Ultimate Fluorocarbon Comparison Chart

If you need Seaguar fluorocarbon line heavier than 80LB there are plenty of options in their big game listings, e.g., Seaguar Pink and Premier are available in 100LB+. I'm not too fond of Seaguar Blue—on the bright side and seems to fray too easily—but love the tone of Pink closely followed by Premier. Plus, they're more fray resistant.
@Peter Frary, thank you for trying all of these! Is the Pink still your favorite of the Seaguars?
 
Yep, still rocking' Seaguar Pink on my 'ukuleles and guitaleles. For my classical guitars I only use Seaguar Pink for the third string (G). Somehow prefer nylon for the E and B strings.
 
The density and surface texture also impacts the tone and feel of a string. It's really obvious when you go from different materials—fluorocarbon to composite to nylon. However, even fluorocarbon can vary a lot in feel and surface texture. I prefer really smooth strings of higher density (less finger noise and slightly better tone) but some like the opposite.
I am considering using seaguar pink based on your comments. Would you consider them high tension or Low tension with your set up? Thanks
 
After looking at this again, is it fair to say that for tenor strings at least, the Fremont Clears, Living Waters, and Worth Clears are probably all exactly the same?

Not an expert so I don't know if they actually produce the strings themselves or get them from a factory overseas.
I have played Living Waters (my favs) and Worth Clears on my tenors and they are not the same. The worth strings seem to be thicker and stiffer than the LW. I don't have the Worth package to compare gauges.
LW Clear Tenor fluorocarbon 8-String set:
A = 0.57mm
E = 0.66mm
High C = 0.52mm
Low C = 0.74mm
High G = 0.62mm
Low G = 0.91mm

The Low C & G strings are used in the 4-string Low-G set.

I believe I read that Ken Middleton worked for quite a while with a company in England, where they are made, to develop his formulation and thicknesses.
 
I have played Living Waters (my favs) and Worth Clears on my tenors and they are not the same. The worth strings seem to be thicker and stiffer than the LW. I don't have the Worth package to compare gauges.
LW Clear Tenor fluorocarbon 8-String set:
A = 0.57mm
E = 0.66mm
High C = 0.52mm
Low C = 0.74mm
High G = 0.62mm
Low G = 0.91mm

The Low C & G strings are used in the 4-string Low-G set.

I believe I read that Ken Middleton worked for quite a while with a company in England, where they are made, to develop his formulation and thicknesses.
Are Living Waters strings actually made in England? Or do they buy from the same Japanese factories as the other brands and just package them in England?
 
Are Living Waters strings actually made in England? Or do they buy from the same Japanese factories as the other brands and just package them in England?
The package states: "They are actually made in England."

I saw a video interview with him years ago about his strings. He was quite proud of the fact that that they were made there.
 
The package states: "They are actually made in England."

I saw a video interview with him years ago about his strings. He was quite proud of the fact that that they were made there.
What exactly the term "made" involves is open to interpretation. Usually it means that you cut lengths of string and package it. Here's an educational article on the manufacture of fluorocarbon fishing line, which is usually repurposed for strings.

PVDF in pellet or powder form is easily available, but I doubt that this is something you want to cook up in your backyard shed.
 
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...I would love it if you had a file that could be downloaded, either a spreadsheet or pdf to keep as reference.
Just highlight the text in her chart above, then copy/paste it into a spreadsheet.

Thanks for the chart, Anthroterra!

<edit> Another take on an exerpt from Merlin66's article :

The lower elasticity (of fluorocarbon) also allows the 'ukulele player' to react more naturally than monofilament, which may exaggerate how a 'ukulele' reacts to a ' pluck or strum,' causing the 'ukulele player' to shy away.
 
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What exactly the term "made" involves is open to interpretation. Usually it means that you cut lengths of string and package it. Here's an educational article on the manufacture of fluorocarbon fishing line, which is usually repurposed for strings.

PVDF in pellet or powder form is easily available, but I doubt that this is something you want to cook up in your backyard shed.
From what I understand, Ken Middleton & Joel of UkeLogic, plus Martin Guitar and others use fishing line manufacturers to make the strings. But I'm sure they worked with the company's chemists and production people to modify their existing formulas and diameters to get the sound they wanted. It's not a big deal for the manufacturer to adjust their mixes according to the client's specs and change the dies on their extruder(s) to push it out in the desired diameters. Some will use higher precision dies, or grind the strings after they cool to get a more uniform diameter over the entire length of the spools.

Same with Nylon strings.

