Tension List for Ukulele Strings

bearbike137 said:
I appreciate the work done here, but I have to admit I am struggling with some of the data. For example, the list shows the tenor A string for Martin M620s as having a higher tension than the Worth Clears - but I can't imagine that is the case. I use both strings regularly - switching them on and off many tenors. When strung on a uke, the Worth A string has noticeably higher tension than the Martin. Am I missing something here? Does the tension calculations take the density of the strings into account?
Click to expand...

Martin and Worth should have same density so tension difference is due to thickness difference only. When you say that Worth is noticeably higher does that mean it is more difficult to bend or less floppy? Are the worth noticeably thicker or louder?
 
Well, I found another error in the numbers, but it makes the Martin set even thicker for 3 of the strings than the Worth (but not the A string). If this is only about the A string, thanks for catching the number. I'm impressed that the 0.0004 inch diameter difference was that noticeable to you. The fact that some fluorocarbon strings feel different might also affect how they're measured and how they stretch. At this point, all I'm hoping to do is use Mimmo's formula with the diameters given by the string makers - and stop making errors :confused:

0.0220 0.0284 0.0340 0.0251 Martin M620 fluorocarbon
0.0224 0.0260 0.0291 0.0244 Worth BT/CT Tenor Medium fluorocarbon
 
Thanks for this array of information!

With apologies in advance if I'm misunderstanding the gist:

I recently read the @ukulelezaza interview in Ukulele Magazine.

In addition to appreciating his take on Sopranos, this also caught my attention:

Ukulelezaza’s Tips for Making Your Concert or Tenor Uke Sound Better
“Here’s a little advice for people who have multiple instruments. Like I said, to me, tenors sound like a bad soprano, but once you tune them down a little bit, they come alive. The same is true for concerts. I tune them down to Bb [F Bb D G] and suddenly they have a bigger, much fuller sound and
finally you can make use of the bigger body. If you have more than one concert, try to tune one of them down to Bb. With tenors, I like to tune down to A; you don’t have the higher string tension anymore and I’ve never been a fan of high string-tension.”​

I tuned an Ohana CK-35 (already with a Low G) to Bb, and really enjoy both the sound and the feel in that tuning.

I have another Concert that feels 'tight' to me at GCEA. I love the feel at [F Bb D G], but want to retain [GCEA] tuning.

I have Uke Logic Soft Tension strings on it now; if I'm reading the spreadsheet aright, I'm already on the lower-tension end of the scale, relatively speaking. And if so, might want to try strings that are lower tension yet (Beansprout, etc.). Yes?

Am I on the right track, as far as what you're presenting, here?

~ S.
 
Last edited:
I am obviously not a uke personality that gets quoted in uke magazine but what ukezaza says is the opposite of my limited experience. I prefer the feel and sound of high tension, and my first soprano that I recently received was greatly improved by tuning it UP to D and not down. I have one concert that sounds great as it is, and another concert tuned in fifths that is terrible with the low tension floppiness that comes along with that.

The spreadsheet comes in handy as everything was calculated the same way so we can objectively compare and pick strings that suit our preference.
 
Last edited:
merlin666 said:
I have one concert that sounds great as it is, and another concert tuned in fifths that is terrible with the low tension floppiness that comes along with that.

The spreadsheet comes in handy as everything was calculated the same way so we can objectively compare and pick strings that suit our preference.
Click to expand...

Absolutely! I have one Concert I'm enjoying in tuned down, one that I love in GCEA, and the one in question that I'm hoping to find a lower-tension solution for. This information is going to come in handy.

~ S.
 
Spieler said:
Thanks for this array of information!

I recently read the @ukulelezaza interview in Ukulele Magazine.

I tuned an Ohana CK-35 (already with a Low G) to Bb, and really enjoy both the sound and the feel in that tuning.
Click to expand...

