Southcoast CM strings in B-flat on 19inch Baritone?

Hey up,
I'm really wanting to try some of Southcoast's Classic Metal strings on my Bruko baritone, using B-flat tuning. On their site, they list the CMs as good for a 20inch scale but 'not recommended' on a 17inch scale. My Bruko has a 19inch scale, so I'm not sure of that pushes it into the 'not recommended' or whether it's just inside the 'good' zone.

Does anyone have any experience of the CMs on anything with a 19inch scale? Or is there an alternative tuning I could use to get the right tension?

All help appreciated, I'm relatively new to the baritone, so still working things out.

Cheers!

Hola Cz,

Si es una cosa muy, muy seria!

First, however, a word of apology to any who have e-mailed questions lately. We are in the throes of converting to a new operating system for the office, and communication and shipping are both way behind. It's actually easier for me to respond here than in the e-mail you sent (I saw it only briefly).

Second, just to clear things up - these strings are indeed recommended for a 17" scale - it's just that at that length you tune them to C. They're very popular in that application.

As far as Baritone use, you're correct that our tension charts rate strings based on a 20" scale. That's the size we use. However, there's a note at the top of the page that says to expect "slightly lower" tensions than the 20" ratings if you have a 19" scale instrument.

These strings are in the "Heavy Medium" class. The tension chart shows them well on the "red side" of the green zone (normal tension). The 1" difference in scale would drop them more toward the "Medium" class. It's not that they become all that loose, but if you're not one of those who prefers a firm tension, then you may actually like them better at 19".

If, on the other hand, you were looking at a set that was rated close to the "blue side" of the green zone for a 20" scale, then we wouldn't recommend trying to tune it to the same key at 19". So - if scale length is all that's holding you back, go ahead and order.

We normally ship next day, but this week, it's not working that way.

Hi Dirk,
Cheers for the info, and sorry for missing bits - in my excitement at finding out about new strings I neglected to read all the page! I came to the uke from an abandoned attempt at mandolin, but have never quite got used to nylon/flourocarbon strings. Now I've moved to baritone and it sounds like your strings are exactly what I'm looking for.

I'm in the UK, so I'll probably order a few sets to make the shipping worthwhile, and will place an order towards the end of the week (give you a chance to get back on track!).

Thanks for replying, it's a great help.