Your String Choice and why?

aqualung23

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AS my ear is getting more accustomed to the Uke, and now that I have a soprano, super soprano, and a tenor, I'm starting to think that I might want different strings on the tenor vs. the soprano. I really like the ko'oalau mahana's on my pono soprano, and I'm thinking I'd also like to change my tenor strings. I'm also wondering if I can string up my super soprano with tenor strings, cause I think the thicker strings will give me more projection and sustain.

What do you guys use on your different ukes and what specifically do you like about these brands?
 
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I have Martin M600 strings on my little soprano Kala. I like them a lot; it gives the uke a lot of punch and sustain. I don't have a tenor, but I have a Kelii koa concert, and right now it has D'Addario Pro Arte strings. They're similar to Mahanas, but a smaller gauge. I like the feel of them, but they're still settling--jury's still out on the sound as of right now. They're kind of "guitary" where the Martins are definitely "ukey." Not that I think it's bad, but it sort of explains the difference in the sound. The Kelii came with Worth Browns and I liked those very much as well. I tried Mahana low G and Martins as well on it.

Basically, I'm probably still searching for THE strings for my Kelii. But for that plucky soprano sound, I love the Martins a lot.
 
My experience is not as wide as some others. I have tended to stick to a narrow range of string brands, so my opinion may be less "educated" than some others here. I think it depends to a great degree on what kind of playing you do and what kind of sound you want. For a lot of strummers and people who want a "traditional" sound I think Aquilas are preferred. They are loud and "plunky" and many - including a lot of uke makers - apparently like that sound. I do quite a lot of fingerstyle playing and I am seeking to go a bit "outside the box" by playing classical music. For me, Aquilas sound too "woody" and don't have enough sustain. I want my strings to ring like a bell with a very clear and pure tone and as much sustain as I can get out of the instrument. I like Living Water and Worth strings the best. I like both the clear and brown strings from Worth. The do a great job of holding their tuning once they are stretched in, and they have that sweet purity of tone that I am looking for. Living Water is probably my first choice and they have all the same characteristics as Worth's. I probably choose Living Water over Worth because I want to support Ken who has done so much for this community. I don't think I can really tell a difference between Living Water and Worth strings in playing or sound, but perhaps a more skilled or experienced player could. Both types are flourocarbon. I really prefer non-wound strings, so I put non-wound Living Water strings on my baritone and I absolutely love them!
 
I recently learned of D'Addario Nyltechs, and I LOVE them on my mahogany soprano custom. Planning to try them on my koa soprano as well when my next string change comes around. On my koa ukes, I've recently switched loyalties from Martin M600s back to Aquila Nylguts, which are a little louder.

Others that I've tried and not cared for as much include Worths, Aquila Reds, Fremont Blacklines, GHS black nylons, and the black stock strings that come with Kamakas (which IIRC are D'Addario somethings?). Among the folks on this forum, though, I know all of those have their fans, so personal preference is a big part of it. I don't care for strings that feel "plasticky" (most fluoros do to me), are too floppy or too high-tension, or are at all muddy sounding. I like strings that have a bell-like clarity and are easy to bend/hammer-on.
 
I'm a fan of southcoast and there is a great guide to strings on their website http://www.southcoastukes.com/stringuide.htm

The Southcoasts I've had tend more towards the Aquila end of the spectrum (I'm using their "soft" set which will be more Aquila-like than their other sets), but with a little more clarity and power. I've tried fluorocarbons and I see the appeal, but since I mostly strum I like the "chunkier" sound from the Southcoasts or Aquilas.
 
I have two brands that I really like: PHD and Living Water.

I like the PHD low g on my KoAloha tenor -- they seem to have great volume and tone, and I really like the way they feel. They are a good match for this uke's brightness.
I like the Living Water low g on my Kanilea tenor -- they seem to give a crystal tone and sustain to this warmer sounding uke.

I previously used Worth CHLGHD and liked those as well, I just found these two are a better fit for me. For high g strings, I used to like the Savarez series.
 
I've found that the more strings I try the more confused I become about which sets I like.

Strictly for my Sopranos:

First I had Martin M600s which I really liked. Then I switched to Aquilas because everywhere I went I got the impression that Aquila is THE string to have. Immediately after I felt like ukes are not that fun to play anymore. That feeling lasted until I bought another uke (UAS was still in effect) and put some M600s on them, then I remembered how great the M600s were. This made me realize that Aquilas are not for everyone or every uke.

I then tried the Koolau Golds, which I hated on all my ukes; and then Alohi, which I also did not like; then I went back to the Mahanas for my Pono MS.

In between I tried Aquila reds and Aquila new nylguts but they never lasted more than 10 days on any of my ukes.

I then also tried Fremont medium tension, which causes terrible buzz on my ukuleles because of the lesser tension, and went to Worth browns, which were of higher tension but too plasticky.

