regular G with a wound Aquila.

The difference is kind of striking. The G now booms, and has a deep, rich, chocolatey sound. It almost seems as if it drowns out the other strings if I play any chords with an open G.

Is that just a function of a wound string, or is it just something I need to get used to with a low G? In any case, I'll probably leave it like this for a while ... even with the boom, I do find that more bottom sounds kind of nice.

Of course, this now means I need to get another tenor, because I have to have one with standard tuning too. The wife has to understand that. Amirite?
 
First- hilarious...both in being Low G curious and in being an adrenaline junkie. Best laugh all day.
When I first strung linear, I found it to be different...but not overpowering. Actually did not like it very much, but similarly afflicted, I had to try again. The amount of "boom" you are experiencing sounds like it may be a function of the wound string (I use Southcoast linears and they are not wound) which is easy to fix with non-wound ones, but I would give it a week or so to see if still sounds as you have described (other than rich and chocolatey, which it will hopefully remain).
 
Aloha Poi Dog,
I like Koolau Alohi low G set....it has thicker fleurocarbon strings on the other 3 strings which balances it out....
 
TCK said:
First- hilarious...both in being Low G curious and in being an adrenaline junkie. Best laugh all day.
When I first strung linear, I found it to be different...but not overpowering. Actually did not like it very much, but similarly afflicted, I had to try again. The amount of "boom" you are experiencing sounds like it may be a function of the wound string (I use Southcoast linears and they are not wound) which is easy to fix with non-wound ones, but I would give it a week or so to see if still sounds as you have described (other than rich and chocolatey, which it will hopefully remain).
Click to expand...

mm stan said:
Aloha Poi Dog,
I like Koolau Alohi low G set....it has thicker fleurocarbon strings on the other 3 strings which balances it out....
Click to expand...

Thanks for the encouragement. I've got both an Orcas Low G and Worth Low G set coming my way in about a week, so I may only need to endure this aluminum thundercloud for a little bit longer. In the mean time, it has definitely forced me to become creative with fingerpicking some songs that I used to rely on the first few frets of the standard G. The E and A are now getting much more work.

I'll check back when I go to the unwound low G. Even if nobody gives a wet slap.
 
That's why several companies have low g with wound 3 and 4.....gives it a more balanced sound. I may eventually end up with a set of Ko'olau Alohis with wound 3 and 4
 
PhilUSAFRet said:
That's why several companies have low g with wound 3 and 4.....gives it a more balanced sound. I may eventually end up with a set of Ko'olau Alohis with wound 3 and 4
Click to expand...
I agree. Might try a 2+2 set at some time. I play classical guitar, and 3 wound/3 plain do seem to balance each other out.
 
Part of it is also how you play. The Low G is often used for bass so that you actually need it to have a bit more power. Once you get used to it, you can also play it so that it is more balanced with the other strings. I used a non-wound set with low G and I found that I prefer a wound low G because it gives me a bit more versatility. Really it's all about personal preference but it's good to get an idea of what others are doing so you can try all the different techniques for yourself.
 
I had exactly the same experience lately when I added a low G to a second tenor. But once I played it a bit, i found it to be very nice. So don't start changing out strings until you've played it for a few weeks. I think you'll like it.
 
mm stan said:
Aloha Poi Dog,
I like Koolau Alohi low G set....it has thicker fleurocarbon strings on the other 3 strings which balances it out....
Click to expand...

+1 on the Alohi low G strings
 
I've tried it once on my Tenor. Was neat, but didn't fit my style of playing. Biggest problem for me is a lot of the songs I finger pick tend to use the G string as part of the melody. So when that string dropped an octave, it messed up some of the melodies I was used to playing.

I'll probably try it again sometime as I still have 2 sets of Low-G strings sitting around...

Cheers,
Skottoman
 
I have tried several combos and like a Worth BMLG with top three Aquilas on my Kamaka tenor.
 
Yes, I changed my Lanikai concert to low G wound string from standard reentrant tuning. It now sounds deep and full of soul, before it was dead and lifeless. Amazing what re strings and tuning can do for a dull instrument. Mind you it would help if I could play the thing properly.
 
PoiDog said:
So, I just strung up a low G on my tenor, you know, just because I'm totally unpredictable and an adrenaline junky. I swapped my regular G with a wound Aquila.

The difference is kind of striking. The G now booms, and has a deep, rich, chocolatey sound. It almost seems as if it drowns out the other strings if I play any chords with an open G.
Click to expand...

This isn't an automatic problem with a wound low G. I use a D'Addario classical guitar string for a low G on my tenor and it doesn't boom at all. On the other hand, I recently put Aquila Bionylons with a wound low G on a concert uke, and I'm having the same problem you are with the open G string booming. It may be that a particular brand of string will do that on a particular uke. The Bionylon wound G is suprisingly thin in gauge, and I'm suspicious that the booming may have something to do with the string being significantly smaller than the notch in the nut for the G string. Maybe next time I'll look for a thicker wound G.
 
A booming 4th string may not quite be automatic with a single wound set-up, but it's very common. What is automatic is the very poor transition from a relatively bright wound 4th with a lot of sustain to the thickest and "deadest" of your trebles - the 3rd string.

Put it all together, and that's why I think you'll always have better balance with a 50-50 set-up.
 
Last edited:
The wound low G that comes with a set of Aquilas can be pretty overpowering. I prefer the Worth (WSCH) plain low G but the tension can make it feel a bit flabby. Recently I've gotten in some Worth single Extra Hard low G strings and although the tension is better the string diameter is pretty darned big and will certainly require reslotting the nut. The best low G I've found for my ukes is the Savarez Corum (RH 504 I believe). It produces less finger noise while playing and is less dominant that most wound Gs I've tried.
 
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