Low G for Rebel Mango Double Cream Soprano?

[Lillymo]

I've dreamed of a small low G ukulele so I've tried it on a few sopranos. The results haven't been great.

I just got a Rebel Mango Double Cream Matte Soprano and I'm impressed by the fullness of the sound and the sustain. It occurred to me it might be a good candidate. Would love to hear from people who have tried Low G on a Rebel Double Creme soprano. Thanks!

 

[DownUpDave]

I have a couple of sopranos strung low G. I have always used wound low G strings, florocarbon sounds too dull and thuddy on such a short scale length. I use either Fremont Soloist or Oasis UKE-4SB, both are phosphor bronze wound over nylon core. I have used these on all sizes of ukuleles from soprano to tenor

 

[CPG]

I used to own one of those but I don’t recall if I ever tried it low g. I’m mostly a reentrant player, but I have messed around with putting low g on the number of sopranos just to see how it works. Some sound terrible some sound OK and some sound, well not as great Herb Ohta, but surprisingly good. I think your instinct is right that the double cream would be better than most sopranos with handling a low g. They have pretty deep body and a pretty full sound. I’d say get yourself a good smooth would low G string and give it a try. It might have pretty nice results.

I will add him that the smallest uke I’ve played that I thought sounded really good low g is my KoAloha long neck pinapple. The combination of the longer neck and the slightly larger chamber seems to make a difference.

(yes, it is currently for sale on marketplace, but no, I am not saying this as a sales plug. I’m simply stating it as a point of reference.)

 

[Patty]

I have a couple of sopranos strung low G. I have always used wound low G strings, florocarbon sounds too dull and thuddy on such a short scale length. I use either Fremont Soloist or Oasis UKE-4SB, both are phosphor bronze wound over nylon core. I have used these on all sizes of ukuleles from soprano to tenor

I string both of my sopranos low G. I agree with DownUpDave: wound low G is better on a soprano. I can recommend the two I’ve tried so far: Fremont Soloist and Pepe Romero wound low G.

 

[merlin666]

I string both of my sopranos low G. I agree with DownUpDave: wound low G is better on a soprano. I can recommend the two I’ve tried so far: Fremont Soloist and Pepe Romero wound low G.

I think these are both the same LaBella string.

 

[captain-janeway]

How does mango sound next to cedar? Sharper? Deeper? I've also thought about low g. I've also been looking at those Rebels

 

[man0a]

I string both of my sopranos low G. I agree with DownUpDave: wound low G is better on a soprano. I can recommend the two I’ve tried so far: Fremont Soloist and Pepe Romero wound low G.

The Romero string says on the package that they are made by La Bella. The Fremont string looks and feels identical to me. I've been buying La Bella 908 classical guitar strings from Strings By Mail for $2 each and they work great for me as low-G ukulele strings (any ukulele scale). I believe La Bella makes their own strings in New York State. Classical guitar strings are long enough that you can cut 1 string in half and use it on 2 soprano ukuleles.

 

[Lillymo]

I used to own one of those but I don’t recall if I ever tried it low g. I’m mostly a reentrant player, but I have messed around with putting low g on the number of sopranos just to see how it works. Some sound terrible some sound OK and some sound, well not as great Herb Ohta, but surprisingly good. I think your instinct is right that the double cream would be better than most sopranos with handling a low g. They have pretty deep body and a pretty full sound. I’d say get yourself a good smooth would low G string and give it a try. It might have pretty nice results.

I will add him that the smallest uke I’ve played that I thought sounded really good low g is my KoAloha long neck pinapple. The combination of the longer neck and the slightly larger chamber seems to make a difference.

(yes, it is currently for sale on marketplace, but no, I am not saying this as a sales plug. I’m simply stating it as a point of reference.)

Hmmm. Interestingly, I have a KoAloha Long Neck Pineapple. Maybe I should get a La Bella 908 classical guitar string, cut it in half and try it on both the Rebel and the KoAloha!

 

[CPG]

Hmmm. Interestingly, I have a KoAloha Long Neck Pineapple. Maybe I should get a La Bella 908 classical guitar string, cut it in half and try it on both the Rebel and the KoAloha!