I got to play a Kanile'a that came with D'addario nyltech. Liked it, thought it fixed some things I did not like on the Aquila Nylguts. So I got two sets for my ukuleles, but then I realized that it really was the instrument itself that made the strings sing, not the other way around.

I now have Worth Browns on my Kala spruce top lacewood b&s Soprano, Nyltech on my Pono MS (thinking about going to M600s because after only a week the nyltech feels old and dead), and nyltech on my Kala travel thinline acacia top concert (also thinking about changing back to Aquilas because of more volume with Aquilas).
 
I think you really do need to match strings to individual ukes. When you consider that strings are one of the cheapest ways you can change the tone of an instrument it's certainly worth experimentation.

In general I like clear fluorocarbon strings, in the heaviest gage that the uke "likes" (my KoAloha isn't happy with anything heavier than medium, most of my other ukes love heavies).

However, there are exceptions. Both of my mango are very bright with clear fluorocarbon strings. On those two the Ko'Olau gold strings sound great. I use concert Gold strings on the soprano because they intonate better and I just like higher tension. I haven't found any other ukes that I really care for Golds on, though.

Ko'Olau Alohi strings are very nice and bright, about the closest thing I've found to clear fluorocarbons. I was using them on my KoAloha longneck because they intonated better than the fluorocarbon strings - but now that I've fabricated a compensated saddle for the KoAloha I've gone back to medium fluorocarbon strings.

I often use concert strings on sopranos, and tenors on concerts, because I like higher tension and they usually intonate better. Sometimes you have to widen the nut slots a fraction, though.

John
 
I think you really do need to match strings to individual ukes. When you consider that strings are one of the cheapest ways you can change the tone of an instrument it's certainly worth experimentation.
this. And not to forget individual taste.

I started with replacing the factory strings with Aquila and loved them. Replaced them just for the fun of the colors by Auroras on the soprano (sound is almost similar). But then Ken came up with his Living Waters - they are my favorites right now. The Martins on my KPK are comparable, so no need to replace them.
Will receive a Mainland Mahogany Concert on Monday with Worth browns on it, looking forward to a mellower sound there...

To cut a long story short: string choice is a most probably endless journey.
 
My favorite set on my Ohana sk-35 are Freemont Blackline Hard soprano/concert. These really improve the intonation on my soprano. The trade-off for using high tension strings is the loss of some sustain, however.
 
My husband and I have tried lots of different strings. The ones that we liked enough to keep using include Worths (browns and clears), Guadalupe Fibre-Cores, Aquila, and Southcoast.

At the moment, Southcoasts are my faves. They sound good on everything. They feel good on everything. And I have a single string source for our broad variety of uke sizes and tunings. :D
 
Anybody has an old but still good set of strings they'd be nice to make way lol. Something like Aquila's or whatever would work on a dolphin Makala. Just thought I'd ask in this thread. ;) Hehe!!
 
Today I like brown worths on mahogany, living waters on koa, oasis on acacia, and Fremont blacks on monkey pod.

Tomorrow.................
 
I started out with Aquilas but have mostly migrated to fluorocarbons. A mixture of Worth (clear and brown) and Living Water. I don't see a lot of difference between the Worth and Living Water, though I think the latter have a slight edge for me. The Pyramid strings (which are also flourocarbon, I think) that came by default on my Brüko I have left on as they sound really good and suit that particular uke.

I have kept the Aquilas on one uke, an all laminate. They sound good on that particular uke.

I'm not particularly keen on continually changing my strings so once I have found something that works well, I tend to stick with it and will use the same again when they need changing.
 
I recently learned of D'Addario Nyltechs, and I LOVE them…
Interesting. I went to D'Addario's website and this is what they say;

Developed in cooperation with Aquila, D'Addario Nyltech strings are an exclusive combination of materials designed to deliver an optimal combination of warm, yet punchy tone, comfortable playability, precise intonation and tuning stability not found in other ukulele strings.

I'm guessing these are made by Aquila for D'Addario. Either that, or D'Addario is using Aquila's formula. But the packaging looks a lot like Aquila.

Below is the press release which also mentions Titanium ukulele strings:


D’Addario proudly announces its new Nyltech and Titanium Ukulele Strings available in January 2012.

D’Addario and Aquila Strings are thrilled to announce their exciting new string development partnership, which created the Nyltech Ukulele Strings. Nyltech is made with D’Addario exclusive string material that offers a warm, yet punchy, gut-like tone.

The Nyltech Strings are available for most popular Ukulele sizes and tunings such as the Soprano (EJ88S), retailing at $11.10, Concert (EJ88C), also retailing for $11.10, Tenor (EJ88T), with a retail price of $12.55 and Baritone (EJ88B), which will retail for $13.90. “Our new Nyltech Ukulele Strings are a contemporary take on a traditional sound with improved intonation verses other ukulele strings on the market,” says Brian Vance, Director of Product Management.

