Best fishing line guages?
- Thread starter intro
- Start date
ripock
Well-known member
Here is something that I cut out of some blog somewhere in times past:
30lb - Soprano / Concert A string
40lb - Soprano / Concert G string or Tenor A string
50lb - Soprano / Concert E string or Tenor A or G string
60lb - Soprano / Concert C string, Tenor E string
80lb - Tenor C string
So, now you have the test strength of the respective strings, but you're still back at the same old problem. Do you buy Berkley/Scientific Angler or do you buy something like Shur Strike which you could probably find at a convenience store. That'll run you anywhere from $100 to $15 depending on the quality. I personally use Spiderwire on my fishing poles, so I don't really have any insight on monofiliment.
30lb - Soprano / Concert A string
40lb - Soprano / Concert G string or Tenor A string
50lb - Soprano / Concert E string or Tenor A or G string
60lb - Soprano / Concert C string, Tenor E string
80lb - Tenor C string
So, now you have the test strength of the respective strings, but you're still back at the same old problem. Do you buy Berkley/Scientific Angler or do you buy something like Shur Strike which you could probably find at a convenience store. That'll run you anywhere from $100 to $15 depending on the quality. I personally use Spiderwire on my fishing poles, so I don't really have any insight on monofiliment.
I don't think there is any such thing as a 'best' set - it's all personal preference.
These are the ones I use, but as you will see they vary! I have most gauges on hand and regularly mix them up a bit
https://www.gotaukulele.com/2015/05/something-fishy-fishing-line-as-ukulele.html
These are the ones I use, but as you will see they vary! I have most gauges on hand and regularly mix them up a bit
https://www.gotaukulele.com/2015/05/something-fishy-fishing-line-as-ukulele.html
Peter Frary
Well-known member
I agree, the choices are all about your personal preferences for a particular instrument.
I string my Kala Elite Doghair with a custom configuration: Seaguar Pink Label 40LB (.022") fishing line for the first string, 50LB (.026") on the second string and 80LB (.032) on the third string. I finish off with a D’Addario Dynacore .028" silver wound string string for the low G. I love this combo: sweet tone like Worth Browns, but slightly longer sustain, and customized tension to fit my playing style. The Elite originally shipped with much heavier strings (which I hated).
I string my Kala Elite Doghair with a custom configuration: Seaguar Pink Label 40LB (.022") fishing line for the first string, 50LB (.026") on the second string and 80LB (.032) on the third string. I finish off with a D’Addario Dynacore .028" silver wound string string for the low G. I love this combo: sweet tone like Worth Browns, but slightly longer sustain, and customized tension to fit my playing style. The Elite originally shipped with much heavier strings (which I hated).
Stagehand
Well-known member
Where does low G fit into the equation? Thanks.
Just another warning with Seaguar sales online. There are a number of reported incidences of counterfeit Seaguar Blue on the market, sold by marketplace sellers on Ebay and Amazon. These tend to fail though kind of shredding along their length when new. I believe Seaguar made a comment about them and confirmed it was not their line.
I have been using genuine Seaguar (bought from a fishing shop in the USA and Seaguar dealer) for many years and never had that happen. I do know some people who bought it on Amazon though and have had issues I describe. Go carefully
I have been using genuine Seaguar (bought from a fishing shop in the USA and Seaguar dealer) for many years and never had that happen. I do know some people who bought it on Amazon though and have had issues I describe. Go carefully
Peter Frary
Well-known member
Seaguar Pink has a coating to prevent fraying over rocks and coral and, indeed, seems to keep it intact on my ukuleles and guitars. The coating also seems to mellow the tone a little making it the sweetest sounding of the Seaguar product line (and I tried most of them). Seaguar Blue was really prone to fraying for me, especially on the saddle, nut and bridge holes.
Amazon carries most of the Seaguar range in most of the sizes.
Amazon carries most of the Seaguar range in most of the sizes.
blimey - i bought loads so it was years ago. Really sorry but can't recall - went back through emails but it's too old - an old account I think.
Maybe try this link to find authorised Seaguar dealers - https://seaguar.com/locate-retailers/
but that's my point - I've been using blue for years and it has NEVER frayed on any ukulele. I have been told that there is a lot of counterfeit Seaguar out there that does fray.
ukeanixi
Well-known member
TrikFish fluorocarbon have frayed on me, esp. the 25lb, but, that was only the first few feet. After that, the TrikFish were fine. I'm using them now without any issues.
70sSanO
Well-known member
I've been doing fluorocarbon fishing line (technically "leader") on my ukuleles for almost 10 years. Throughout the number of threads on the subject, it is has been pretty much established that ukulele string manufacturers generally use fluorocarbon fishing line.
With the exception of Aquila, and possibly D'Aaddario, few have the financial wherewithal to develop a unique string formula and produce a run of various stings so they can be sold to a relatively small market in 5 foot increments. Some people loved Southcoast stings and Dirk had a unique list of sources to assemble his string sets. The rub has always been getting the right mix of manufactured strings.
The consensus has been that Seaguar, for the most part, is the best overall fishing leader to use.
