Worth Browns vs. Worth Clears

Chris Tarman

Chris Tarman

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I'm sure this has been asked a bajillion times already... I was wondering what the differences are sound and feel-wise between Worth CMs and BMs? I've used the CMs, but never tried the Browns. I have a new (very OLD) Martin Style 3M coming (hopefully tomorrow!), and I'm sure it's going to need strings. I have some CMs on hand, but wondered if I ought to order some BMs... any thoughts? I've actually never used Worths on a Martin, come to think of it. I have them on my Kiwaya, but my Martins have Martin M600s (which I also like quite a bit, and they are available semi-locally). I'm going to be in a larger city over Christmas, and should be able to pick up at least some Martin strings. I realize that it's fairly affordable to swap out the strings later on, but I was just wondering how the Browns sound.
Thanks!
 
You're going to get varied opinions on this, but here's mine.

The clears seem to be a bit brighter, the browns a bit mellower.

The clears lose their brightness and start to sound duller after a while. The browns seem to last longer.

As far as tactile feeling, I can't tell a difference.

They are both good, but I think I prefer the browns.
 
here's a hack's view Chris for what it's worth...

clears: firmer; harder; more crisp and bell like tone; more sustain ; better note separation; slightly more volume but jury out on this one

browns: softer; spongier; less tension; mellower; warmer; less volume

clears sound clear and browns sound brown. (no extra charge for that one...he he) I've owned a couple of maple ukes and a walnut and the browns are definitely more sympathetic to the brighter tonewoods. That said, on any koa or mango uke clears are the way to go. I think on mahogany bodied ukes both sound great. Overall, I prefer clears but love em both to bits and pieces mate
 
Aloha Chris and Season Greetings
Wow a 3m...what a christmas present, Congratulations..holy smokes..tell us about it... I rather put some M600 on there....to be honest..Happy Strummings..MM Stan
any video or pic's...I want one too....hope you got it for a good price..
 
Uke strings are cheap. Buy a set of each and make your own decision.
 
arturo7 said:
Uke strings are cheap. Buy a set of each and make your own decision.
Click to expand...
I agree with you there! :)

But I don't really enjoy changing strings.

When I got my Mainland red cedar tenor, I swapped out the Aquilas it came with for Worth browns. What an amazing difference, the browns really made it sing! Maybe I should try clears on it, but right now I'd say why mess with what seems like perfection?
 
Kanaka916 said:
Here's some of the previous replies from this often asked question . . .
http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/f...rocarbon-string-preference-(Clear-vs.-Brown)&
http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?56300-Worth-Clear-vs.-Worth-Brown
http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?5647-WORTH-STRINGS-Brown-VS.-Clear
http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?49821-Worth-strings-clear-brown&
Click to expand...

Thank you sir! I attempted to do a search for these, but there were so many "Worth String" threads that I quickly bogged down. I guess that's what makes you a Super Moderator!
 
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:)
 
Ok, the Style 3 now has a set of Worth Brown Mediums. I think I'm going to really like them on this uke. Eugene was right: They are warmer, bassier, and, well... browner sounding. But in no way are they muddy or indistinct. It still sounds like a Martin, but just with a slightly different tonal color than my other two.
 
Chris Tarman said:
Ok, the Style 3 now has a set of Worth Brown Mediums. I think I'm going to really like them on this uke. Eugene was right: They are warmer, bassier, and, well... browner sounding. But in no way are they muddy or indistinct. It still sounds like a Martin, but just with a slightly different tonal color than my other two.
Click to expand...

Yeah, as far as I can hear that accurately describes the differences between clears and browns - the C string seems to bark a little more with browns and the A string seems a little brighter with clears. I have tried something a bit different with the thought of enhancing the qualities of the browns. I took a brown low G string (which is about the same diameter as an Aquila C string) and used it as the C string. It's going to take me a while to decide for certain if it is doing what I thought it might, but I do think I like it.
 
Hi Chris, I love Fremont Black M on my vintage Martins but have a set of Worth browns that I'll try next. Fremonts are very reasonably priced too. Several folks have noted that the specs are the same for Worth clears and browns, at least diameter-wise but that doesn't mean that the string density is the same. Nonetheless, I wonder if the sound differences people note are "placebo effects" -- it would be cool to see oscilloscope graphs of the strings on the same uke. I'm also going to try southcoast strings which have received good reviews here and I think are the same diameter for each string (density differs). Happy New Year. g2
 
After Worth Clears came on my Sceptre, I've since swapped out all my other Aquila-strung ukes for them. They aren't kind on fingers though; I'm always finding split nails and blisters.
 
garyg said:
Hi Chris, I love Fremont Black M on my vintage Martins but have a set of Worth browns that I'll try next. Fremonts are very reasonably priced too. Several folks have noted that the specs are the same for Worth clears and browns, at least diameter-wise but that doesn't mean that the string density is the same. Nonetheless, I wonder if the sound differences people note are "placebo effects" -- it would be cool to see oscilloscope graphs of the strings on the same uke. I'm also going to try southcoast strings which have received good reviews here and I think are the same diameter for each string (density differs). Happy New Year. g2
Click to expand...

Hi Gary:
I have Fremont black ms on a soprano that I built. They sound pretty good. As I recall, the hard tension Worths are the same diameters as the mediums. You can really feel the difference in tension though, most likely a consequence of different material composition. The differences between Worth c and b may be like placebo effects; when I first tried switching back and forth, they sounded the same to me, couldn't hear a difference. I used clears almost exclusively. About a year later, I bought an uke with browns on it. They sounded unique, so I started trying them on other ukuleles. Now, they sound different, much as Chris describes. I have them on 4 ukuleles.
 
I really like the Martin Fluorocarbons, especially on solid Mahogany ukes.
 
Bill1 said:
Strings here cost about $20 a packet, two packets cost $40, that is not cheap if you change strings every week, especially since ukulele strings will last a lot longer than a week. At that price,if you change strings every week it will cost you $1040 a year, enough to buy a new custom uke every year. That's why sellers love you to change strings every week. I like to go a lot slower than that and get some value for my money.
Click to expand...

That's why, rather than change strings, I just buy a new uke every now and then. :D
 
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