Paul December
Well-known member
I have a solid top cedar Kala tenor that projects very well, but is brighter than I'd like (Aquila strings). Would fluoroCarbon strings warm it up? Will I lose a lot of its projection/loudness? 
FluoroCarbons on Solid Cedar Top
- Thread starter Paul December
- Start date
If you go to the D'Addario website, they show their ukulele strings in a spectrum from brightest to warmest. It will give you a starting point to find what you want.
https://www.daddario.com/products/guitar/ukulele/
I have Low-G Living Waters Fluorocarbons on my Pono Cedar top/ebony b&s tenor. That I like a lot.
https://www.daddario.com/products/guitar/ukulele/
I have Low-G Living Waters Fluorocarbons on my Pono Cedar top/ebony b&s tenor. That I like a lot.
I bought an Ohana TK-50G a couple of years ago (solid cedar top / solid rosewood b&s), and it was VERY bright when I received it with Aquilas on it - to the point of being brash. I first tried Worth Browns, and that helped. Then I tried Living Waters and I haven't looked back - so much better!
mikhou
mikhou
Croaky Keith
Well-known member
Living Water low D fluorocarbons on my Kala cedar top bari = great tone.
cdkrugjr
Well-known member
Strings are (relatively speaking) Cheap, but are our physical connection to the instrument. Every combination of Uke, Player, and Music is going to feel and sound different to you.
Whether it’s right for You is something only you can answer.
For My playing, Aquila’s are a Good Enough string, BUT they have their own sound, which might not be your preference.
Again, for My playing, I like medium tension fluorocarbon strings, which for me give a very clear tone that shows off the distinctiveness of my instruments.
But it’s quite personal . . . Heck check out classical guitar strings, what with split sets, half sets, and “Two half sets, but g of a completely different material...” . . . .We Ukers have it fairly easy.
Strings are cheap. Try them all.
Whether it’s right for You is something only you can answer.
For My playing, Aquila’s are a Good Enough string, BUT they have their own sound, which might not be your preference.
Again, for My playing, I like medium tension fluorocarbon strings, which for me give a very clear tone that shows off the distinctiveness of my instruments.
But it’s quite personal . . . Heck check out classical guitar strings, what with split sets, half sets, and “Two half sets, but g of a completely different material...” . . . .We Ukers have it fairly easy.
Strings are cheap. Try them all.
RafterGirl
Well-known member
Another vote for Worth Browns. I had them on a cedar topped KoAloha super soprano and they sounded great.
Ukecaster
Well-known member
I have Pepe Romero UT2 flouro strings (made by LaBella) on my cedar top tenor, they sound great. Mine are low G, with the wound low G, but I swapped that out for a plain flouro low G, Living Water I believe, and am really enjoying the sound and feel. Plus, the non-wound low G lasts much longer.
I have Worth Browns on my cedar topped Ohana. They sound great.
glennerd
Well-known member
I see a few people mixing and matching strings on their ukes too. Choan Galvez had a mix of at least two different types in some of his recent videos. I've been tempted to mix before when I liked a set except the C-string dominated too much, or occasionally the A string rang out louder than the other strings.
You can listen to other people's opinions all day, and they'll give you an idea of what you'll be getting, but ultimately you have to figure out what sounds good to you on your instrument.
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Peter Frary
Well-known member
Use of Seaguar Pink on my Kremona Coco (cedar/rosewood) mellowed it out nicely. Worth Browns and Aquila Nylgut were too bright.
OP
OP
Paul December
Well-known member
UPDATE
Figured I'd update this post with what I decided to change to, and my verdict. The majority of the posts seemed to lean towards Worth Browns, so that is what I went with.
VERDICT = Fail
I allowed them adequate time to stretch through tuning and playing, but just wasn't a fan at all. The low G sounded twangy (too low tension?), the C sounded OK, and the E and A sounded too bright and without any complexity.
Overall, it was brighter and with less projection.I switched back to the Aquilas and while not perfect, it actually now sounds better than I remember it sounding! Probably because of how much I disliked the Worth Browns.
A final closing note: I do have Worth Browns (high g) on Koa concerts and love them, but on this tenor scale with solid cedar top, they definitely do not compliment the instrument.
Figured I'd update this post with what I decided to change to, and my verdict. The majority of the posts seemed to lean towards Worth Browns, so that is what I went with.
VERDICT = Fail
I allowed them adequate time to stretch through tuning and playing, but just wasn't a fan at all. The low G sounded twangy (too low tension?), the C sounded OK, and the E and A sounded too bright and without any complexity.
Overall, it was brighter and with less projection.I switched back to the Aquilas and while not perfect, it actually now sounds better than I remember it sounding! Probably because of how much I disliked the Worth Browns.
A final closing note: I do have Worth Browns (high g) on Koa concerts and love them, but on this tenor scale with solid cedar top, they definitely do not compliment the instrument.
glennerd
Well-known member
Thanks for the update. I can't remember what uke I tried Worth Browns on, but I wasn't liking them either. Depends on the instrument and your personal tastes too. I put fluorocarbons on my cedar top baritone, liked them at first, but got tired of the way they sounded (mostly the D & G strings) and felt. Went back to the wound D & G (not relevant to you) and left the fluorocarbon B & E. But I still haven't used the two nylon strings from the new set and I'm finally going to swap out the last two fluoro's. I'm thinking maybe the nylon will complement the cedar top and my finger picking style.
I like fluoros on my sopranos and almost shudder at the thought of putting nylon strings on them, so go figure.
Peter Frary
Well-known member
Yep, I put Worth Browns on the trebles of my GL6 (Koa) are they were wonderfully sweet and resonant. Put them on my cedar top Kremona Coco and they were terrible: bright and choked sounding. Sound too bright on my Romero Creations spruce top tenor too...
Swiftsailor98
Well-known member
I'll second the Seaguar option. I use a combination of Seaguar STS Salmon and Premier on my Kremona Coco.
Previously, I had a set of the Savarez Alliance 140R on the same uke. While they gave a little warmer and mellow tone, it was on the edge of being muddy. With the Seaguar strings I get a smile on my face and an "ahhhhh-that's-better" feeling everytime I pick up my cedar top--great clarity without being harsh or too bright.
Rllink
Well-known member
I put a set of Aquila Sugars on my cedar top Ohana and I liked the sound better. I like my Cedar top, but I like the sound of my mahogany solid better. It is more suave, would be my best way to describe it. But the Cedar brighter, has more sound and more sustain, and just works better for me. Sometimes you need to compromise.
I agree. The Aquila Sugars seem to be a good compromise between Nylons and Fluorocarbons. They feel a lot like Nylons to me, but have a better sustain. I think they sound a little more complex as well.
I prefer thinner Fluoros, but the Sugars were pretty good and had a nice sound to them.
I prefer thinner Fluoros, but the Sugars were pretty good and had a nice sound to them.
glennerd
Well-known member
I tried Sugars and found them more complex than fluoro and very pleasing to my ear, but I didn't have the patience to wait for the squeaking to go away.
