Best (beginner?) strings?

I'm just having a bash at my new Enya EUT-MAD with the stock (Enya?) strings. Months ago when I was researching I seemed to settle on Aquila as I read about them everywhere. Nylgut? Super Nylgut? (sound fancier!) Just now I'm seeing Sugar.

Should I just go to the nearest music store and grab whatever is available from what I've listed without bothering to get to wrapped up in it all? Will they be a marked difference to the stock standard strings I've got when I don't know any different?

I normally order stuff online cuz I'm poor and a tight ass, but strings seem cheap!

Yes, strings for a uke are cheap. That's why I have so many sets. In the beginning (five years ago), I thought I would need spares, so I bought too many.

I have never changed the strings that came with a uke, whether it cost $50 or $1,000. There are very subtle differences between brands and models. Since you say you're a beginner, the brand of strings should be your last concern - actually, no concern at all. Just enjoy playing.

Yeah I'm only on day two. Chromatic scale today

No idea which strings this thing shipped with. I imagined that any "brand name" strings would make it sound like a whole new instrument. Not that it sounds bad, just wanting to make sure I'm not realising 5yrs down the track I could've had a sweeter tone with better strings!

azairvine said:

Yeah I'm only on day two. Chromatic scale today ��

No idea which strings this thing shipped with. I imagined that any "brand name" strings would make it sound like a whole new instrument. Not that it sounds bad, just wanting to make sure I'm not realising 5yrs down the track I could've had a sweeter tone with better strings!

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The Martin 600 strings are a safe bet. Putting strings on a uke for the first time can be tricky. Watch videos and read articles (azirvine).

According to their website, they string their ukes with Enya Fluorocarbon / D'Addario®EJ87T. D'Addario is one of the top string brands and flourocarbon is one of the most preferred materials out there right now. I don't think strings matter much when you're first starting out, but you have a good set already

If you know what kind of tone you're after it's easier to recommend certain types of strings for you to try. But if you're like me and you want to test how different strings on your uke sound like then I suggest you grab a few different types of strings from your local music shop or order online. If you don't want to spend that much money upfront you could, for example, get one string set of each of the basic types of strings. Maybe fluorocarbon (Martin, Worth, among many others), nylgut (Aquila, D'Addario), and nylon (D'Addario, GHS, among others).

Anthroterra said:

According to their website, they string their ukes with Enya Fluorocarbon / D'Addario®EJ87T. D'Addario is one of the top string brands and flourocarbon is one of the most preferred materials out there right now. I don't think strings matter much when you're first starting out, but you have a good set already

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This is a good answer and the one you need to hear. That Enya comes with excellent strings. If you are only on day two of your ukulele journey concentrate on playing. In 6-10 months you can revisit the string issue, until then enjoy your new ukulele and the sounds you pull from it

Jerryc41 said:

The Martin 600 strings are a safe bet. Putting strings on a uke for the first time can be tricky. Watch videos and read articles (azirvine).

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Double plus on the Martin 600’s. They are much nicer than Aquila (IMO), inexpensive,and ubiquitous.

I’ve only been playing for 6 months but just upgraded to a cedar top concert from Kala (KA-ASCP-C). I bought it from The Ukulele Site and wasn’t able to “test drive” it due to quarantine. It came with D’Addarios. I played those for over a month, hoping that the strings would settle and the sound would be less muddy. I finally broke down and re-strung it with Martin 600s. Talk about a world of difference! So much clearer - I adore the uke now. I am not an audiophile. Usually, if I can hear something, then I’m satisfied. But in this case, I can say there was a big difference. I’m looking forward to trying D’Addarios on other ukes, so nothing against them. It’s just in this case, the Martins are the clear winner.

First off, in my opinion there is no string that is going to just transform your playing abilities. Second, tone is very subjective, so any and all suggestions are someone else's perception of what sounds good, and you are just grabbing at straws getting thrown at you if you go out buying strings based on that. So I say, play what you got until you know what you want. There is plenty of time to fall into that trap. You are not going to suddenly wish you had been playing something else.

I agree with the others who say keep what you have now. You have a nice fluorocarbon string on there already, and you're too new to be able to make a comparative judgement. Practice playing and improving. Down the road you can investigate string choices. The Martin 600s might be a good one to try. But it serves no purpose right now.

What strings sound like is very subjective and the player and listeners at a distance tend to have very different experiences. What is more important is how strings facilitate precise playing. Many professional player prefer Nylon or Aquila strings because they have higher tension and therefore facilitate more volume, better intonation, and more precise playing for fast passages. But they also are more difficult to play and require a lot of practice to make them sound good. Many beginners don't like this challenge and settle for fluorocarbon strings that are easier to play and provide a more instantaneous reward on practice. Pretty much all people in my uke circle seem to stick it out with the default strings that their ukes came with as generally they work well.

Just stick with what you've got for 6 months (or longer), get a real appreciation for what your instrument sounds like, and then when you get new strings, you'll really feel like you upgraded. Unless you really dislike the strings. Even then give it a few weeks to see if they grow on you.

To be honest, it depends on the ukulele too. I just put some D'addarios on my uke the other week and I can't tell much difference from the Martins except the 3rd string on the Martin is a bit chunky for my liking and the D'addario is a bit thinner. I'll probably go back to Worth next time, which is what mine came with. Another thing to consider is the builder may have spent a lot of time matching the strings they thought worked best with their instrument, more so the case on higher end ukes.

What I like or the others like, might not be what you like. You can take advice only so far and then you have to decide for yourself if that's the sound and feel you're looking for.

This is a time for exploration as well as learning your instrument.

Try some new strings if you want. Stick with fluorocarbons and try a set of bright and a set of warm strings to find out the difference. (Oasis, D'Addario, Worth all offer fluoros as warm or bright.) Check out Nylons and see if you like them. (Aquila offers a wide range as do other brands.)

Your fingers may be just getting used to how the strings on your Enya feel. When you are ready have fun trying some other types and brands. Some are easier on the fingers than others. Some will help your tenor to sound it's best, some will maybe make it sound a little muddy or dull. Don't worry, the people you play with won't notice. But you will.

There's no wrong choice. But give each set you try a couple of weeks to fully settle in and then play them for a while before you make up your mind about them.

It's a fun way to learn about strings and their effects on a ukulele's sound. And you may even find a set that is exactly right for you.

My first ukulele, (a Fender Nohea which was not setup well), came with an unknown brand of Nylon strings. After 4 months or so I had it setup and put D'Addario fluoros on it. What a difference it made in the sound and ease of play. I haven't looked back. Don't get obsessive about it. Just have fun trying different things as you progress on your ukulele journey.

I highly recommend gotaukulele.com for new players. Barry Maz offers lots of information, tips and ukulele reviews aimed specifically at beginning players. As do several contributors, like ChoirGuy and Uncle Rod, here on the UU Forum. (Sorry, I know I left others out. Those are the first that came to mind.) It's a quick way to find out a lot about playing and instruments with information you can rely on.