Recommendations sought: Low g string set for a Kala thinline travel tenor

Aloha,
I just received a wonderful golden acacia Kala travel tenor from HMS (Mahalos to Andrew, musicguymic, and the rest of the crew at HMS for a perfectly set-up uke!). I already have a sprucetop Kala travel tenor (which is going to be relocated to my folks' home across the country because I've been visiting there more frequently now that my parents are aging), and I'd like to restring the golden acacia travel tenor with a low g string set. Has anyone done this? If so, do you have a recommendation for what low g set might work best for this uke? For what it's worth, this travel tenor (solid acacia soundboard, laminate sides and back) sounds a little warmer than the sprucetop travel tenor, and they're both strung with Aquila reentrants. I could just replace the reentrant g on the acacia uke with a low g Aquila. I have a Worth flourocarbon low g set on my Kamaka tenor and I love the way they sound on that uke, but I'm concerned that using a set like that on this uke would require me to widen the g string nut slot. Any thoughts, suggestions, and/or recommendations are greatly appreciated. Mahalo in advance.

I've been trying quite a few different sets on my Griffin tenor. Finally found a string I'm sold on. The southcoast G650 linears for my tenor. Great! Also changed my soprano Pinecone travel uke with a set of Southcoast rentrant(hi g) mediums and can't believe how much clearer and louder it is with them. I doubt you'll have to widen the slot for a low G. IF you do, it's just a couple of swipes with a thin file or sandpaper, no big deal.

Never had the chance to try Southcoast on my spruce travel tenor but, after trying Aquila and Worth clears, I settled on Fremont black line low g. Hope this helps.

Thanks for the suggestions!

How did the low G string work out?

Just have a follow-up question on your string change. How did it work out on the tenor?

I just got a similarly constructed uke, but the Concert size Golden Acacia Travel Uke (GATU) made by Kala; my strings feel rather rough near the sound hole and I thought about replacements. Not sure of a low G string would work on a Concert, but any recommendations on replacement strings generally? I have read about the Worth brand string twice now.

Thank you.

guansoon said:

Just have a follow-up question on your string change. How did it work out on the tenor?

I just got a similarly constructed uke, but the Concert size Golden Acacia Travel Uke (GATU) made by Kala; my strings feel rather rough near the sound hole and I thought about replacements. Not sure of a low G string would work on a Concert, but any recommendations on replacement strings generally? I have read about the Worth brand string twice now.

Thank you.

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I just got one of those too. Worth low g is non-wound, which I like for low G when possible. I haven't tried low G on my Kala thinline yet, but I would consider Living Water Strings, and Southcoast Strings in addition to Worth Clear.

–Lori

Hey Mark, if you're going with flourocarbons I'm pretty sure a widening the slot won't be an issue. The new materials tend to be smaller in diameter, if anything, if you replace the set, you might get buzz in the C string because of the smaller diameter.

And to answer your question, I'm a fanboy of the Southcoast G650's also but for unwound G I go with PhD every time. Both sets have the best balance to my ear.

You're going to need a bigger place to store all your new ukes

guansoon said:

Just have a follow-up question on your string change. How did it work out on the tenor?

I just got a similarly constructed uke, but the Concert size Golden Acacia Travel Uke (GATU) made by Kala; my strings feel rather rough near the sound hole and I thought about replacements. Not sure of a low G string would work on a Concert, but any recommendations on replacement strings generally? I have read about the Worth brand string twice now.

Thank you.

Click to expand...

I actually haven't done anything yet. I have a set of Living Water low G and PhD low g, but haven't tried either of them on my travel tenor yet. The sad truth is that I only use my travel tenor when I travel, and the last two times I traveled I took my Kamaka tenor with me, so I haven't played my travel tenor in a while. I appreciate all the suggestions and I do plan to swap out the strings it came with for a low g set sometime soon. When i do' I'll let people know what I think.

Patrick Madsen said:

I've been trying quite a few different sets on my Griffin tenor. Finally found a string I'm sold on. The southcoast G650 linears for my tenor. Great! Also changed my soprano Pinecone travel uke with a set of Southcoast rentrant(hi g) mediums and can't believe how much clearer and louder it is with them. I doubt you'll have to widen the slot for a low G. IF you do, it's just a couple of swipes with a thin file or sandpaper, no big deal.

Click to expand...

The SC G650[now renamed ML_FW or ML_CM]] have 2 flatwound or wound metal strings for the basses. I use the flatwounds,they are great strings, I currently have them an a tenor and bari. they are thinner than floro or nylon , so you would not be needing to do any filing.

Hey Mark..

I am really liking Fremont blackline lowG lately..if the uke has a thin or softer top I think it works good..
I have it on my Maui Music and Mya Moe

hope to see you soon!

Southcoast Linear Flat or Round Wounds is all I use on my Tenors for low g. Bought a Linear Roundwound set plus a high g Flouro single string for my newly aquired 5 string Tenor to replaced the stock Aquilas. The difference is amazing, much better sounding and feel.
Also bought a 6 string set from Southcoast with Flatwounds instead of Roundwounds, way better than the Worths that was on there.
Southcoast Strings and Dirk ROCKS.........................Bo..............

My favourite low-G set is the simply the Aquila low-G set with the WOUND low-G string.