I have found that it is really all about the diameter of the line within a manufacturer. For Seaguar, to figure out diameters, here is where you start:
http://worthc.to/english/w_strings.html
Using the Worth chart for diameters above will give you a good starting point. I primarily used Seaguar Blue Label and Premier. Premier is tournament line so it has to meet specific breaking specs and is probably made to closer tolerances.
The biggest difference I have found is that the Premier tends to stretch a bit more and the thinnest strings get a bit smaller in diameter than the Blue Label. I also have to be a little bit less aggressive on manually stretching the Premier.
Keep in mind that a tenor ukulele has and overall (total 4 strings) string tension of around 40 lbs and most fishing line used are at least 30lb per string. I don't care for Seaguar Red, but I have heard good things about Seaguar Pink, but haven't tried them yet.
I have 8-10 rolls of Seaguar that I will mix and match depending on the ukulele. Depending on the tuning and if the "C" string booms or thuds, I will with go with Premier .028" over Blue Label .029". There is a .024" in both Blue Label and Premier, I have not used the Blue Label variant. I have used digital calipers to measure the string diameters to Oasis and others.
An important note is that the Blue Label 50lb is really .026" not .028" as shown on the Seaguar website:
https://seaguar.com/saltwater
I have pretty much stopped the fishing line/leader paper chase and just tune each ukulele to the best sound (Bb, B, C) and am plsying more and tweaking less. Others can take up the charge.
John
With the exception of Aquila, and possibly D'Aaddario, few have the financial wherewithal to develop a unique string formula and produce a run of various stings so they can be sold to a relatively small market in 5 foot increments. Some people loved Southcoast stings and Dirk had a unique list of sources to assemble his string sets. The rub has always been getting the right mix of manufactured strings.
The consensus has been that Seaguar, for the most part, is the best overall fishing leader to use.
I have found that it is really all about the diameter of the line within a manufacturer. For Seaguar, to figure out diameters, here is where you start:
http://worthc.to/english/w_strings.html
Using the Worth chart for diameters above will give you a good starting point. I primarily used Seaguar Blue Label and Premier. Premier is tournament line so it has to meet specific breaking specs and is probably made to closer tolerances.
The biggest difference I have found is that the Premier tends to stretch a bit more and the thinnest strings get a bit smaller in diameter than the Blue Label. I also have to be a little bit less aggressive on manually stretching the Premier.
Keep in mind that a tenor ukulele has and overall (total 4 strings) string tension of around 40 lbs and most fishing line used are at least 30lb per string. I don't care for Seaguar Red, but I have heard good things about Seaguar Pink, but haven't tried them yet.
I have 8-10 rolls of Seaguar that I will mix and match depending on the ukulele. Depending on the tuning and if the "C" string booms or thuds, I will with go with Premier .028" over Blue Label .029". There is a .024" in both Blue Label and Premier, I have not used the Blue Label variant. I have used digital calipers to measure the string diameters to Oasis and others.
An important note is that the Blue Label 50lb is really .026" not .028" as shown on the Seaguar website:
https://seaguar.com/saltwater
I have pretty much stopped the fishing line/leader paper chase and just tune each ukulele to the best sound (Bb, B, C) and am plsying more and tweaking less. Others can take up the charge.
John
Last edited:
Swiftsailor98
Well-known member
I've been using Seaguar STS Salmon 30 lbs (A), 40 lbs (G), and 50 lbs (E) for Soprano/Concert. The STS Salmon series doesn't have a 60 lbs that I've found, so I went with the Seaguar Premier 60 lbs (C).
Something else I recently experienced. The 30 lbs string pulled out of my bridge because I didn't have a large enough stopper knot. I tried to use the 40 lbs line for both the G and A strings, but I was getting a weird sound when I plucked the G--like the A string was vibrating sympathetically and out of sync with the G string of the same weight/thickness. Not extensive experience, but I found I need to make sure that the G and A strings are different gauges.
I don't think I'd seen something like that in my reading about using fishing line.
BTW -- Thank you Baz and Peter. Your posts were instrumental (sorry, bad dad joke) in my venture into using Seaguar fishing line for my ukes, and helping me figure out the formula I found most pleasing. I recommend others who are considering it read your material.
https://www.gotaukulele.com/2015/05/something-fishy-fishing-line-as-ukulele.html
https://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/showthread.php?141897-Seaguar-STS-Salmon-fluorocarbon&highlight=salmon
Something else I recently experienced. The 30 lbs string pulled out of my bridge because I didn't have a large enough stopper knot. I tried to use the 40 lbs line for both the G and A strings, but I was getting a weird sound when I plucked the G--like the A string was vibrating sympathetically and out of sync with the G string of the same weight/thickness. Not extensive experience, but I found I need to make sure that the G and A strings are different gauges.
I don't think I'd seen something like that in my reading about using fishing line.
BTW -- Thank you Baz and Peter. Your posts were instrumental (sorry, bad dad joke) in my venture into using Seaguar fishing line for my ukes, and helping me figure out the formula I found most pleasing. I recommend others who are considering it read your material.
https://www.gotaukulele.com/2015/05/something-fishy-fishing-line-as-ukulele.html
https://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/showthread.php?141897-Seaguar-STS-Salmon-fluorocarbon&highlight=salmon
