Kherome
Well-known member
Can anyone direct me to a good resource about strings? Low G vs High G, types of strings etc?
Strings
- Thread starter Kherome
- Start date
Strings By Mail. They are very responsive to E-Mail inquiries, have a knowledgeable staff, great on hand inventory and quick shipment at affordable rates.
glennerd
Well-known member
I shared this in another thread recently, but I really found Alex's descriptions enlightening. No sound comparisons, but it's a good place to start and go from there.
Online sound comparisons really don't do justice to trying them out yourself anyway.
Online sound comparisons really don't do justice to trying them out yourself anyway.
John boy
Well-known member
Ww, that was a very informative video. Thanks for posting this, glennerd. Very helpful for a noob like me.
I've seen this video before and it was quite nice. Not much liking the hand put on face thing though.
What interests/question me is how say fluorocarbon strings vary, or nylon for that matter regarding color according to him. So it is not just the thickness of strings in a set, but really some other variation in the material of the strings? I'd say most important is to get a set that gives the right amount of tension and response.
I did not buy a bit that Aquila Nylguts somehow give a better intonation on cheap ukes, but maybe I misheard something? Maybe I should have understood that they give a good response also on cheap ukes where others won't. Those lines of his were a mystery to me.
I liked that comment as information that Martin 600 fluoros are thicker than some others. Myself I don't at all like thick strings, but I can do fine with Martins, and then to know that thinner ones exists.
What interests/question me is how say fluorocarbon strings vary, or nylon for that matter regarding color according to him. So it is not just the thickness of strings in a set, but really some other variation in the material of the strings? I'd say most important is to get a set that gives the right amount of tension and response.
I did not buy a bit that Aquila Nylguts somehow give a better intonation on cheap ukes, but maybe I misheard something? Maybe I should have understood that they give a good response also on cheap ukes where others won't. Those lines of his were a mystery to me.
I liked that comment as information that Martin 600 fluoros are thicker than some others. Myself I don't at all like thick strings, but I can do fine with Martins, and then to know that thinner ones exists.
http://southcoastukes.com/tips.htm
Go to SouthCoast’s website for information. This was my favorite strings but you can’t get them any longer. This site has a wealth of information about strings.
Go to SouthCoast’s website for information. This was my favorite strings but you can’t get them any longer. This site has a wealth of information about strings.
teninobob
Well-known member
Strings online
Ukecaster
Well-known member
In the video, interesting that he says that, on more expensive ukes "Aquilas create more problems than they fix". Yet, I believe Kanilea fits Aquilas on their fine ukes, after trying many, and thinking they sound best, I assume. Oh well, as he says, there's no one answer here, just opinions, all of which are valid to their holders. Good video, I'm sure he's seen & heard them all.
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glennerd
Well-known member
Yeah, his definition of what makes the uke sound wrong, might be exactly the sound you were looking for so if Aquilas give the sound your looking for, you've found your strings.
I just like how he describes the sounds of each and how they generally differ from each other. I thought I had a decent grasp on the different types of strings, but I was oblivious as to what "Titaniums" were, so I bought a set to give them a try. They're actually really cheap compared to other strings so I figured why not see what they're like? Not sure what I'll put them on yet.
I wondered about that too. Lots of info, possibly colored by a perception that because Nylgut are ubiquitous, they are bad or at least mediocre. I've had an expensive uke that sounded incredible with them. I just don't like the feel, but I'm sure I could adapt.
Ukecaster
Well-known member
Which uke of yours was it that sounded incredible with Aquilas?
Rllink
Well-known member
Five years ago, when I started playing the ukulele, people right here were advising new ukulele players to replace whatever strings were on their ukuleles with Aquila Nylguts before they even strummed it. Nylguts made every ukulele sound better. So at that time manufacturers started putting Nylguts on their ukes. It was a marketing thing. Either that video is a little behind the times, or he is.
glennerd
Well-known member
Yeah, I'm guilty of buying into all the chatter too. E.g. I was so convinced I HAD to have Worth Browns because people praised them so much. They weren't for me. You can get string opinions from people you highly respect, but in the end, it's just their opinion. You have to figure out what sounds right for you on your particular instrument.
I will say, trying different strings on an old uke can sometimes give it a new life though.
I can't remember! But I think it was the Kiwaya concert. I was out of strings and had a pack of tenor Nylgut that JD had sent me for a long-since gone tenor, so I put them on. I loved the sound, but they felt like they were going to blister my fingertips and I took them off when something more suitable arrived in the mail.
Then I went on a nylon string ordering binge, never to be followed by a nylon string installation binge. For some reason those were all tenor strings, so the experience may have involved the TT. If you need nylon tenor strings, you know who to talk to.
At any rate, the experience taught me to respect the nylon.
Peter Frary
Well-known member
A lot of us like to mix types of strings for the best sound and feel too! On my Kremona Coco I tried Nylgut, carbons and titaniums and all were horrid. Finally, before throwing it out the window, I installed a low G set of D’Addario Extruded Nylon Ukulele Strings and it was magic. Well, almost. The C string was too tubby sounding so I fished a Nylgut C string out of the trash and was amazed that combination of nylon 1st and 2nd strings and nylgut 3rd was perfect. I later found fluorocarbon made a decent 3rd string as well, albeit not as nice as that Nylgut. On the other hand, my Romero Creations instruments all sound best with really smooth fluorocarbons...
tonyturley
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I've gone through many different strings in the 6 months since I finished building my Stew Mac Mahogany tenor. I just couldn't find a set that sounded right to my ears. I think I'm finally there. I installed Oasis Bright Clear Fluoros with a Worth fat clear low G. It finally has the sound I wanted, both acoustic and through my amp. I've bought from several different sources, but Strings by Mail has been my go-to for recent orders. They deliver fast.