D’Addario is also releasing new Titanium Ukulele Strings. Titanium strings have recently been popular with classical guitarists for their bright, projecting tone and ultra-smooth feel. Now ukulele players can increase their volume, clarity and dynamics with Titanium Ukulele Strings. The dense monofilament material with translucent purple hue and smooth feel is similar to traditional nylon. The strings are available for most popular ukulele sizes and tunings such as the Soprano (EJ87S), retailing for $8.20, Concert (EJ87C), also retailing for $8.20, Tenor (EJ87T), to retail for $8.65 and Baritone (EJ87B), with a retail price of $9.85.

“We are excited to create Titanium strings that give a bright tone and smooth feel exclusively for Ukelele (sic) players,” adds Vance.
 
I have tried both Aquilla and D'Addario Nyltech strings. I prefer the D'Addario strings. They are very similar but the Nyltechs just sound a bit better and my laminated tenor.

Kurt
 
I use high tension Worth clears on my MP custom super-soprano. They add some percussive oomph to strumming, and are quite clear for fingerpicking, I'm getting a Mya Moe concert soon (maple/cedar) and am assuming it will need something a bit warmer.

I used to really like Aquilas, but the more I use them, the more I think they mask the ukulele. So if you have a bad ukulele, they're good, as it will sound like Aquilas, but really I think a ukulele should sound like itself. Others will disagree, which of course they're welcome to do. Just my opinion.

I definitely prefer flourocarbons, though my experience with nylon is a bit limited.
 
well to be honest I am going through a Living Water string stage at the moment, they sound so crystal clear, I have tried them on cheaper ukes like Mahalo and they improve the sound quality no end, I recently treated myself to a Kala slotted head solid acacia tenor uke which came with Aquilas and the thunky, clunky sound did nothing for the uke, so I changed them to Worth browns, which did improve the general sound of the uke, I am not one who constantly changes strings, some of my ukes still has the original strings on them from when I first bought them, but the acacia needed the change, my KoAloha still has the Worth clears that it came with and sounds so sweet I am going to stick with them for that particular uke, I am going to change the Aquilas on my black Fluke to Fremonts Blacklines just to see the difference and coz they will look cool, I use Worth browns for my mahogany uke, and will be using Living Waters for my other ukes including my Eleuke, My Mainland sounds sweet with both Living Water and Worth browns or clears, PHEW!!!
 
Ok, my ukes and their strings, as of this very minute:
  • Lanikai LU-11 - Aquilas because I really like the sound, though I haven't tried any fluorocarbons on it yet
  • Kala Tenor KA-STE-C - Living water, because I just couldn't find any other strings I liked on this uke. I love the sustain and ring and feel of them
  • Pacific Ukulele Tenor - Worth brown low-g because I love the sound and the vibration against my chest with the low-g on this thin body uke
  • Melokia Pinapple Soprano - Oasis strings because it finally got rid of the weird "radio-buzz" sound it had with other strings. Uke still has an "old-timey" sound to it
  • Kala Travel Soprano - Martin M600s cause I had bought a set for the Melokia and never used it, and was going to sell this Kala because I didn't like the thunk of the original Aquilas, but decided to give it one more chance with new strings, and with the M600's this is now my go-to soprano I love the sound so much.
  • David Gomes Tiple - A custom set of steel and wound strings cause that's what the tech put on it when I got it repaired, and I like it
  • Makala MK-C Concert - Aquilas cause HMS did the setup and put these strings on it, and I can't imagine wanting to change the sound since I don't keep aquilas on much else, and sometimes I want the aquila sound
  • KoAloha Concert - the original worth clear equivalents because you just don't mess with the koaloha sound
  • Makala Dolphin - Aquila reds because this uke needs decent strings, and the reds have an interesting understated flavor to them that works well on this uke
  • Outdoor ukulele - Fremont fluorocarbons, cause I didn't like them on any other uke, and it makes the ODU decent enough, and I don't really care enough about it to want to experiment anymore with it
  • Kala Solid Acacia Baritone - Aquilas with wound strings just cause that's what it came with, still waiting on fresh strings in the mail, will probably try living water cause I don't like wound
 
I play mainly soprano ukes. (My daily player is a Kamaka HF-1; my Kiwaya KS-0P and my 50s Islander Uke also get played often.) After experimenting with Kamaka, Martin, Worth, Aquila, D'Addario, Ko'olau (Gold, Alohi, and Mahana), SouthCoast, GHS, and Fremont strings on various ukes, I've learned I generally prefer nylon strings.

To my ears, nylon strings tend to produce a deeper tone than fluorocarbon strings. (Fluorocarbon strings tend to produce more sustain, note separation, and brightness.) The deeper side of a uke's sound is what appeals to my ears, so it's nylon strings for me. My favorite sets are D'Addario J65 (for tuning ADF#B) and either the Ko'olau Mahana set or the Kamaka set (for tuning GCEA).
 
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