SCS (String changing syndrome)

Schroeder

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What would have me acquiring ukes, if I had the gelt, would be not only the acqusition of varied patterns, sizes and materials, but more importantly, of different sounds. While lacking money for additional ukuleles, however, I do have enough to change strings every couple of months, and voila, with the string change a new ukulele emerges. Most recently, against prevailing wisdom, I replaced the meek and mild Worth Browns on my Bruko 6 with more robust Aquila Lavas. Then, as I was sick of the Aquila Red low G guitar sound on my laminate Moselele Bambookulele-- why turn a uke into a tiny guitar?-- I replaced the Reds with the other half of the Worth Browns originally intended for the Bruko. Eureka! My budget ukulele is now my primary busking uke as it is now zingy zangy enough to cut through the ambient noise of the streets-- meek and weak on the Bruko, yet zingy zangy on the laminate. In the end I aim to try every string known to humanity on both instruments.
 
It can be easy to drive yourself crazy with strings. There are so many types, so many brands. Then add in the idea that you can try other sizes, such as concert strings on a soprano, it can be endless. It can also be tough as once you change strings and take a few days to settle you can't remember what the other set sounded like.

One way to do it is to determine exactly what you don't like about a particular sound/feel and then move in a certain direction to solve that issue, rather than just randomly changing. One complication is that some strings sound very different on different instruments, so sometimes it is hard to know what the result will be.

At least strings are relatively cheap, making it fairly painless.
 
I completely understand this.

Two days ago, I fitted my Low-G strung Kala tenor with reentrant Aquila Reds. Why? I had a pack of Reds in the stash and wanted to see how the Kala, which sounds magical in linear tuning, would sound re-entrant.

Last night I changed it back. :p

While the Kala still sounded beautiful, it lost it's magic. Clearly it was meant for Low-G. I left the Reds on strings 1-3 and added a Thomastik-Infeld CF30 for my G. Ahhhhh.... magic again!

If changing strings is part of your fun, have fun. :music:
 
I agree , string can change the sound of any ukulele, and often for the better but just as often for the worse. My quest is always to find the right strings for each ukulele. It is a very inexpensive and fun trial. Always leave the string on for a month if you can (and if new strings aren’t immediately horrible to your ears) so the strings can settle in! The only other advice is to document ukes changes, brand, size and time on and off the Uke. We tend to “think” we remember which set is which, and how long they have been on but......

Case in point, the best ever string set on my custom Moodyville Tenor......sounded so fantastic.......can’t remember which set I had on.

Good luck with the quest.......SAS is a cool affliction to have!
 
I aim to try every string known to humanity on both instruments.

Keep notes and share your knowledge, intrepid explorer. What about different tunings? You could be busy forever.
 
You can never find the best set of strings, because there is always another set that you have not tried that might be better.
 
I have string change avoiding syndrome. I only change strings when I have to. I've pretty much standardised my strings on two or three reputable brands that I find work for me. Then I can concentrate on doing what I bought my ukuleles for in the first place... playing them.
 
Funny you mention different tuning. My Bruko 6, having been freed from the rigors of busking in gCEA, is now tuned to D tuning and I love it! Another new instrument! (It IS okay to just tune the strings up, right? No special strings needed?)
 
I have string change avoiding syndrome. I only change strings when I have to. I've pretty much standardised my strings on two or three reputable brands that I find work for me. Then I can concentrate on doing what I bought my ukuleles for in the first place... playing them.

I see no logic in that last statement of yours.
 
Keep notes and share your knowledge, intrepid explorer. What about different tunings? You could be busy forever.

Funny you mention different tuning. My Bruko 6, having been freed from the rigors of busking in gCEA, is now tuned to D tuning and I love it! Another new instrument!
 
Regular string changing had some attraction for me when I was first playing, but it's lost that appeal as time goes by. There's always the settling period, of course, and, as Geoff said, I'd rather play than retune. I have eight different types of strings on my nine ukes, so I do like to find the variety that sounds best on that instrument. And then play them until they wear down.

Some people are more into experimentation than me, too. YMMV.
 
How so? Is this senior member ukulele wisdom? If you often change your strings you aren't a serious enough player?

They are just further along in the Uke Game than you are. They have been through the changing of the strings and have come to their own conclusions. Looking back they think "gee, I'm glad we don't have to waste any more of our effort on that nonsense. Now we can concentrate on sitting here and playing our ukuleles in blissful sonority."

Someday you may arrive at a similar destination, and then you will understand the perspective of having settled on strings you really like.

For now, you are experimenting, and that is good! Do what is necessary to achieve the blissful sonority you seek.
 
I have string change avoiding syndrome. I only change strings when I have to. I've pretty much standardised my strings on two or three reputable brands that I find work for me. Then I can concentrate on doing what I bought my ukuleles for in the first place... playing them.

Wow! Tootler, I couldn’t possibly agree more. The play(ing)’s the thing! :cheers: :eek:ld:
 
I was in your shoes once. Wanting to vary my uke collection but little gelt. Well I bought some cheap stuff. Not happy with some of my choices. Wish I had waited and saved to gelt for something nice. Your smart.
 
I think some of y'all are just stringing us along! :)
 
When I first started I foresaw the dangers of this syndrome. Therefore I made it a rule of mine to never change strings after the ukulele enters the house (assuming they are good strings). Don't get me wrong. I completely agree with all the benefits of changing strings. However, for me, it would be an obsession and a distraction. It is easier for me to abstain than to moderate.
 
They are just further along in the Uke Game than you are. They have been through the changing of the strings and have come to their own conclusions. Looking back they think "gee, I'm glad we don't have to waste any more of our effort on that nonsense. Now we can concentrate on sitting here and playing our ukuleles in blissful sonority."

Someday you may arrive at a similar destination, and then you will understand the perspective of having settled on strings you really like.

For now, you are experimenting, and that is good! Do what is necessary to achieve the blissful sonority you seek.

I'm not just experimenting though. I like the variety of sounds, as do many who have ten different ukuleles for different sounds. And... "nonsense"? If you ask most people, playing the ukulele all day long is "nonsense". ;)
 
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