When you only like 3 out of 4 strings in a set

J

Joyful Uke

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 17, 2014
Messages
3,532
Reaction score
2,669
I put some new strings on one of my favorite ukuleles, and 3 out of 4 strings are amazing. It's never sounded better. The A string, though, is terrible. Must need a slightly heavier gauge string. This is the thinnest A string I've tried. Feels great, but definitely does not sound great. But the other 3 are incredibly good.

So, what do you all do in a situation like that? Use the A string from another brand, and toss out the other 3 strings from that 2nd set? (That's the reason I haven't changed it out yet - don't want to pay for a full set of strings so I can use only one string. Obviously can still keep the other 3 as spares, and not actually toss them, but essentially it will be the same thing.)

Does anyone sell single A strings?

I've given it enough time to settle in, but need to switch it to something else. The set comes with a spare g string, and though it's thicker than I want for the A string, I might give that a try.
 
I know people who buy spools of fluorocarbon to make their own string sets (usually Seaguar Blue Label or Red Label). I also know people who buy individual classical guitar strings to make their own ukulele string sets (usually d'Addario Pro Arte). They can choose whatever diameter, density, tension they want.
 
Well if you like fluorocarbon you can buy a pack of just four A strings from Living Waters.
 
I wanted a set of black strings for my all bamboo uke, which I modified with black fret and side markers, black nut and saddle, black string beads and black and gold strap buttons to match the tuners. The set I bought did not have one gauge I liked, so I bought a different set and used one string with my preferred gauge.

Aklot bamboo cutaway.jpg


This is Michael Kohan in Los Angeles, Beverly Grove near the Beverly Center
8 tenor cutaway ukes, 4 acoustic bass ukes, 12 solid body bass ukes, 14 mini electric bass guitars (Total: 38)

Donate to The Ukulele Kids Club, they provide ukuleles to children in hospital music therapy programs. www.theukc.org
Member The CC Strummers: www.youtube.com/user/CCStrummers/video, www.facebook.com/
 
String by Mail sells florocarbon singles from Pyramid (huge selection of gauges) Savarez and GHS. All my tenors and baritone have wound strings on the 4th and 3rd position and I have been using the above brands and others for years in the 2nd and 1st positions.
 
I had the same issue with a set of Uke Logic Baritone strings where the E string was too thin and just didn't sound right. I had an old set of Worth baritone strings and just replaced the Uke Logic E with a Worth. It solved the problem but I'm still short one E string. I recently ordered another set of the Uke Logic strings because I liked three of the strings and I'm hoping the skinny E string was just a packing error.
 
BBegall said:
I had the same issue with a set of Uke Logic Baritone strings where the E string was too thin and just didn't sound right. I had an old set of Worth baritone strings and just replaced the Uke Logic E with a Worth. It solved the problem but I'm still short one E string. I recently ordered another set of the Uke Logic strings because I liked three of the strings and I'm hoping the skinny E string was just a packing error.
Click to expand...

Interesting. I tried a set of Uke Logic low tension strings, and really liked their super thin A string, 0.019" vs the 0.022" of the Living Waters I use. And the E, 0.025" vs the 0.026" of Living Waters felt good too. But the Uke Logic C was 0.032", which just felt way too big compared with the 0.029" of the Living Waters set, so I took them off and went back to Living Waters. Perfection is hard to find.
 
Thanks, everyone. You've given me some options to pursue, so I'm sure I'll find a good route to take.

Interestingly, the set of strings I'm referring to is also Uke Logic. The 0.019" A string is too thin for this ukulele, though it feels great. But the other 3 sound so good that I need to find a way to keep using those 3 strings, (now and for future sets), but do something else for the A string.

I had already put Uke Logics on another ukulele, and all 4 strings are great on there, so it took me by surprise that the A string just isn't working for the one I just restrung. But, with options to follow up on, I'll get that resolved.

As besley said, perfection is hard to find. And perfection for one ukulele is not necessarily going to be perfection for another ukulele, making it even harder to find.
 
besley said:
Well if you like fluorocarbon you can buy a pack of just four A strings from Living Waters.
Click to expand...

I had Living Water strings on there, which worked, so the pack of four A strings sounds good, but I don't see them listed. Do you contact Ken directly to put that together as a "custom" set?
 
If the spare G is a bit thicker then this might just give you the extra tension you need so definitely try that. Also, is this the first set of strings you had on the uke? Maybe the nut is too tight and chokes it, so check for that as well.
 
merlin666 said:
If the spare G is a bit thicker then this might just give you the extra tension you need so definitely try that. Also, is this the first set of strings you had on the uke? Maybe the nut is too tight and chokes it, so check for that as well.
Click to expand...

No, I've had the ukulele for a couple years, and have used other strings successfully. All had a thicker A string, though, so I think it's as simple as changing out the new A string. Maybe I'll break up a Living Water set while I wait to hear how you can order a pack of just A strings from Living Water. The spare g string is probably a bit thicker than I'd want, but I'm still considering that option.
 
Joyful Uke said:
I had Living Water strings on there, which worked, so the pack of four A strings sounds good, but I don't see them listed. Do you contact Ken directly to put that together as a "custom" set?
Click to expand...

I'm sure that's what I did - ken@livingwaterstrings.com. I believe he will put together a custom set (at a slightly higher price) of just about any combination of string gauges that he carries.
 
Ukecaster said:
Did you ask Joel at UkeLogic about your A string preferences? I know he wants to make everybody happy, as he says on his packaging. Perhaps he has a slightly different/larger string that might meet your needs? Can't hurt to ask.
Click to expand...

It doesn't seem reasonable that he can please everyone and every ukulele. I've got one that is great with all 4 Uke Logic strings, and this one is great with 3 out of 4. I would feel unreasonable if I contacted him. The spare g string is the next thinnest string, so I could try that, and there would be no need to take up Joel's time.

I'll probably just try to find a single string that works well with the 3 Uke Logic strings. Checking in with Ken makes sense, since I know that Living Water strings worked, and I could order some more sets as well as the "custom" set of just A strings.

But for now, I've got to see if I can find my driveway under the snow, and dig out another path for my dogs in the back yard. (Not that they're spoiled or anything.)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

kkimura
Sold A $65 Guardian Vintage Case with a free Decca Soprano and for a limited time a set of Martin M600 strings!
Replies
6
Views
485
FatherMother
F
M
Set of strings for a EAC#F# tuning with a Low E
Replies
6
Views
296
anthonyg
anthonyg
Eggs_n_Ham
Strings when you change stock strings to a new set and then change those to another set...and you're still dissatisfied...
Replies
14
Views
633
TerryM
TerryM
P
NSD: Tiger Carbon Series "black" Fluorocarbon Soprano GCEA set - cheap strings
Replies
2
Views
223
pondweed
P
P
High D set of strings (dGBE) for baritone in Europe??
Replies
12
Views
489
pluribus
P
Top Bottom