Wound C String?

timbodandee

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I've seen some low g tenors that have a wound c string and was wondering if anyone uses a wound c string on a high g tenor.

Also, what exactly is the purpose of the wound string?
 
I'm not sure why you'd want a wound C string on a High G string set.

Some vendors use a wound C to help balance the sometimes drastic difference in sound between the C and the wound low G. I've used a set like this and it does make a difference.

Using wound strings is a way to lower the pitch by adding mass to the string without making it excessively thick. That's why you see wound low G's on ukuleles, and three or more wound strings on most guitars.
 
I use a wound C on my tenors. It does add a different tonal quality to the uke, which depending on the set used, can be either subtle or very pronounced. The wound C I have on right now plays REALLY well with the other (unwound) strings. The tonal difference is slight.
 
I use the wound c Hilo tenor high g sets on my Maui Music tenors. They're perfect.
 
I use the Southcoast MU-W3 (Medium Gauge Ukulele Set w/ wound C) on my Gypsy Rose concert. Gives it great depth while staying reentrant. Subtle, but the low end is better pronounced with better sustain.
 
I haven't used wound strings yet, but I'm assuming it also adds the sound of fingers sliding on steel strings that everyone loves

Depends on the wound string, but yes, it does (and not everyone loves that sound on a uke). I've found the flat wound strings from Southcoast to be the quietest, with their new smooth wound being just pretty quiet and not having the brittle nature of the flat wounds (tying the flats in a knot for a knot bridge is pretty tough).
 
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I've never heard it on a uke, but the sound on guitar has grown on me. It used to feel like scratching a chalkboard, but lately I've been all about it haha
 
Someone must like the wound C on a high G set..........................I just purchased some from HMS, and that is one of the choices you can pick. So I don't think they have to be played with a low G.
 
I have once used a set of D'addario black nylon tenor string with wound C (high G), it was a nice set of strings:).
in my opinion it is depends on the string set, when it is produced with a wound string, there must be a reason (i.e. maybe the black nylon sounds not good enough in C un-wound, who knows :) )
 
I use the Southcoast MU-W3 (Medium Gauge Ukulele Set w/ wound C) on my Gypsy Rose concert. Gives it great depth while staying reentrant. Subtle, but the low end is better pronounced with better sustain.

My buddy, Daniel (nongdam on UU) was kind enough to give me this exact SC set (Muchos gracias, D!). I have not installed it on a uke yet, but based on your description, David, it may play well on a uke that is slightly "bright", to tone down the snap and give it a tad more re-entrant bass. Thanks for helping me with this knowledge based on your experience.
 
The thicker the non-wound strings are, the "thunkier" they start to sound. I'm happy with all non-wounds on a low G tenor, but they don't cut it on a bari IMO.

I don't care for a single wound C on reentrant. Two wounds/two plains on a bari or low G tenor sounds balanced to me. The single wound tends to stick out like a sore thumb to me.
 
The thicker the non-wound strings are, the "thunkier" they start to sound.

I don't care for a single wound C on reentrant. The single wound tends to stick out like a sore thumb to me.

The wound C pulls that string back in line with the others, as opposed to the unwound C, which sounds sonewhat dead and stands out like a sore thumb, at least on this particular uke. My ebony/ cedar pono tenor benefits from a wound C as well, with both high and low G tunings. My koaloha concert doesn't like the wound strings at all. So I think, as with other string sets, they have to suit the instrument.
 
Depends on what you like. When plain strings start to get too thick they don't intonate properly because the thickness prevents the string from vibrating as expected. Wound strings are much more flexible and therefore they do vibrate as expected.

Anthony
 
That's the problem that Aquila "red" solves by making the string material heavier with an oxide coating, and Worth solves by using higher density Flourocarbon.

Southcoast has Yet Another Approach with more advanced winding techniques.

How do they sound on your uke when you play it?
 
Well actually I usually play tenors with Aquila nylgut low G which have an unwound C string. I have a set of baritione strings on one tenor which have both a wound 3rd and wound 4th. The wound strings suffer from a little picking noise but otherwise I don't hear a great difference. Mind you. The wound 3rd string does intonate a little better than a plain.

Anthony
 
Thanks for all the great answers guys, there are a lot of smart people on this forum.

I noticed that my unwound c string sounds a little dull and it has every time I've changed the strings. Maybe its time to try a wound string?
 
Ko'olau makes a few different kinds of string sets with a wound C.
 
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