c string over powers the rest

Hmmm. Which strings on what uke are you playing? Strings often have a huge impact on a uke's sound. You need to acquire SCO (String Changing Obsession) to find what works best for your ear on your uke. If you indicate which uke you have, whether you play high or low G, and what strings you're currently playing, maybe some members can give you some tips on what to try.
 
Any way to dampen the c string in sound as it overwelms the other strings because of it loud boomyness.

it sounds like its the brand rather than the string.
what kind do you use? I find aquilla red series to be quiet even across the board and all the strings ring at the same volume one of the reasons why i like them so much. I'm trying living waters (waiting for my order to come) i suspect they will be even more even and clear than aquila.
 
I've had that problem with Oasis strings on a soprano uke - could be the brand, or could be a bad pack of strings. I've also had that problem consistently with all non-wound low G fluorocarbon strings - using a wound low G solves that problem. Outside of the Oasis, I've never had it happen with a C string, but I know others who say it's a constant problem and they opt for a wound C instead.
 
I've had that problem with Oasis strings on a soprano uke - could be the brand, or could be a bad pack of strings. I've also had that problem consistently with all non-wound low G fluorocarbon strings - using a wound low G solves that problem. Outside of the Oasis, I've never had it happen with a C string, but I know others who say it's a constant problem and they opt for a wound C instead.

see my problem with the wound strings is i feel their 'bass strings' always over power the treble strings. I feel with non wound it's more even at least with aquila. This is why I'm trying reentrant G with my baritone but may end up settling on unwound living water or worth brown strings for low D. I think wound is just too bassy for my taste (at least for a uke) I do think certain songs it works great for but over all I prefer a more 'light' but mellow sound i think non wound baritone strings will do the trick baritone = more mellow than smaller ukes, non-wound less harsh bassy sounding.
 
thanks guys, its a church members ukulele and she plays a concert all koa k brand. ive noticed the c was over powering the other chords making it sound , well not clear. ive givin her Fremonts Blackline, Worth CLs , so far still the same. Maybe ill try give her Aquila set that's not Flourocarbon.
it could just be the ukulele and not the strings. maybe will keep the G E A flouro and the C a standard nylon to damped it a bit.
 
All of my stringed instruments have one note that is more boomy than the rest, and it usually sounds boomiest on the C and E strings. If it's only the open C string that sounds boomy, it could be the C note itself, and not the C string. Most of the boomy notes I've encountered are in the F to G# range! but I do have a tenor with a boomy D note on the C string. The rest of the notes on the C string blend in fine. I had to return a Martin uke because the open G string was overwhelming the other strings (boomy G note). I tried various types of strings, and even used a very small diameter G string, but it always barked louder than the other strings. This problem is made worse on the C string, because it has greater mass than the others.

Here's a video demonstrating the boomy open G string. The fretted G string was fine, but open was awful. http://youtu.be/R83NaZ-i9H4
 
Last edited:
At times when I have been suffering from some booming in a single string I have found that a little careful filing of the nut slot has fixed the problem. A nut slot that is a little wide will cause some vibration, generating some booming. Measuring the string gauge with vernier callipers and then using an appropriate nut file to adjust (gently deepening) the nut slot has done the trick for me.

Anthony
 
At times when I have been suffering from some booming in a single string I have found that a little careful filing of the nut slot has fixed the problem. A nut slot that is a little wide will cause some vibration, generating some booming. Measuring the string gauge with vernier callipers and then using an appropriate nut file to adjust (gently deepening) the nut slot has done the trick for me.

Anthony
I have the same problem.

Can you maybe explain a little bit in detail how you fixed it? Did you meant that the nut slot was too wide and flat, and this caused the booming?
 
I have the same problem.

Can you maybe explain a little bit in detail how you fixed it? Did you meant that the nut slot was too wide and flat, and this caused the booming?
OK, I'm having to think about this because its a post I made 9 years ago.
The nut slot being too wide and flat would have been what I meant, yet its also a fine line between the nut slot being too wide or too narrow and not letting the string slide through, causing tuning instability.
I don't think I own the instrument I was referring to anymore.
These days I find that the Low G and C strings may boom at a certain pitch, and if you lower or raise the pitch the boom will reduce or go away.
I sometimes find that brand new strings boom for a while, yet as they stretch slowly and I tighten the tuning pegs, the boom goes away.
 
Top Bottom