String tension

[bdjansen]

Hi! I’m wondering about string tension of different strings and how that might effect my uke over time?

I’ve got a Martin tenor made of sinker mahogany that feels very lightly braced. I’m wanting to try some other strings with a low G but I don’t want to put something on the uke that might pull harder on the top and bridge than the uke was designed for. I’ve noticed Martin doesn’t make any low G strings themselves.

 

[LorenFL]

I'm a low-tension Low-G player. The best readily available string set I've found for that purpose is Worth Brown "BL" strings. Don't get the Low G set. Get the regular set and rearrange them for Low G. (move the thin G string to A, and shift the other three over one position) I've not tried that set on a Tenor, but I suspect it will work just fine.

Not that low tension is not for everyone. Some folks like twangy strangs. I happen to like loose, floppy, bendy strings.

The more traditional approach would probably be to go with a wound Low G string. It shouldn't require more tension. It just has more mass due to being wound. (note that wound strings are not for everyone...)

 

[DownUpDave]

A low G string tuned to low G has less tension then a high G string. It is tuned one octave lower to G3 instead of G4 which the high G string is tuned to.

 

[LorenFL]

A low G string tuned to low G has less tension then a high G string. It is tuned one octave lower to G3 instead of G4 which the high G string is tuned to.

Now why didn't I think of that. True! The whole question is rather moot.

To make a Low G string higher tension than a normal G string, it would have to be a REALLY fat string.

A "Low G string" will either be a thicker solid string, or a not so much thicker wound string. Either way, the purpose of the change in that string isn't to make the string tension greater. It's to make the string tension about the same as the rest of the strings. If you tuned your normal high G string down to Low G, it would be unplayable due to being so loose.