That seems like a good plan. Definitely try it on the pineapple. I wouldn’t have thought to string mine low g, but I got it used and it came to me strung that way and I liked it quite a bit.

 

[ploverwing]

I have a couple of sopranos strung low G. I have always used wound low G strings, florocarbon sounds too dull and thuddy on such a short scale length. I use either Fremont Soloist or Oasis UKE-4SB, both are phosphor bronze wound over nylon core. I have used these on all sizes of ukuleles from soprano to tenor

I love the Fermont Soloist on my tenors, good to know about them working better than fluorocarbons on a soprano (for the low G).

 

[Lillymo]

The Romero string says on the package that they are made by La Bella. The Fremont string looks and feels identical to me. I've been buying La Bella 908 classical guitar strings from Strings By Mail for $2 each and they work great for me as low-G ukulele strings (any ukulele scale). I believe La Bella makes their own strings in New York State. Classical guitar strings are long enough that you can cut 1 string in half and use it on 2 soprano ukuleles.

Thanks manOa! Do you happen to know the uncut length of a La Bella 908? Would it be long enough for a soprano and a concert scale long neck soprano?

 

[man0a]

Thanks manOa! Do you happen to know the uncut length of a La Bella 908? Would it be long enough for a soprano and a concert scale long neck soprano?

I believe the length is 44 inches, same as the Fremont Soloist (which is really just a La Bella string with a Fremont label pasted on the package). You can measure your current strings and guestimate if 44 inches is enough.

 

[Lillymo]

I believe the length is 44 inches, same as the Fremont Soloist (which is really just a La Bella string with a Fremont label pasted on the package). You can measure your current strings and guestimate if 44 inches is enough.

My Rebel soprano has a 14" scale and the KoAloha longneck pineapple is 15.25" so I think that'll work! Great to know the Fremont Soloist and the La Bella 908 are the same string - the 908 is less than half the price. Wahoo!

 

[Lillymo]

I will add him that the smallest uke I’ve played that I thought sounded really good low g is my KoAloha long neck pinapple. The combination of the longer neck and the slightly larger chamber seems to make a difference.

(yes, it is currently for sale on marketplace, but no, I am not saying this as a sales plug. I’m simply stating it as a point of reference.)

CPG! Wow!! I looked up your KoAloha Long Neck Pineapple Marketplace listing and listened to your Low G sound sample. It does indeed sound really great!

I'd encourage you to post this video on your YouTube channel. Your video is a terrific example that with the right ukulele, Low G soprano is possible and proof that sometimes, a sound sample is worth a thousand words!

 

[Lillymo]

I've had a La Bella 908 Classical Guitar 4th String on my Rebel Mango Soprano for a week and I'd say it's a success! The volume of the La Bella is very close to the fluorocarbon C, E and A strings and the tone blends. Most of my ukuleles are re-entrant so a Low G soprano is a fun alternative. It still sounds like a soprano but the low G opens up melodic options.

Out of the package the La Bella 908 was 43". I used half - the leftover would be enough for another soprano, but not enough for a concert. At $2.15 each from Strings by Mail, that's a great price, even for just 1 ukulele. Strings by Mail charges $3.95 flat rate shipping, so I replenished my string stash when I ordered.

Big thanks to everybody who responded, your experiences were VERY helpful!

 

[Oldscruggsfan]

I just tried to find LaBella 908 on the Strings By Mail website. Singles are only listed by diameter. I’m not seeing “908”. Is SBM using a different designation / name / number for the same string?

 

[man0a]

I just tried to find LaBella 908 on the Strings By Mail website. Singles are only listed by diameter. I’m not seeing “908”. Is SBM using a different designation / name / number for the same string?

Try "La Bella 908" instead of "LaBella 908"

 

[don_b]

I put a uke logic wound low g on a $70 cordoba soprano and it sounded awesome

 

[ploverwing]

I just tried to find LaBella 908 on the Strings By Mail website. Singles are only listed by diameter. I’m not seeing “908”. Is SBM using a different designation / name / number for the same string?

I had to do an advanced search using these parameters:



Here's the link to the single string.

 

[Lillymo]

Try "La Bella 908" instead of "LaBella 908"

A search for "La Bella 908" on stringsbymail.com worked for me too.