Steel Ukulele Strings

[Mr Slaters Parrot]

Aloha all. Longtime lurker. I haven't been able to find an answer to this question anywhere so I am now officially a non-lurker.

I recently bought an electric tenor ukulele from Honni in Australia. If you don't know these instruments they are hollow-body semi-custom with dual pickups, one of them magnetic, so it is strung in steel. Ouch, I am just getting used to playing steel, but that's another issue. They come strung in low-G with strings made by Alice. I'd like to have a backup set and maybe one to tune it reentrant but I can't find any steel strings sold in ukulele sets by Alice or anybody else. So maybe they are repurposed guitar strings? I've messaged the luthier but haven't had a reply so now I'm stuck. What should I do? I suppose if I could at least figure out the gages of the strings that would be a start, but I have no idea how to do that either. Any help or advice appreciated!

-MSP

 

[Arcy]

I use electric guitar strings on my tenor solid-body e-uke. I've never seen explicit electric uke string sets, but neither have I looked for them.

IIRC, I have the top four strings from a set of the pink ernie ball super slinkies (9 11 16 24) on now. Others use the middle four strings or a different set. Which is best is very much a matter of taste, but if you're new to steel strings you probably want to err lighter rather than heavier. My super slinkies are on the light side.

 

[Mr Slaters Parrot]

I use electric guitar strings on my tenor solid-body e-uke. I've never seen explicit electric uke string sets, but neither have I looked for them.

IIRC, I have the top four strings from a set of the pink ernie ball super slinkies (9 11 16 24) on now. Others use the middle four strings or a different set. Which is best is very much a matter of taste, but if you're new to steel strings you probably want to err lighter rather than heavier. My super slinkies are on the light side.

Thanks, are those numbers the gages? Apologies for the ignorance but this is new to me. Lighter definitely better than heavier at this point.

 

[Futurethink]

Yes, you can use electric guitar strings.
It’s fun to experiment with gauges to see which feel best to your fingers. Try playing scales in the middle of the neck until your fingers adjust.
You can also use the thickest strings from a 7-string guitar set to get baritone tuning on your tenor ukulele. That’s how mine is currently set up.

 

[Arcy]

Thanks, are those numbers the gages? Apologies for the ignorance but this is new to me. Lighter definitely better than heavier at this point.

Yes. Those are the gauges. I'm using the high four strings from this set:

Slinky RPS Nickel Wound Electric Guitar Strings

Ernie Ball's RPS wound strings consists of specific gauges and core to wrap ratios for balanced rich harmonics and that signature Slinky feel. Plain strings in RPS sets last longer and stay in tune better than conventional plain strings. A patented winding of brass wire is tightly wrapped around...

www.ernieball.com

Again though, there's no right or wrong answer. I'd get whatever is easily available locally and see how you like it. If you do then stick with it, if not then adjust the next time!

 

[Mr Slaters Parrot]

The maker has since responded to my question and said he uses very light guitar strings, 2-3-4-5. I assume 2 corresponds to the A string. So what string would I use for the G if I wanted reentrant tuning?

 

[anthonyg]

The maker has since responded to my question and said he uses very light guitar strings, 2-3-4-5. I assume 2 corresponds to the A string. So what string would I use for the G if I wanted reentrant tuning?

Using the middle 4 strings from a light gauge set of electric guitar strings is what I'm doing at the moment. If you wanted to go reentrant then nominally what you would want to use is a single string of the same gauge or even just slightly heavier than the A string is. You could try using the lightest string from the set as the reentrant string. Maybe it will be a bit light. Maybe it will work.
Most good music/guitar stores will sell you single steel strings.

 

[Mr Slaters Parrot]

Using the middle 4 strings from a light gauge set of electric guitar strings is what I'm doing at the moment. If you wanted to go reentrant then nominally what you would want to use is a single string of the same gauge or even just slightly heavier than the A string is. You could try using the lightest string from the set as the reentrant string. Maybe it will be a bit light. Maybe it will work.
Most good music/guitar stores will sell you single steel strings.

Might one of the two left-over strings work? I suppose I could also trying tightening up the A-string on the instrument to G and see how that feels (grimacing all the way). Hauling it into a guitar shop is a good idea, We also have a good ukulele shop locally but they probably won't know as much about steel strings as a guitar shop, I imagine.

 

[anthonyg]

Might one of the two left-over strings work? I suppose I could also trying tightening up the A-string on the instrument to G and see how that feels (grimacing all the way). Hauling it into a guitar shop is a good idea, We also have a good ukulele shop locally but they probably won't know as much about steel strings as a guitar shop, I imagine.

I suggest that you do try using the lightest left over string, although it may be too light. Give it a go and see. The heaviest string will be WAY too heavy for reentrant tuning.

 

[Mr Slaters Parrot]

I suggest that you do try using the lightest left over string, although it may be too light. Give it a go and see. The heaviest string will be WAY too heavy for reentrant tuning.

Thanks, I'll do that one of these days. For now I feel like I need a backup set. Any recommendations for brands?

