Low G test not permanent

[oldjazznut]

I like high G just fine, but I'm curious about low G. My original and current GHS H-10 concert strings have a .028 G. By rough calculation, a low G would be .040 (?). So if I change the nut slot for low G and don't like it, I'd need fit a new nut to go back to high G ? I know you can fill and refile one slot, but I prefer an original solid nut.

I have thought, I could install a low G in the .028 slot. High, but I could still give the low G a fair test of liking it. If I dont, I just switch the strings back. If I do like it, I'd have to commit to changing the slot. As a side note, I don't even know if I could get the low G gauge in black nylon.

 

[Plonky-tonk]

I’ve had unwound low G on a couple ukes without changing the nut, and had no problems.

 

[dofthesea]

Typically a low G has a slightly different saddle as well

 

[ailevin]

I’ve had unwound low G on a couple ukes without changing the nut, and had no problems.

I think the wound low G strings are thinner than unwound. I have switched both wound and unwound low G strings on ukuleles that came high G without issue.

 

[oldjazznut]

If I were sure of the low G gauge, it would help. My GHS .028 high G has a little over 7 lb tension. The heaviest black nylon they offer is .036, same as my C string which is 5.5 pounds. Tuned to low G it would only be 3.25.

I can get .040 black in D'Addario's folk guitar strings, tension would be at 4 pounds.. So for low G I'd have two options, .036 and .040, kind of floppy.

Folk Guitar Nylon ball end Strings | Classical | D'Addario

Folk Nylon Classical Guitar Single strings feature a ball end for easy installation. Available in various gauges, alloys, and monofilaments.

www.daddario.com

I can't find any low G nylon set with an unwound G.

 

[oldjazznut]

So I'd actually be looking at ideally a .050 nylon low G if one was even available. That's about what I'd thought. I've tried capoing my old nylon strung classical guitar at uke pitch, and not too impressed with the sound. Too "guitarry". Just another area of playing I wanted to learn more about.

Your summary was great, thanks! I think I'll stick with what I've got.

I've always wondered about baritone ukes having much appeal, because of their guitar tuning. They were dreamed up by Arthur Godfrey and Herk Favilla around 1950, to be an easier ukulele. Low G ukes are the same, just five frets higher.

 

[Wiggy]

For low G, an .028w (.028" wound) will fit the #4 slot. An unwound .041" (the largest nylon I've ever tried) will require the nut slot to be significantly widened. In some cases, it may not even fit through a bridge hole or slot.

I have tried the Fremont Blackline low G (.036") but in most cases, it was too low-tensioned for me. That's just my preference. It may work though, if you want or must use unwound. I use .028w for soprano and concert scale low G. On one soprano, an .027w was needed as the .028w was a bit overpowering.

(BTW, according to the package label, the GHS-10 set is for "Hawaiian" D-Tuning (a-D-F#-B) so tuned down to gCEA will yield a lower tension overall. The H10 looks to be for gCEA.)

 

[badhabits]

Why not a wound string? Fremont soloist is 0.030 and often requires no mods. I swapped a high G to low recently using one of these, works/sounds great, didn't change anything other than the string.

 

[jupiteruke]

I make most of my instruments with a low-G (because I like the low-G sound). I use wound strings for the 3'd and 4'th strings. The best I have found currently are Thomastik-Infeld classical guitar strings. CF-27 (.027) for the 3'd and CF-30 (.030) for the 4'th. These are available individually from StringsByMail.

 

[Plonky-tonk]

If I were sure of the low G gauge, it would help. My GHS .028 high G has a little over 7 lb tension. The heaviest black nylon they offer is .036, same as my C string which is 5.5 pounds. Tuned to low G it would only be 3.25.

I can get .040 black in D'Addario's folk guitar strings, tension would be at 4 pounds.. So for low G I'd have two options, .036 and .040, kind of floppy.

Folk Guitar Nylon ball end Strings | Classical | D'Addario

Folk Nylon Classical Guitar Single strings feature a ball end for easy installation. Available in various gauges, alloys, and monofilaments.

www.daddario.com

I can't find any low G set with an unwound G.

I’ve had ukulele Low G fluorocarbon sets with unwound G from Aquila, d’Addario, and Fremont. My current favorites are the Fremont. If I get tired of them I’ll try the low G unwound Worth sets, probably the low-tension version. I wasn’t too fond of the stiffness of the Aquila and d’Addario.

The Fremont low G sets are only about 50 cents cheaper than buying a separate high G set and a single low G, not the greatest financial benefit but handy if you don’t need the high G.

 

[merlin666]

I think it would feel weird to have a huge thick string and intonation and tone may not be pleasant. Best approach to plain low G is Aquila Red and they also blend in well with the Nylon sound. Though my current low G includes the Labella polished brass which also has a nylon core.

 

[oldjazznut]

A wound string kills the positives of nylon. It sounds and feels different. It's harder on frets and fingerboards. It corrodes, it breaks. I'm just an old dinosaur about that.

My Lanikais and Vineyard came with black GHS, most all ukes did back then. I bought a pile of them. I won't live long enough to use them all. A little impractical to switch now.

 

[Michael Smith]

I like high G just fine, but I'm curious about low G. My original and current GHS H-10 concert strings have a .028 G. By rough calculation, a low G would be .040 (?). So if I change the nut slot for low G and don't like it, I'd need fit a new nut to go back to high G ? I know you can fill and refile one slot, but I prefer an original solid nut.

I have thought, I could install a low G in the .028 slot. High, but I could still give the low G a fair test of liking it. If I dont, I just switch the strings back. If I do like it, I'd have to commit to changing the slot. As a side note, I don't even know if I could get the low G gauge in black nylon.

One problem with going to a nylon or fluorocarbon low G is if you have your intonation dialed in with a high G it's going to be off with the low G. If you go to the wound Fremont Soloist it will be much closer. To me the wound Low G sounds better in general.

 

[sequoia]

To me the wound Low G sounds better in general.

Agreed. I use a wound low G and like it. Gives a little oomph when playing in a group. Problem: They wear out really fast and need to be replaced frequently.

 

[Uke-alot]

I like high G just fine, but I'm curious about low G. My original and current GHS H-10 concert strings have a .028 G. By rough calculation, a low G would be .040 (?). So if I change the nut slot for low G and don't like it, I'd need fit a new nut to go back to high G ? I know you can fill and refile one slot, but I prefer an original solid nut.

I have thought, I could install a low G in the .028 slot. High, but I could still give the low G a fair test of liking it. If I dont, I just switch the strings back. If I do like it, I'd have to commit to changing the slot. As a side note, I don't even know if I could get the low G gauge in black nylon.

I don't know if this helps, but if you really want a nonwound string you can try the Saverez Alliance KF 95A as a low G string for tenor. It's a clear carbon string with a 0.95 mm/0.0374" diameter. It comes in a 2 meter length that's enough to provide 3 tenor strings. It may require you to widen the current slot, but perhaps not enough to be fatal if you want to switch back.

However, I have been pretty happy with wound low G strings.