UPDATE: Go to the next page to read my solution - Seaguar Premier fishing leader in various gauges.
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Sorry this isn't about the uke specifically but it's probably something people here can help with.
So two and a half years ago I bought a bunch of Aquila 1CH Charango String sets for my 39.4 cm scale charango. I didn't realize how much I loved the sound until I replaced them with the new version of them. The ones I was using must have either been extremely old or they changed the formula completely in the last 2 years or so. These new 1CH are nothing like the old ones at all. Actually the 2CH for Charango they make now is more similar to what were clearly labeled "1CH" previously.
The old strings were even thinner than the new 2CH (even though they were clearly labeled 1CH) and they were yellowish in color and totally opaque. They were really bright to the point where I needed to change my mic setup but in the end it was that brightness that made it sound so special! The new nylgut 2CH have a bright plastic attack and less bright sustain, they feel heavier, and the notes become much more dead up the neck. So the old strings were bright in sustain not just attack - they were almost a bit metallic but still had that warm nylgut attack.
If anyone has any of these old 1CH yellowish strings I'd love to buy them off you because I can't find them anywhere online. All the vendors seem to be selling the new ones. Or probably more productively I need to find a replacement. I haven't tried the fluorocarbon inspired Sugar strings by Aquila so it's possible that would be a better fit... but certainly that is not my guess since the old strings were clearly "NYLGUT"...
I attached a photo of the new ones versus the old yellow ones I prefer.
I have tried medina artigas rectified nylon and the attack of the string is even worse than these new Nylgut ones and the sustain isn't that bright either.They just sound plucky then dull. I guess this instrument requires very thin strings.
So what I've done is ordered Savarez Alliance KF .30mm - KF .69mm in hopes that fluorocarbon will be thin and dense enough to get that sound again and hopefully without the plastic attack of these newer nylgut.
Has anyone had a similar experience with Aquila / Nylgut? What did you do? What are other brands I should check out that have something similar but with very thin diameters?
__________
Sorry this isn't about the uke specifically but it's probably something people here can help with.
So two and a half years ago I bought a bunch of Aquila 1CH Charango String sets for my 39.4 cm scale charango. I didn't realize how much I loved the sound until I replaced them with the new version of them. The ones I was using must have either been extremely old or they changed the formula completely in the last 2 years or so. These new 1CH are nothing like the old ones at all. Actually the 2CH for Charango they make now is more similar to what were clearly labeled "1CH" previously.
The old strings were even thinner than the new 2CH (even though they were clearly labeled 1CH) and they were yellowish in color and totally opaque. They were really bright to the point where I needed to change my mic setup but in the end it was that brightness that made it sound so special! The new nylgut 2CH have a bright plastic attack and less bright sustain, they feel heavier, and the notes become much more dead up the neck. So the old strings were bright in sustain not just attack - they were almost a bit metallic but still had that warm nylgut attack.
If anyone has any of these old 1CH yellowish strings I'd love to buy them off you because I can't find them anywhere online. All the vendors seem to be selling the new ones. Or probably more productively I need to find a replacement. I haven't tried the fluorocarbon inspired Sugar strings by Aquila so it's possible that would be a better fit... but certainly that is not my guess since the old strings were clearly "NYLGUT"...
I attached a photo of the new ones versus the old yellow ones I prefer.
I have tried medina artigas rectified nylon and the attack of the string is even worse than these new Nylgut ones and the sustain isn't that bright either.They just sound plucky then dull. I guess this instrument requires very thin strings.
So what I've done is ordered Savarez Alliance KF .30mm - KF .69mm in hopes that fluorocarbon will be thin and dense enough to get that sound again and hopefully without the plastic attack of these newer nylgut.
Has anyone had a similar experience with Aquila / Nylgut? What did you do? What are other brands I should check out that have something similar but with very thin diameters?
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