Ohana Sopranino String suggestions?

Beasty_Artemis

Beasty_Artemis

Active member
Joined
Feb 27, 2019
Messages
33
Reaction score
0
Location
Oregon Coast
So my baby has been due for some replacement strings for a while, I'm sure of it! But I've been reading some posts suggesting that the original strings ( Aquilla ) don't due Ohana soprano ukes justice.....!
Ignorance is bliss, right?
What would be the best brand of strings for an Ohana Sopranino SK-21M? Anyone here have any past experience restringing their sopranino uke?
( OMG! I finally grabbed a snark tuner, instead of using a lame app for the job.... Hey, much better!!!)
 
I've got the same one and have tried a few different strings. I think if you like D tuning your options will be wider than if you like C tuning as you have less concerns over some strings being sloppy.

What I settled on were Worth CD, which work really nice at C tuning.

I tried Worth browns, Fremont blacks and some D'Addario black nylon strings as I was trying to compensate for the lack of fullness in sound (yeah it's a sopranino, I should just deal with it). Didn't care for any of them.

If you decide you like the Aquilas better, you should go with what appeals to you, but definitely fun experimenting. String changes are so fast with a slotted bridge and friction tuners.

As far as the comment on Aquilas, Alex at The Southern Ukulele Store had a really good summary of Aquila supernylguts: they tend to improve the sound laminate uke but can sometimes mess up the sound of a solid wood ukulele.
 
I use D'Adarrio Titanium on my sopranino.
 
I recommend give CFAD tuning a try on any sopranino with lightweight strings (Worth BL perhaps). I use Harley Benton clear nylon strings, but shipping of those to the US could be prohibitive I guess.
 
Jim and Jim, having come to really like the aDF#B tuning generally, but especially on a sopranino, I nonetheless can't shake the concern that going up yet another step higher, to cFAD, would be a heck of a lot of tension. Is there any concern in that regard, or do I just need to take a walk on the wild side?
 
The XLU is the lightest gauge set Southcoast made. They are very thin. On 11.5" to 12" scale, cFAD should be on the low side tension-wise.
 
Got it. So, cFAD on a sopranino scale would equate maybe to aDF#B on a regular soprano scale, tension-wise?
 
Bill Sheehan said:
Got it. So, cFAD on a sopranino scale would equate maybe to aDF#B on a regular soprano scale, tension-wise?
Click to expand...

Well, kinda sorta, but not exactly. With the XLU set, Dirk had the medium tension tuning as G for 11.5, F for 13", and Eb for 15" and you could go a step up or down from there. The recommended set for soprano D was the Light Medium set and there was a Light in between XLU and LM, so the XLU really is thin.

If you had a normal set (Worth, Martin, etc.) that felt "medium" at D soprano, I'm not sure if I'd push it all the way to F sopranino. I'd say tune it up til it felt the same. My guess is it would end up at Eb or E.
 
thin strings
 
I've been really happy with the performance of Aquila Red strings on our Ohanas-
1 all laminate Soprano, 1 laminate/solid top Soprano, 2 all solid concerts both Mahogany the primary difference between them being one is a pineapple & the other is a double bout.

We have been very happy indeed with those strings. We don't currently have a sopranino other than my wife's Tyde which she strung with living water strings to great effect.
 
I run the Fremont Hard Soprano Strings so that I can tune my sopranino and sopranissimos in GCEA tuning—and it works. I end up playing with others too often and it is really hard to try to transpose down a step on the fly.
 
I string my luthier made sopranino with Worth Browns. It suits the instrument and
the sound suits me.But every case is different,you may need to try a few different
brands before you find the one that just 'does it' for you!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

uketanzon
trade goldtone reso, ohana sopranino, lanakai 6 string for Larrivee or breedlove
Replies
0
Views
212
uketanzon
uketanzon
3-1-1
Traded Ohana Sopranino Tiny Pineapple TPK-25G All Solid Mahogany + case/bag
Replies
4
Views
552
Jerryc41
Jerryc41
bazmaz
Ohana TPK-25G Small Scale Sopranino
2
Replies
20
Views
1K
Wukulele
Wukulele
U
Ohana sk-21 sopranino ukulele just bought, hate friction tuners
Replies
10
Views
803
Bill Potter
B
E
  • Locked
FS: Ohana Mahogany Pineapple Sopranino w/ Case
Replies
9
Views
619
eternal tinkerer
E
Top Bottom