I while back I read that same article and put a low-G set of Kamaka strings on an Ohana TK-38 and tuned it to A6 like ukulelezaza mentioned. Before that, the TK-38 with high-G Martins sounded good, but still not something I played/liked enough to give it a chance to "open up." But with the A6 in low-G (now low-E) it's been great! The relaxed strings are easy on the hand and for me the sound seems to fit the TK-38 better than the re-entrant C6.

I have another Concert that feels 'tight' to me at GCEA. I love the feel at [F Bb D G], but want to retain [GCEA] tuning.

I have Uke Logic Soft Tension strings on it now; if I'm reading the spreadsheet aright, I'm already on the lower-tension end of the scale, relatively speaking. And if so, might want to try strings that are lower tension yet (Beansprout, etc.). Yes?

Am I on the right track, as far as what you're presenting, here?

~ S.
Click to expand...

I'm glad the info is helping you, and yes that is the reason I put this together. HOWEVER, you found another error, so there is now a corrected pdf available available at http://ed1.cc/755/UkuleleStringTensions.pdf. On this list, the only fluorocarbon strings that would have a smaller diameter than the uke logic soft are the Worth CL or BL.

Although fluorocarbon is fluorocarbon, perhaps not all these strings are pure fluorocarbon. Two string's tensions (everything else being equal) should be relative to the percent difference in the squares of their sizes. So, a smaller diameter should have less tension. However, it appears some players don't "feel" the tension quite that way.

Thanks for pointing me to the error.
 
Yes some of these strings have additives that don't affect density or tension. For example the Bytown strings are made in two layers and referred to as DSF, Double-Structure Fluorocarbon. The inner layer is hard, while the outer layer is soft. As uke strings, this allows the strings to stay in tune, be resistant to abrasion so they last a long time, while being easy on the fingers. So what you may feel is not necessarily related to tension. I wonder if more objective measures exist, like the effort needed to bend a string by a semi tone.
 
merlin666 said:
I wonder if more objective measures exist, like the effort needed to bend a string by a semi tone.
Click to expand...

Although I don't think there is already something like this, a version of this idea might work well and be relatively easy. Take a ukulele that's in tune and measure not the frequency, but only the tension on a strain gauge to pull or push the string until it touches the next string. This could be done at the 12th or the 5th fret and wouldn't need to fret, measure pitch, and measure tension all at once. All that would be necessary would be the distance to the next string and the gauge's tension number. The cost of the gauge would be the expense and you get what you pay for in terms of accuracy. However, I would guess this type of gauge would be a lot cheaper than the one that sits on top of the strings to tell you their tension.
 
Ed1 said:
Well, I found another error in the numbers, but it makes the Martin set even thicker for 3 of the strings than the Worth (but not the A string). If this is only about the A string, thanks for catching the number. I'm impressed that the 0.0004 inch diameter difference was that noticeable to you.
Click to expand...

I'm a sensitive guy.:)
 
Ed1 said:
While correcting some numbers, I decided to make it one list sorted by string set name and added columns that visually show, relatively, the tension for each string by percent. A readable pdf is still at http://ed1.cc/Ukulele/UkuleleStringTensions.pdf
Click to expand...

I’m grateful to you for the work that you have put in and shared. Might I respectfully question the density figure used for Aquila red? IIRC those stings are loaded with copper powder, and therefore they should be more dense that standard Nylgut. Unfortunately I’m not able to suggest a density value to you, and I’m not sure that all of the different string diameters are equally loaded with copper either ...

Edit. A few of the string sets (normally Soprano) are intended for D6 tuning rather than C6 and so their (lower than in actual use) tension figures can unintentionally mislead. Well, that’s my understanding of matters.
 
Last edited:
Graham Greenbag said:
I’m grateful to you for the work that you have put in and shared. Might I respectfully question the density figure used for Aquila red? IIRC those stings are loaded with copper powder, and therefore they should be more dense that standard Nylgut. Unfortunately I’m not able to suggest a density value to you, and I’m not sure that all of the different string diameters are equally loaded with copper either ...
Click to expand...

Yes I think the reds have different densities for each string for ultimate tension balance. They are probably the most advanced kind of string available. Maybe Mimmo will chime in with details.
 
