'Custom' Strings: Make your own sets? or Combinations?

Doc_J

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Messages
4,707
Reaction score
319
Location
McDonough, GA
Hadn't caught any good discussion in a while about folks putting together their own string sets. Quite a few new strings have appeared in the last couple of years, so maybe the need to experiment with odd combinations has diminished.

Anybody put together their own sets from guitars strings and/or combinations of standard available uke strings, and really like it?

I don't usually do this, unless I break a string. Then it's time to look in my box of slightly used strings, and experiment. Sometimes I get a hit, sometimes a miss.

Best thing that I stumbled across was Worth Brown Lights with an Aquila C on all concert scale. Sounded pretty balanced, better than the original BL set.

OK, I'll even give you a sound sample of this set on a Mya-Moe mango super soprano. (BTW I got SouthCoast med soft on it now.)

Worth Brown lights with Aquila C string

Anyways, post some string combos you liked, either intentional or accidental.
 
I've had good luck with the D'Addario J4504 classical guitar D string as a low g, with a regular Aquila set on one of my spruce top tenors. The wound g and c sound pretty good together.
 
OK. Through a series of unusual events I ended up with

Aquila red series (Strings 1 & 2) A, E
Southcoast Medium Light (String 3) C
Oasis 0.030 wound guitar string (String 4) low G

On my UT1, this sounds exceptionally good (it got better with each successive change, from the original Reds).

https://app.box.com/s/lr8prllwtogcd198zr0f

Started with all Aquila Reds at first in reentrant tuning, then went with a low G, using the Oasis 0.030 wound guitar string.
I think the reds add a lot of sparkle in the high register.
The Aquila Red C string developed an odd buzz. (Noticed the saddle was cutting into the string.)
So, got a SCML C string from my box of slightly used strings, and there we are.
The SC & wound Oasis add warmth.
Great combo.
 
Last edited:
I would put a combination of Southcoast Low GC Round strings with Worth Hard EA strings as I want more tension and thicker diameter.

At the same time, Dirk said he is coming up with some medium heavy smooth sets, which I'll try.
 
Top Bottom