Guadalupe Strings

I've looked though the messages in the archive, and there have been discussions of Guadalupe Custom Wound Strings from time to time. Yesterday I got a new pre-owned uke and it arrived with Guadalupe custom wound strings.

I tried playing with them for a while and hated them - I have already migrated my tenor ukes from using any wound strings. It's not that the tone was bad - I could see how someone might like that flavor of sound. However, I hate how wound strings squeak when moving up and down the neck. And hammer ones did not resonate properly. The wound strings made moving fluently around the neck impossible for me.

I changed to a set of T2 strings, which are not my favorite but they are what I had handy. I'll probably change those too, but I just didn't like playing with the Guadalupe strings at all.

I think Guadalupe strings are great on some instruments and not right for others. I really like them matched on a National resophonic that I had a couple years ago, and I thought they worked well on an Ohana BK20 that I used to play. But they didn't last long on my Pono MC although I didn't hate the sound.

On the other hand, I liked T2s on my old Kala Acacia tenor, but didn't like them on my old KoAloha tenor.

What uke did you get?

Interesting to see this posted on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Me, I'm loving my brown Worths to death! Best!

Guadalupe strings will do custom sets for you. Just tell them you want a non-wound set, and I am sure they will work something out for you.
http://www.guadalupecustomstrings.com/
They are in Los Angeles, in case you are in the area.

–Lori

I should have thought of the resonator. I'll bet they work pretty well on a resonator.I think they were not a good match for the uke. I don't like the squeakiness of wound though.

Had Guadalupes on my Ohana BK-20 when I got it. I liked the sound, but couldn't get used to the tactile feel of wound trebles, they just felt "scratchy" to me. Then one of the bass strings broke.

So I put on a set of Worth Browns and didn't like them, either. The bass strings were just too floppy and buzzed. Somehow I just don't think all plain strings work well on a bari.

Just now changed out to a set of Ko'olau Golds. Will have to see how that goes.

I don't really mind wound basses (I also play classical guitar and am used to 3 wound/3 plain) because at least when it's 2 and 2, they feel and sound more balanced. I don't like sets with a single wound C, that just sounds and feels awkward to me.

I quite like Guadalupe low octave GCEA on one of my baritone ukes.
However, it is no "complete, ultimate" string. Just a different flavour, when I feel like picking than strumming.


They do bring out a rich, warm tone in an otherwise dull sounding uke though.