strings advice for new uke

[BHEAT72]

Hi All, I am somewhat new to the ukulele game and looking for some friendly advice on strings.

Here is what I like/want.

• Low G
• Either unwound or smooth (a scratchy wound low G string drives me insane!)
• I prefer a warm / mellow classical guitar-like (yeah I said it... ) sound.
• This is for a new Kala Cedar top (Pao ferro back/sides).
• I am, generally speaking, more of a fingerstyle player than chords.

 

[man0a]

I like nylon strings for a warm mellow sound. D'Addario Pro-Arte is a good neutral choice, but I don't think they have a set with a low-G. You can add a La Bella smooth wound low-G. For a more modern sound, try the Aquilla AGxAQ strings, which has an unwound low-G option.

 

[Larry U]

Worth Browns with a LaBella 908 or Fremont Soloist Low G should meet your needs.

 

[hands_on_lanzon]

That's a nice uke! I remember that model fondly.

String exploration is fun! You can get lost in a few HMS podcasts for sure. Lemme find one for ya.

For a cedar top, you might also considering adding some brightness of fluorocarbon. Pepe Romero and Uke Logic sets are also nice.

Edit: grab some headphones, sit back and soak in some sweet string sounds.

 

[badhabits]

IIWM, I'd just use the stock Aquila and throw on a Fremont soloist (wound low g, no nut adjustment needed) and see how it goes.

 

[ploverwing]

I'm so meh about the Nylguts myself, but lots of people love them. Don't do Aquila Reds if you can't stand finger-noise on the strings. And some wound strings are a lot more finger-noise annoying than others. The Fremont Soloist (wound) is my fav, and I like the Worth Browns on a cedar top tenor. I play mostly early and classical music (check out our recent invitational for classical music if that's your groove at all!).

Something to consider if you're not usually playing with others is detuning the instrument - I've gone down a whole tone on my tenors and the resulting sound is rich, mellow and glorious. When you do play with others, you can just slap a capo on there to bring it back up to standard.

 

[BHEAT72]

I'm so meh about the Nylguts myself, but lots of people love them. Don't do Aquila Reds if you can't stand finger-noise on the strings. And some wound strings are a lot more finger-noise annoying than others. The Fremont Soloist (wound) is my fav, and I like the Worth Browns on a cedar top tenor. I play mostly early and classical music (check out our recent invitational for classical music if that's your groove at all!).

Something to consider if you're not usually playing with others is detuning the instrument - I've gone down a whole tone on my tenors and the resulting sound is rich, mellow and glorious. When you do play with others, you can just slap a capo on there to bring it back up to standard.

Thanks for the info. Interesting to note that this Kala uke comes with nylon strings stock, and not Aquila.

Dumb question but if I tune a half step down do I just play the same chord shapes?

 

[BHEAT72]

IIWM, I'd just use the stock Aquila and throw on a Fremont soloist (wound low g, no nut adjustment needed) and see how it goes.

Interesting that this is apparently one of the few Kala's that comes stock with nylon strings (high G). I seem to be leaning towards the soloist or the worth browns at this point. There is a set of browns that come with an unwound low G and I am interested in giving those a shot, but would require an adjustment to the nut. Thank you for the feedback.

 

[BHEAT72]

That's a nice uke! I remember that model fondly.

String exploration is fun! You can get lost in a few HMS podcasts for sure. Lemme find one for ya.

For a cedar top, you might also considering adding some brightness of fluorocarbon. Pepe Romero and Uke Logic sets are also nice.

Edit: grab some headphones, sit back and soak in some sweet string sounds.

thank you, great information in the video.

 

[man0a]

Thanks for the info. Interesting to note that this Kala uke comes with nylon strings stock, and not Aquila.

Dumb question but if I tune a half step down do I just play the same chord shapes?

If you play the same chord shapes, you will be out-of-tune when you play with people that are tuned normally.

 

[ploverwing]

Dumb question but if I tune a half step down do I just play the same chord shapes?

Not a dumb question! You'll be playing in a different key, so it'll still sound great... unless you're playing with other people then it won't. Just throw the capo on (if you've tuned only a half step, then just put it on the first fret; if you tune a full step, put it on the second fret) and then behave as if the capo = the nut and you're golden to play with others and be in the same key!

Um sorry, I just realized I didn't exactly answer your question. If you use the same chord shapes, you'll be playing the same music automagically transposed to another key. Just like using the capo and keeping the same shapes will automagically transpose you back

 

[BHEAT72]

Not a dumb question! You'll be playing in a different key, so it'll still sound great... unless you're playing with other people then it won't. Just throw the capo on (if you've tuned only a half step, then just put it on the first fret; if you tune a full step, put it on the second fret) and then behave as if the capo = the nut and you're golden to play with others and be in the same key!

Um sorry, I just realized I didn't exactly answer your question. If you use the same chord shapes, you'll be playing the same music automagically transposed to another key. Just like using the capo and keeping the same shapes will automagically transpose you back

Thanks. Clear as mud! Haha

 

[ploverwing]

Thanks. Clear as mud! Haha

Yeah, I didn't understand either until I had an opportunity to try it at an acousitc jam session with guitarists who would like to play in the key of x but didn't like the chord shapes in that key, so they used a capo on one of the frets to change key so they could use the chord shapes they did like.

If you tune your instrument down a half a step, imagine it as exactly the same thing as adding one more fret between the nut and what is currently first position on the fretboard. All four of your strings get an extra semitone lower (4th string = F#, 3rd string = B, 2nd string = D#, 1st string = G#). If you use the chord shape for C where you place your finger on the third fret of the first string, you'll be playing a different chord: a B chord (because you've tuned your whole instrument down a half step, that's where the chord shapes will take you). But your ukulele is tuned to itself, in the same relationship that it was tuned when it was gCEA, so when you play by yourself, you're playing chords that have been transposed down a half-step, so it still sounds great, it just wouldn't be in tune with someone playing an ukulele tuned gCEA because with the same shape, while you're playing a B chord, they're playing a C chord.

 

[merlin666]

If you like the sound and feel of Nylon strings then maybe consider to stick with the material but upgrade to the set that includes the polished brass string by design. I installed these LaBella strings about a year ago on my low G uke as first real nylon strings to try and really like them for finger style. I got them from strings by mail

100W Uke-Pro, Concert/Tenor Wound 4th

www.labella.com

 

[Contrails]

If you like the sound and feel of Nylon strings then maybe consider to stick with the material but upgrade to the set that includes the polished brass string by design. I installed these LaBella strings about a year ago on my low G uke as first real nylon strings to try and really like them for finger style. I got them from strings by mail

100W Uke-Pro, Concert/Tenor Wound 4th

www.labella.com

These are rectified nylon. Are they whitish in colour? I have a different set from La Bella with rectified nylon. I don’t like them. If you have a chance try the La Bella 2001 nylons strings. To my ears they are so much better.