5 String Ukulele

[pszy22]

I own a 5 string ukulele (both a low and high G) that I enjoy very much. Anyone know of a source to buy a set of replacement strings that contains all 5 strings? Short of finding a source, the other option would be to get a set of 4 and a single additional string.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[Voran]

Ooooooh. A 5 string with a low and high option? *drools*

 

[Sporky]

I don't know specific sets of strings but if you're in the US I would definitely go to stringsbymail.com .
If you like fluorocarbon strings you could try a normal Worth high G set combined with their single low g which is sold separately too (B-LG but available in either clear or brown). Their sets seem expensive but they're long enough to make two sets by design.

 

[merlin666]

I don't know specific sets of strings but if you're in the US I would definitely go to stringsbymail.com .
If you like fluorocarbon strings you could try a normal Worth high G set combined with their single low g which is sold separately too (B-LG but available in either clear or brown)

My choice would be the Kanile'a set, as 5 string Kanile'a are just the ultimate for that kind of uke, and that may be also due that they pick good strings.

Tenor / Super Tenor 5-string set with Low G - Kanile'a 'Ukulele

Tenor / Super Tenor 5-string set Kanile`a Phosphor Bronze wound Low G Aquila Corde Super Nylgut re-entrant G, C, E, A (re-entrant)

www.kanileaukulele.com

 

[M3Ukulele]

I purchased my first five string this year. Very nice. Lots of fun. I don’t know of any five string sets until the mention above by Kanile’a which would seems to be a Super Nylgut high g set with a wound low g added.

My strategy moving forward is to buy high g sets of whatever I want to try and add a low g. My ukulele came with Super Nylgut and low G installed. First change I went to Oasis warn high g and added a D'Addario .029 low g or basically a D string off a classical guitar set. The Low g was from a local guitar store….the Oasis I had from last String by Mail order.

The next order I do for strings will be Strings by Mail . I’ll order a Fremont soloist low g. I’ll try couple low g wound from Aquila. I’ll get my usual assortment of string in high G. Might even try the expensive TI string.

 

[merlin666]

I think this is the most common approach approach - to just add re-entrant and linear G strings. This has the disadvantage that there is much more tension on that combined G than on any other strings. It is disappointing that there seems to be no company that offers a "balanced" set for 5 string ukes where tension is more evenly distributed. This is done for good 6 and 8 string sets. For my 6 string, I use the Aquila New Nylgut set that comes with a red low A string, though I have also used a wound Aquila A and currently have a d'Addario 26 that also blends in well.

 

[SailingUke]

Ken Middleton’s Living Waters has a 5 string set.
I usually buy this set even for tenors, I have extra string.

 

[merlin666]

Ken Middleton’s Living Waters has a 5 string set.
I usually buy this set even for tenors, I have extra string.

This is one where just two G strings from regular sets are combined, so will have the doubled tension as well.

 

[Arik]

You could contact Joel at Uke Logic. He does custom string sets.

 

[Kenn2018]

If you're really concerned about the tension, you could use concert length Gs instead.

Stringsandbeyond.com is another good resource.

There was a string tension chart thread put together by a member a few months ago in the Forum. Maybe you could use that to mix and match strings to get a preferred balance.

 

[pszy22]

Thanks folks! Several good options for me to investigate.

 

[kissing]

I always have a few classical guitar D strings handy for low-G.
Hence I'd order a standard re-entrant ukulele set and use the classical guitar D string for the low-G.

Note: Classical guitar 1st string (high E) can be used as a high-G string on ukulele.