Wowsers! I'm impressed with the work and dedication. I play Low G. I guess the other three strings are applicable. Southcoast sreings had a neat little tension chart. that I found useful.
 
Graham Greenbag said:
. . .Might I respectfully question the density figure used for Aquila red? IIRC those stings are loaded with copper powder, and therefore they should be more dense that standard Nylgut. . . .
Click to expand...

This is my second attempt at a reply - and I didn't save the first one - before the system ate it. :mad: I forgot to save my typing before posting, so I'll try again.

A while back, Mimmo gave the formula I'm using to create the chart. Since then, he has written how Aquila looks at diameter and tension both before and after the string is stretched. Aquila now has put the tensions on their website and it's clear there is no one formula to use for this. The Sugars and the Lavas have the same tensions for diameters, but the Reds, SuperNylguts, and NewNylguts are different. So, yes the chart is far from perfect. It looks like I'll have to use the tensions given by the manufacturers when possible and just add another disclaimer or two to the top and bottom of the chart.

Thanks for your help/feedback. I can use all the help I can get. This has been a fun project for me.
 
Here's something I just figured out that some of you might find interesting:

If you know the tension of a string for one ukulele size, you will know what the tension will be on the other size ukuleles. Here are the numbers:

Going from soprano to concert multiply by 1.33136
Going from concert to tenor multiply by 1.28444
Going from soprano to tenor multiply by 1.71006

Going from concert to soprano multiply by 0.75111
Going from tenor to concert multiply by 0.77855
Going from tenor to soprano multiply by 0.58478

Knowing this will let me fill in the table for manufacturers like Aquila which give the tensions for the strings in a set. That way I won't have to start with the formula.

And yes, I understand that the best thing to do is buy the strings you're interested in and decide for yourself how they feel. :)
 
Ed1 said:
Thanks to mimmo from Aquila for giving the formula that let me calculate the tension of various strings that weren't listed here in the past. The URL below will take you to a PDF of the excel sheet I'm working on. It is sorted by brand name and by string size. I expect I'll be updating this regularly.

I'm fairly certain that the math for the various tensions is accurate, there could be typos in the rest of the spreadsheet. I have double checked my original and found many errors/changes to the strings which I have corrected here. If you see any errors, please let me know. Also, if you can add a few strings (name, type, and diameter in inches) let me know that and I'll add it to the final version of the spreadsheet. For example I would like to add all Aquila strings here but can't find diameters for some sets.

The PDF is available at http://ed1.cc/755/UkuleleStringTensions.pdf

Things to know:
  • Tensions are across all three sizes with the string makers recommendations in bold.
  • The tensions for wound strings are probably wrong.
  • I did not include sets with a low G. Perhaps single low Gs will be in the future.
Click to expand...

Good job, thank you.
 
Changing tuning to Bb is fine for real musicians, but doesn't it mean I have to transpose every chord I know from C6 tuning, and relearn the fretboard?
If so, forget it.
 
Nickie said:
Changing tuning to Bb is fine for real musicians, but doesn't it mean I have to transpose every chord I know from C6 tuning, and relearn the fretboard?
If so, forget it.
Click to expand...

Not really if you're just playing by yourself. Then you're just playing in a different key but still with the exact chord shapes and finger positions on the fretboard. If you're playing in a group then yes, you would need transpose your chords.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Pissodes
Same strings, different tension
Replies
7
Views
238
DownUpDave
DownUpDave
Altrove
Strings D'Addario Pro-Arte classical guitar strings for tenor ukulele: which is better, normal tension or hard tension?
Replies
7
Views
434
Archeonn
A
A
Tenor strings with lower tension but not thin gauge
Replies
3
Views
232
Archeonn
A
G
2 different Tenors with same strings, one feels like much higher tension due to slightly higher action?
Replies
6
Views
296
merlin666
M
besley
String tension - function of string gauge or brand?
Replies
13
Views
619
70sSanO
70sSanO
Top Bottom