New Factory Strings From Collings

grownupboy

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hey all,

was shopping for a collings uke today and i noticed they're not shipping the new ukes with aquila strings. does anyone know what brand they're using now?

looks like flourocarbon to me but i'm curious... they sounded amazing so i'd like to get replacements that match!

karl
 
Aha they finally figured out Fleurocarbons works best for their particular style ukulele.....I do like martins best on them though....
 
doh! check the website. always check the website!!!

thanks for the quick replies. it's amazing how much more alive the uke was with the worths. never minded aquilas but this little concert uke i tried really sang!

must resist... buying... another... uke....

k
 
I'm surprised they updated their website so quickly with just a string change. Way to go Collings!
 
just heard back from collings...

they're using worth "fat" sets for both tenor and concert ukes.

0.0244 inch 0.0291 inch 0.0319 inch 0.0260 inch

interesting... but at least now i know what to get as replacements!

k
 
doh! check the website. always check the website!!!

thanks for the quick replies. it's amazing how much more alive the uke was with the worths. never minded aquilas but this little concert uke i tried really sang!

must resist... buying... another... uke....

k

String Acquisition Syndrome is the gateway to Ukulele Acquisition Syndrome.
 
just heard back from collings...

they're using worth "fat" sets for both tenor and concert ukes.

0.0244 inch 0.0291 inch 0.0319 inch 0.0260 inch

interesting... but at least now i know what to get as replacements!

k

I don't know about the "fat" sets but from the gauges you listed they are the standard Worth CH (clear hard) set. They are excellent strings (and all I use as well.)
 
I don't know about the "fat" sets but from the gauges you listed they are the standard Worth CH (clear hard) set. They are excellent strings (and all I use as well.)

Very interesting. For quite a while I have been doing CH for the C and E and regular mediums or CT on the outer two. I found the CH throw off intonation on some ukes, others they don't and sound amazing. They can also kill a C string buzz. Gotta watch out with those strings on the real lightly built ukes though.
Thanks for sharing Chuck. Do they ever seem too "tight on the higher strings to you? I guess it's all about the setup as well...
 
I don't know about the "fat" sets but from the gauges you listed they are the standard Worth CH (clear hard) set. They are excellent strings (and all I use as well.)

i see that too... but that's what the guy from collings told me. i was able to find a set of fats on elderly with those dimensions so maybe it's just a different something or other that worth has put into them. dunno for sure though...

k
 
so i have a question... anybody here using a collings uke with these new strings. the string tension seemed noticably higher and i'm wondering if it ever became an issue. of course you'd think collings would have thought of that but i thought i'd ask people with real experience what their feeling is...

k
 
Where are all those people saying that Bill Collings recommends Aquila, they must be the best for his ukes?
 
Very interesting. For quite a while I have been doing CH for the C and E and regular mediums or CT on the outer two. I found the CH throw off intonation on some ukes, others they don't and sound amazing. They can also kill a C string buzz. Gotta watch out with those strings on the real lightly built ukes though.
Thanks for sharing Chuck. Do they ever seem too "tight on the higher strings to you? I guess it's all about the setup as well...

Too tight? No. But I guess it's all what you're used to. They are certainly stiffer than Aquilas. As you alluded to, if your action is set pretty high you might have difficulty with Worth Clear Hard. But if you can address that problem first then they are "worth" it.

Regarding "fat" Worths (I'm still trying to figure that one out) I know they carry "extra hard tension" strings but I've never used them and can't imagine why I'd have to unless the uke was very heavily built and needed the extra power.

As you've pointed out Andrew, sometimes the best strings for an uke are a combination of sets or even brands. I also love the South Coast flat wounds for the G & C strings.
 
I just got a Collings tenor with these strings and the tension is noticeably higher, but not a problem. I love the sound of these strings.
 
Mine came to me last year with Aquila's, but I just put clear (non-fat) Worth's on it,... and now it sounds amazing. I like these strings much better on it than the original Aquila's, although they weren't bad.
 
I don't know about the "fat" sets but from the gauges you listed they are the standard Worth CH (clear hard) set. They are excellent strings (and all I use as well.)

You are exactly right, Chuck. However, it also appears that their CF "fat" sets have the same diameters (according to Elderly and Strings by Mail). I doubt that Worth is using a different density fluorocarbon, so my guess is that the CF's are just a re-branding of the CH strings for use "primarily on sopranos and concerts." As an additional bit of evidence, I acquired my Collings concert just this past February, and it still has the factory Worth strings. I just put my precision digital caliper on them and came up with G=0.0260", C=0.0319", E=0.0291", and A=0.0244". Assuming that the given diameters for the CH and CF are before stretching and settling, these correlate pretty well.

This is all great information and I appreciate Grownupboy's inquiries to Collings. I had assumed my UC-2 had hard tension concert strings, which would be CD's, but it looks like they are actually CH/CF's. I love the way it was set-up initially, and wanted to keep it that way going forward, so I'm happy to have this sorted out. (Now I also know why my Collings Concert strings felt so much like my Moore Bettah tenor strings! - go figure!)

-Steve
 
well, i took the plunge (again) and picked up the little collings koa concert uke. i've had a collings tenor for a couple years but really wanted something smaller and brighter and this little guy fit the bill perfectly for me!

yay, new uke day!
k
 
Nice! Congrats on the new uke! I used to be all tenors myself, but my Collings concert changed my perception. I've really grown to love the smaller body size and just like the way it cradles. Enjoy it!

-Steve
 
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