Ditto if a ukulele company works with a maker such as Aquila, they modify the formula of the Nylgut to make their strings sound and maybe feel slightly different. Hopefully to help their instruments produce what they consider to be their optimal sound.
For example, from the Stringsbymail listing:
Martin M625 Premium Polygut Ukulele Strings, Tenor
Developed exclusively with Aquila, Ukulele Premium strings provide precise intonation and clear, balanced tone with exceptional sustain and projection. All Nazareth-made ukuleles are strung with Martin’s premium ukulele strings. Martin Ukulele Premium Soprano, Concert and Tenor strings are made with Graphite Gray Polygut™.
String Gauges:
A 1st: .0236"
E 2nd: .0295"
C 3rd: .0326"
G 4th: .0244"

Others may use the fishing line and just cut and repackage it.

Thanks for posting the video Merlin666. Some of these companies have pretty large R&D departments. I wasn't aware of the final steps in the mfg like stretching for orienting and the annealing. I imagine these steps have to be much more precise to produce a uniform string for instruments. Sometimes if I stretch a Fluorocarbon string too quickly, it will develop slight thick and thin variations. It doesn't happen often, though.
 
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I decided to reorganize my string set stash and relabel my stock of fishing line strings, and in doing so was looking up lots of different diameters of fluorocarbon. This evolved into the desire to make a chart so that others can compare multiple brands in one handy spot.

Sorry baritone folks- I kept it to soprano-tenor since they are tuned the same. Caveat to the Seaguar line: their website lists 50lb line as .028, but the spool I have is labeled .026. Hope it is helpful to those shopping around or mixing and matching! Let me know of any errors or additions and I'll make them. It was a bit tedious getting it translated into html, but worth it I hope lol.

**edited to fix that Mya Moe standard strings are made by Worth. Added tensions (indicated by a T) for strings that I could find one for.**

BrandSize/DesignationAECGLow G option
Anuenue Black WaterSoprano/Concert.019.027.031.022
Tenor.023.027.031.025
Beansprout
(made by GHS)
Soprano/Concert/Tenor.022.026.030.022.030w
D’Addario
clear fluoro
EJ99SC Soprano/Concert.0205
T-7.90
.026
T-7.13
.0319
T-6.77
.0224
T-7.49
EJ99T Tenor.0205
T-12.30
.026
T-11.11
.0319
T-10.53
.0224
T-11.66
.0413
T-9.91
Fremont
clear fluoro
Soprano/Concert/Tenor.0205.0260.0291.0224
Fremont
Blackline
Med. Soprano/Concert.019.027.031.022.036
Hard Soprano/Concert.022.027.031.023.036
Tenor.023.027.031.025.036
GHS
clear fluoro
H-20 Soprano/Concert.026.033.035.0307has singles available
H-T20 Tenor.026.033.035w.0307
H-T30F Fingerstyle Tenor.027.035.035w.0307
Molina Signature.026.032.035.028
Living WaterSoprano/Concert.0205.026.0291.0224.036
Tenor.022.026.0291.0244.036
Martin clear fluoroSoprano/Concert.0191.0251.0340.0220
Tenor.0220.0284.0340.0251
Mya Moe (made by Worth)Soprano/Concert.021
T-9.2
.026
T-8.3
.029
T-7.0
.022
T-8.9
.043 T-9 or .026w T-8.1
Tenor.022
15.0
.026
T-11.1
.029
T-9.3
.024
T-14.1
.043 T-9 or .030w T-14.3
Oasis
GPX clear fluoro
Bright.0215.027.030.023.029w
Warm.023.027.030.025.029w
Seaguar Blue or Pink Label fishing line leader
(possible combo)
Light/Soprano/Concert30lb .02050lb .02680lb .03240lb .024 (blue) .022 (pink)Big Game 90lb .036 (blue), Big Game 100lb .036 (pink)
Medium/Tenor40lb .024 (blue) .022 (pink)60lb .02980lb .03250lb .026Big Game 90lb .036 or 100lb .041(blue), Big Game 100lb .036 or 130lb .041(pink)
Uke LogicSoft.019.025.032.023.036 or .30w
Hard.023.028.036.025.042 or .30w
Worth
Clear or Brown
CL/CL-LG Light 46”
BL/CL-LG Light 46”
.0185.026.029.0205.0358
CM/CM-LG Medium 46”
BM/BM-LG Medium 46”
.0205.026.0291.0224.0358
CT/CT-LG Tenor 63”
BT/BT-LG Tenor 63”
.0224.0260.0291.0244.0358
CH/CH-LG Heavy 63”
BS/BS-LG Strong 63”
.0224.0291.0319.0260.0358
The GHS fluorocarbon strings seems really thick compared to the rest. Anyone used them before? How are they like?
 
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