Wound strings on a tenor?

Bluke

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I just got a tenor, after playing concerts mostly ( and guitar all my life). This (used) tenor has a wound third (C) string, and is strung Hi-G. Is this common? Perhaps the seller didn't have a clue. I kinda like the sound of all plastic strings.
 
Some tenors (Pono for example) are factory strung with a low g. Most tenors are strung re-entrant (GCEA). Use of a wound string (G or C) is not uncommon, depends on the string set used. Some like 'em and some don't. If you want all nylon, your best bet is to swap 'em out.
 
My new Lanikai has a wound C string

When I bought my new tenor Lanikai (Model LFM-T) it has a wound C string.
I think there is an explanation on their website (which I must read one day).
The G is a high. The wound string definitely gives a richer sound. Havent found any probs with it. After coming from a nylon strung soprano, the only thing I notice is that steel squeeking sound on the fretboard.
When I restring, I'll probably revert back to all nylon just to hear the difference.
 
Most tenors are factory strung with GHS strings and a wound "C" string in re-entrant tuning. The "low G" tuning is an "alternate tuning" and quite popular in Canada, especially. So, your ukulele is not unusual.

It is harder to find tenor strings that are not wound, but Aquila makes them, among others.
 
My Pono came with Ko'olau Gold strings (High G) that had a wound C string. They sounded nice and mellow, but I found the strings to be too heavy, plus I like my uke to sound more like a uke and less like a guitar (If that makes sense) so I restrung it with Aquilas that are all Nylgut. I'm happy with the change. So, I guess this is a roundabout way of answering your question, but it seems it is not too unusual to have a wound C string.
 
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