 

[don_b]

Ive never used steel ukulele strings, but I have wondered what its like. I played guitar and bass for years, both with steel strings. I wonder what it would feel like on a uke.

 

[Mr Slaters Parrot]

Ive never used steel ukulele strings, but I have wondered what its like. I played guitar and bass for years, both with steel strings. I wonder what it would feel like on a uke.

It's different for sure. I thought the biggest difference would be in the fretting, but it turns that the challenge is more in the strumming. I'm used to attacking nylon strings to get volume but that doesn't go so well with steel and really not necessary with a magnetic pickup. I mostly strum with the ends of my thumb and forefinger and they aren't tough enough for much of that on steel. I've only been playing for a few years anyway, all on nylon. I'm considering finger picks. This is also my first amplified instrument, so it's all new. Just another ukulele adventure!

 

[ripock]

just for information. I am currently using the bottom four guitar strings for my electric ukulele needs. That's E A D G, but I down-tune the D and G, so that it is E A C# F#, which is a parallel tuning to GCEA.

 

[anthonyg]

Thanks, I'll do that one of these days. For now I feel like I need a backup set. Any recommendations for brands?

I'm not sure that there is a lot of difference between different steel string brands. In the past I used D'Addario steel strings. There days I use Ernie Ball steel strings.
These are the main two brands anyway.

 

[kissing]

For GCEA tuning on a steel string electric ukulele, use the 4th-1st (DGBE) strings from an electric guitar set and tune up to GCEA.
Any brand set would do, maybe a set of 9's or 10's. I've used D'addario and Elixir.

If you want to tune to DGBE tuning (baritone ukulele), use the middle 4 (ADGB) to tune up to DGBE.

 

[Futurethink]

Ive never used steel ukulele strings, but I have wondered what its like. I played guitar and bass for years, both with steel strings. I wonder what it would feel like on a uke.

Yikes! I hope you’re not talking about trying steel strings on an acoustic ’ukulele. That could lead to disaster.

The OP has a solid body electric with a magnetic pickup. All of the suggestions here are for that type of instrument.

Your steel string acoustic guitars are constructed to handle the extra tension.

 

[don_b]

Yikes! I hope you’re not talking about trying steel strings on an acoustic ’ukulele. That could lead to disaster.

The OP has a solid body electric with a magnetic pickup. All of the suggestions here are for that type of instrument.

Your steel string acoustic guitars are constructed to handle the extra tension.

Well I'm only talking about wondering. I like fluorocarbons. Thanks though.

 

[Mr Slaters Parrot]

Yikes! I hope you’re not talking about trying steel strings on an acoustic ’ukulele. That could lead to disaster.

The OP has a solid body electric with a magnetic pickup. All of the suggestions here are for that type of instrument.

Your steel string acoustic guitars are constructed to handle the extra tension.

It's hollow body, but otherwise, yes, it's made for steel, though I suppose it's still possible to break the neck or bridge by stringing it too tight. So I want to make sure I get the right ones. I believe this is the middle four of a "super light" guitar set, sometimes called "eights" for the gage of the thinnest string I guess. I see some "super light" strings starting with .009 and wonder how much difference that would make. I've also found at least one .007 set. The lightest of all, and tempting.

 

[SlingshotCannon]

Hey Mr. Slaters Parrot, this is a bit off point, but could you share your impressions of the Honni? I'm thinking of ordering one, but would very much appreciate if you could share your experience, good and/or bad!

The price is certainly right, especially for an electric baritone (which is what I'm interested in), but they're certainly not a "famous" name, which obviously does not mean they're not good, but does make information harder to come by.

 

[Mr Slaters Parrot]

Yes, sure, but keep in mind, I'm a bit of a duffer on the instrument. A more serious player would probably have more in-depth comments.

In terms of construction they are a bit on the crude side, but they do the important thing, which is play well and the look is eye-catching especially if you choose one of the more guitar-like bodies. The setup seemed right, though the fretting is a bit difficult (at least for those of us who aren't used to steel strings). I can only comment on the pickup combo I chose, which is the piezo/slim magnetic. With the mag pickup (or both) selected it puts out plenty of volume for my purposes on a small 15w amp. I haven't tried plugging it into anything more serious yet. Since I've only ever played acoustic before it makes me feel like Joey Ramone. Not sure if that's a good thing! Piezo alone is low volume. I ordered the duel "f" holes thinking it would give me some reasonable volume acoustically. It's still very quiet played that way but okay for practicing.

The luthier doesn't supply any information along with the instrument, not even a piece of paper, so once it arrives you're sort of on you own to figure it out. He is somewhat hit-and-miss on communications but he does generally respond to messages through his Facebook page (Honni Music Ukuleles) after a day or so. His name is Adrian and he's in or near Brisbane. That's all I know about him.

The total cost, shipped to the USA was around $240. Hard to beat for the price. Took about a month from ordering for it to arrive. It's a unique addition to my collection, and I will definitely keep playing it.

Hope that helps. Let me know if you have any specific questions.