Another D#%$ String Thread

mangorockfish · Nov 4, 2011

Just got my new Big Island Koa tenor, and although the Aquilas on it sound great, I want to experiment with other strings. If you would, list maybe four different brands you have tried and like and which ones within the brands you prefer. I would post pics, but don't know how. It is the one Aaron was selling for MGM in the marketplace a few weeks ago. Pics are there.

PoiDog · Nov 4, 2011

Four String Recommendations:

1. Orcas fluoros: They sound incredible on my aNueNue koa tenor
2. Worth Browns: ditto
3. Ko'olau Alohis: good, all around sound
4. Southcoast mediums: surprisingly bright

I'd also throw in a shout-out for Fremont Blacklines as well

mangorockfish · Nov 4, 2011

The first I've heard of Southcoast. Worth Browns and Blacklines are certainly in. Thanks

poppy · Nov 4, 2011

On my concert I am running an odd set. I have Freemont blackline c,e,a and I have a worth bm low G.
Very little difference between the 2 sets (worth & freemont) but I liked the 3 freemonts just a little better they had a bit more mellow IMHO and the worth didn't seem to be quite as loose .Either set would be fine but since I tried them both and the best of both worlds were already paid for I put this set together. Shame really as I can buy the freemont low g but seems impossible to find the worth BM low g lol. GL hope you enjoy yours as much as I do mine.

mangorockfish · Nov 4, 2011

I guess you're talking about the BIs. I thought the Mainland felt and played good, but this BI is awesome. I can't believe I just used that word. Anyway, if the BI feels and plays this good, I can only imagine what a Kamaka would be like. I'm already planning on one soon and I don't suffer from UAS. I just want one and I deserve one. UAS has nothing to do with it. Only weak people suffer from UAS. I also want and plan on getting a ...

haolejohn · Nov 4, 2011

mangorockfish said:
I guess you're talking about the BIs. I thought the Mainland felt and played good, but this BI is awesome. I can't believe I just used that word. Anyway, if the BI feels and plays this good, I can only imagine what a Kamaka would be like. I'm already planning on one soon and I don't suffer from UAS. I just want one and I deserve one. UAS has nothing to do with it. Only weak people suffer from UAS. I also want and plan on getting a ...

Happens. I love my mainland and it may get played the most but that is b/c it sits in my classroom and I spend most of my time in the classroom. But my koaloha concert is my favorite...followed by my Mele redwood top...Stay away from the other ones

I'm a worth man. I have my koaloha super concert strung with freemonts and I do not like them. But I did like them on my sceptre. So...

mangorockfish · Nov 4, 2011

Which other ones? Do you know something I need to know about Kamakas? I really like the Koalohas also.

haolejohn · Nov 5, 2011

All K brands. Stay away from them. Bad for you. They do curve the uas because of cost but they make buying anything else difficult.

mangorockfish said:
Which other ones? Do you know something I need to know about Kamakas? I really like the Koalohas also.

mangorockfish · Nov 7, 2011

How come there's not much talk about Kala Reds lately?

ksiegel · Nov 18, 2011

mangorockfish said:
How come there's not much talk about Kala Reds lately?

I put a set of Kala Reds on my 1950s Harmony, just for fun, since the "binding" is a stripe of red paint, and the top has a treble staff with the notes in "D" tuning stenciled on in red.

It looks great, and sounds just fine. I have to retune after every song, but that isn't the strings - it is the cracked plastic on the tuning buttons.

-Kurt

haolejohn · Nov 18, 2011

mangorockfish said:
How come there's not much talk about Kala Reds lately?

I like kala reds. As a matter of fact, I will be placing a set on my mainland red cedar this weekend.

SailingUke · Nov 18, 2011

mangorockfish said:
How come there's not much talk about Kala Reds lately?

The Kala Reds are a very nice string. I have been pleased with them and they are usually available at a very nice price.
The settling in period is similar to other Mono-filaments I have tried.
I have found I prefer Orcas or Worth Browns as they have just a bit more volume.

gyosh · Nov 18, 2011

haolejohn said:
Happens. I love my mainland and it may get played the most but that is b/c it sits in my classroom and I spend most of my time in the classroom. But my koaloha concert is my favorite...followed by my Mele redwood top...Stay away from the other ones

I'm a worth man. I have my koaloha super concert strung with freemonts and I do not like them. But I did like them on my sceptre. So...

I keep my Kala in the classroom as well so it also gets the most play, but I recently built a tenor pineapple in a class I took from Rick Turner and since I changed the strings from Aquilas to Southcoast G650's. I haven't touched the Kala. The Southcoast strings are brighter and they brought the cedar top of the pineapple to life. It probably doubled the volume (sounds like it anyway). I'm ordering a new set to try out on the Kamaka too. I want to even out the sound and hopefully cut down on some of the low end of the Kamaka. Still love it, I'm just looking to balance it out a little more (low "g").

TheOnlyUkeThatMatters · Nov 19, 2011

The day I stop reading and enjoying string threads will be the day they pry Ukulele Underground from my cold, dead browser.

Here are four sets that've worked well for me lately, in alphabetical order:

* Aquila
* Ko'olau Mahana
* Southcoast
* Worth Brown

For volume and sustain, try Southcoast. For a mellower, deeper sound, try Worth Brown or Ko'olau Mahana. These are all great sets, each has a different feel and sound.

ksiegel · Nov 20, 2011

I just changed the strings on my Ohana Vita Uke from the original Aquilas to a set of Worth Clear Tenor strings. While I was a little wary of what the results would be, since the Ohana is a soprano scale and the strings are tenor strings, the results have blown me away!

Clear, clean, more volume, don't have to retune as often, and oddly enough both brighter and more stable on the lower notes.

So now I've got Aquilas on the Fluke, Republic, one Epi, the Kala, the Cordoba, the Stella, and the Firefly (wound G), Kala Red on the Harmony, Worth CT on the Ohana, Whatever came on the other Epi, and the Factory (Worth? Fishing line?) strings on the KoAloha.

Thinking about trying Worth Browns on the Kala Cedar Top - Any one have any experience doing this?

And based on the rave reviews I keep seeing, I'm planning on buying a set or two of Soathcoast next year... Just don't know what to get - I'll probably have to call Dirk, and discuss it with him.

-Kurt

Another D#%$ String Thread

mangorockfish

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PoiDog

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mangorockfish

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poppy

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mangorockfish

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haolejohn

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mangorockfish

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haolejohn

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mangorockfish

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ksiegel

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haolejohn

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SailingUke

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gyosh

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TheOnlyUkeThatMatters

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ksiegel

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