Low-g concerts?

[iDavid]

Do any of you use a low-g on a concert scale uke?

Just wonder how it holds up, sound-wise.

I plan to give it ago, when I get the strings.

String suggestions?

 

[WhenDogsSing]

I have a Boat Paddle M style concert with a low G. I use a D'Addario classical wound D string for the low G. Works great.

 

[janeray1940]

I've got a Kamaka HF-2 concert with Worth CM-LG strings. I think it sounds great!

 

[Louis0815]

I just changed strings a week ago on my KA-C and so far I am very happy with Ken Middleton's low G set. Some time ago I have tried a wound Aquila (8U set) which I didn't like at all - the wound string was far too loud for the rest of the set. Ken's plain string fits in very nice and balanced, seems it will have to stay for longer (click here for a very small sound sample of the open strings)

There's a couple of threads already here on the forums about these strings....

 

[Lalz]

I have a solid spruce-top concert with a single Fremont Clear Low G, and regular stock Aquilas for the other strings. Sounds fab! Very balanced. I'm about to test replacing the Aquilas with D'Addarios to see how it sounds.

 

[Uke Republic]

Kamoa ukuleles all come to us with low G Aquilas. The sound is very full.

 

[Gmoney]

My Kamoa Grand Concert came w/low G - so now I have it hanging beside a Lanikai concert in High G. Like the sound quite a bit. You can always buy a single Aquila "Red Series" unwound G string & swap out just that string to give it a go.

Just strings has them here:

http://www.juststrings.com/aquilaukuleleothersinglestrings.html

 

[uke42]

I have a Kanile'a concert with an Aquila wound low G. It sounds great. I'm about to change it out with an Aquila Red low G which should make it sound better. The Aquila Red should give it a much more balanced volume and tone that is more inline with the other strings.

 

[guitarsnrotts]

I have my Mainland Slot-head Mahogany Concert strung with Worth Low-G Browns and have it tuned up to D. I like the sound a lot.

 

[mikelz777]

If you are ready to switch to new strings you may want to try an experiment with a low G tuning using your present strings if you have enough string to work with. It would be a nice way to try a low G tuning without having to spend any money on different strings and deciding that you didn't care for it.

Someone suggested the following in another thread. If you want a low G tuning but you only have regular strings (GCEA), re-string your uke by switching the strings around from their original order and tune appropriately to a low G tuning. If you number the strings 1-4 where 1 is closest to the floor and 4 is closest to your head as you are holding the uke:

1 --> 1 (this string stays the same)
2 --> 3 (the 2nd string becomes the 3rd string)
3 --> 4 (the 3rd string becomes the 4th string)
4 --> 2 (the 4th string becomes the 2nd string)

I haven't tried this yet but I plan on trying it once I get closer to needing a string change.

 

[tigersister]

I have a Mainland mahogany slot head concert strung with Worth CM low-g strings. I like them, but I haven't tried any other low-g sets on this uke.

 

[stevepetergal]

I play low G on my concert all the time. It sounds great. I have had the most success with Worth Clear strings and a D'Addario NYL026W for the low G. I have tried a couple of Ko'olau's standard configurations for low G concerts and they're fine. Got a set of Southcoasts half-heartedly recommended by Dirk and learned why he doesn't recommend them. Lousy balance. I keep coming back to the Worth/D'Addario combination. I always get them from Gordon and Char at Mya-Moe. Get the whole set without mixing and matching, and they don't charge more for shipping than the cost of the strings.

 

[iDavid]

In the Aquila Red sets, or all the strings red or are they mixed with white ones?

 

[uke42]

In the Aquila Red sets, or all the strings red or are they mixed with white ones?

I don't think there is an Aquila Red set yet. The Aquila Red low G is sold as a single string. But there is also an Aquila Red C string which is also sold as a single string.

 

[Kayak Jim]

I have a Kanile'a concert with an Aquila wound low G. It sounds great. I'm about to change it out with an Aquila Red low G which should make it sound better. The Aquila Red should give it a much more balanced volume and tone that is more inline with the other strings.

So what is it about the Aquila wound low G that isn't so great? (I bought the string when ordering other stuff, just haven't put it on yet)

Jim B

 

[Zenin]

So what is it about the Aquila wound low G that isn't so great? (I bought the string when ordering other stuff, just haven't put it on yet)

It sounds like a guitar and it's louder then the other strings, so it doesn't blend that nicely. It's round-wound so it makes noises as you move over it. And it doesn't last long...the frets fray it up pretty quickly.

It's good for what it is I guess, but the Red strings are a massive improvement all around.

 

[vanflynn]

Hi David. I tried on mine but liked the high G sound personally. I would suggest getting a single low g string and trying it out yourself:

http://elderly.com/accessories/cats/STSG.html

Keep us posted

 

[itsme]

It sounds like a guitar and it's louder then the other strings, so it doesn't blend that nicely. It's round-wound so it makes noises as you move over it. And it doesn't last long...the frets fray it up pretty quickly.

I don't care for wound low G strings, either.

On a classical guitar you have three wound basses and three plain trebles, so it is balanced. One out of four strings on an uke is just not balanced. Southcoast does makes some linear strings with two wound and two plain, but I haven't tried them yet.

But you are right that wound strings don't last as long. I typically go thru 3 sets of basses to one set of trebles on my CG.

 

[nix]

I have 3 concerts strung low G:

Ohana CK-75CG with Worth clear mediums
Fluke with Fremont blacks
Luna Dolphin with Worth clear mediums

The Worth set is really nice. I bought them as a pack from Elderly Instruments. They are very resonant. I like them better on the Ohana than on the Luna. The Ohana is solid maple with a spruce top and the Worth strings compliment the brightness. I'm still not sure about the Fremonts. The black Fremonts are the only option if you want Flea Market Music to string low G when they ship it to you. They feel a little duller than the Worths and also a bit tenser.

Nix

 

[hibiscus]

Southcoasts sound much better on my Ohana CK-38 than any other low Gs have sounded. I'm going to try Ken's Living Waters next time. The sound clip sounds great!