low G string on laminate ukes?

mandrew

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I am going to buy a Kala KA-C, and am thinking about a low G string. It will have aquilla strings, which are favored on laminate instruments to bring out more balance, especially the highs. If I put a low G on this, even using aquillas, is it likely to be too muddy sounding? I want the low G to balance out some jazz chords.
 
There's no reason why a low G would sound "muddy" on a laminate just because it is a laminate. After all, muddy bass isn't a property of laminates.

If you want to do a quick test of what it might sound like, just down-tune your C string to a low G and give it a spin. If it sounds good, then you could just do a quick string shuffle by putting your C as the 4th string and keep it down tuned to low G, move your G string to the second spot and down-tune it as an E, then move your E string to the third slot and down-tune it to C. Voila!

If that's too much work, then just get yourself a low G string and slap it on!
 
Aquilla sellls a low g string set... Get that, swap just the low g and play like a mad man knowing you have a new set of aquillas waiting in the wings to serve you.
 
I agree.....go for it!
 
I have low G strings on my laminate tenor--sounds great.
 
Please report back on this, I have a Kala KA-C also and have been thinking of the same change. What's stopped me so far is that it looks to me that the nut will need a bit of filing to fit a larger string. That's not something I'm comfortable doing yet... ;)
 
Just had someone over my shoulder ask me what kinda sight was I looking at? Low G string on what?!!!:D
Which reminds me of...482011935v1_350x350_Front_Color-White.jpg
 
Please report back on this, I have a Kala KA-C also and have been thinking of the same change. What's stopped me so far is that it looks to me that the nut will need a bit of filing to fit a larger string. That's not something I'm comfortable doing yet... ;)
If you don't have a shop around you or don't want to spend the cash, just get yourself a set of needle files. Around $5 on ebay. Make a pencil mark at the bottom of the groove on the nut. Choose the round file and just use the tip to slowly widen the groove until it snugly fits your low G string. Just make sure you don't file away the pencil mark. This process should take you all of one minute.
 
i have aquila low g on my laminate lanikai and I find it very good, in fact the instrument was rubbish with high g and the change has made it a pleasure to play. So if you have a rubbish uke, try it in low g, you might be surprised as well.
 
Please report back on this, I have a Kala KA-C also and have been thinking of the same change. What's stopped me so far is that it looks to me that the nut will need a bit of filing to fit a larger string. That's not something I'm comfortable doing yet... ;)

The wound low-G string is actually not that thick.
You won't need to file anything. Just put the strings on.
 
I've put em Dolphins before and no problemo. Put low G on anything you like.

A couple in my meet-up has a low-G Dolphin. Sounds pretty sweet.
 
The wound low-G string is actually not that thick.
You won't need to file anything. Just put the strings on.

Thanks for the advice on using a needle file and the above advice. Going through my backup strings collection I see there's a set of Aquila Nylgut with a wound low G. I might just go ahead and put those on.

That leads to another question: If I *do* need to file the nut a bit to fit a low G, would that affect switching back to a high G?
 
Thanks for the advice on using a needle file and the above advice. Going through my backup strings collection I see there's a set of Aquila Nylgut with a wound low G. I might just go ahead and put those on.

That leads to another question: If I *do* need to file the nut a bit to fit a low G, would that affect switching back to a high G?

Likely no problems switching back and forth between low and re-entrant g. If there is a side effect from the filing, it may be a buzz from the G because of extra lateral movement in the nut. By the same token, you may not even need to file. Try the low g without filing down the nut first to see how it sits. It may not require any sort of adjustment at all, even if it only rests partway in the groove. That could affect intonation, but if you mainly play at the first four frets, you likely won't really notice it.

But I routinely swapped standard and low g (both wound and unwound) on my aNueNue and never noticed any problems.

Good luck!
 
I've got a Kala KA-T with a wound Aguila low G - no problems with the nut and it sounds great.... tried rentrant tuning for awhile, but with only one uke, having to choose between one or the other, went back to low G after a few weeks.
 
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