Strings What are your current favourite low G strings for sopranos?

[TBB]

So I may have accidentally purchased a lovely little soprano to keep in linear tuning (NUD to follow!) and I’d like to know which strings those of you who play low G on shorter scale ukes are liking at the moment.

I’ve taken a rather ancient wound low G off something else, it’s either a Fremont Soloist or a Thomastik Infeld, can’t remember which. It fits fine and has plenty of room at the nut but anything fatter would probably require adjusting the bridge slots, which I’d like to avoid.

I’m very out of the low G loop as I’ve been playing reentrant exclusively for quite a while, is there anything new and exciting out there?

Thank you!

 

[kissing]

I don't know about new and exciting, but I find that it depends on the uke.

By default I try to use Aquila Red whenever possible due to their availability and price.

But some instruments don't like Aquila Red due to the way they're set up (can buzz or snap), in which case my next choice is a Fluorocarbon low-G like Fremont Clear or Fremont Black.

But on some instruments, unwound low-G doesn't feel firm enough.
In that case, wound low-G usually works better, whether it's Fremont Solist flatwounds or any Classical Guitar D string that takes my fancy.

 

[TBB]

Thanks @kissing, I was thinking about trying the reds, I really like the high g set on my Wunderkammer.

How much fatter than a wound low g would you say the red is? I’ve looked up the gauges but I’m never really sure how those measurements translate into real life, and the difference between fitting and not fitting the bridge slot.

 

[kissing]

Thanks @kissing, I was thinking about trying the reds, I really like the high g set on my Wunderkammer.

How much fatter than a wound low g would you say the red is? I’ve looked up the gauges but I’m never really sure how those measurements translate into real life, and the difference between fitting and not fitting the bridge slot.

Seems to be 1mm thick. Though I can't remember whether this one is the Aquila red low G for Soprano, Concert or Tenor.

Generally I use the Tenor one, because it works across all sizes from Soprano to Tenor and I prefer the unwound low-G to be a bit firm.

 

[Tin Ear]

Aquila does make a wound red Low G for Soprano - should be pretty small diameter.

Aquila Red Series 134U Wound Low G Soprano Ukulele Single Strings

Aquila Red Series 134U Wound Low G Soprano Ukulele Single String

www.stringsandbeyond.com

( I have used the Tenor version on tenors and they are nice )

 

[Graham Greenbag]

Thanks @kissing, I was thinking about trying the reds, I really like the high g set on my Wunderkammer.

How much fatter than a wound low g would you say the red is? I’ve looked up the gauges but I’m never really sure how those measurements translate into real life, and the difference between fitting and not fitting the bridge slot.

Expect to have to recut (widen) the slot in the nut. Too big is too big and that’s what you’ll find with anything but a wound string. Does a wound string always fit without alteration? I wouldn’t like to say for sure, depends what was there before, but I didn’t have to recut the g slot when I fitted a wound string to my concert.

If you have a slotted bridge then I’d be very reluctant to try to change its g string slot width in any way and have never heard of people either needing to or doing so.

 

[TBB]

Seems to be 1mm thick. Though I can't remember whether this one is the Aquila red low G for Soprano, Concert or Tenor.

Generally I use the Tenor one, because it works across all sizes from Soprano to Tenor and I prefer the unwound low-G to be a bit firm.

This is great, thank you, looks like they’d be too thick unfortunately.

Aquila does make a wound red Low G for Soprano

I had no idea they did a wound low g, that sounds quite promising, thank you!

 

[TBB]

Expect to have to recut (widen) the slot in the nut. Too big is too big and that’s what you’ll find with anything but a wound string. Does a wound string always fit without alteration? I wouldn’t like to say for sure, depends what was there before, but I didn’t have to recut the g slot when I fitted a wound string to my concert.

I’ve currently got an old wound low g on it and it fits the nut with no problem at all. In fact I’m wondering whether someone has already slightly widened the nut slot for the g string. It’s sitting in the bridge slot ok, but it definitely wouldn’t take a string that was much thicker.

If you have a slotted bridge then I’d be very reluctant to try to change its g string slot width in any way and have never heard of people either needing to or doing so.

Funnily enough my experience has only ever been the opposite, whenever I’ve had trouble fitting a low g on a soprano it’s been the bridge end that caused the problem. I wouldn’t try and widen the slot in the bridge myself, if I was going to do it I’d take it to a luthier. But I know a wound string fits, so I’m not expecting to have to make any adjustments.

 

[merlin666]

D'addario has big choice of wound strings that last long, and may be long enough to make two soprano strings if you don't waste much at the ends. I suggest going a bit thicker than what's usually selected for a tenor so there is decent tension. Good start is the 031 and if that is too slack try 033.

https://www.daddario.com/products/guitar/single-strings/classical-basses/classics-basses/

 

[ploverwing]

Exciting! Looking forward to the NUD. I have nothing further to add, everyone else has covered the bases, although I've never tried a tenor-specific string on a soprano. I may do that at some point!

 

[don_b]

My favorite set is here

UKE LOGIC Sop/Con/Ten "SOFT TENSION" High/Low G (8 options)

Uke Logic string sets are made from high quality "super fluorocarbon" aka Super-Carbon. A high-density formula of fluorocarbon that is tonally different from the average fluorocarbon ukulele string. Uke Logic string sets are available as all-plain Super-Carbon and additional options are...

theukulelesite.com

Specifically: Gold Alloy Smoothwound 4th (Linear / Low GCEA) +$1.75. I like the pink ones.

 

[don_b]

Seems to be 1mm thick. Though I can't remember whether this one is the Aquila red low G for Soprano, Concert or Tenor.

Generally I use the Tenor one, because it works across all sizes from Soprano to Tenor and I prefer the unwound low-G to be a bit firm.

Up close like that it looks like a brittle rusted metal bar, crazy

 

[Veritas99]

There's currently a Uke Logic gold wound low G on my Kanilea soprano and it works great. As best I can tell, the string is the same as a Fremont Soloist, but I use Uke Logic for most of my ukes and always buy a few of Joel's wound low Gs when getting other string sets.

 

[baconsalad]

The Romero US2 strings are probably relabelled Labellas. They sound and feel great but that could be the uke they're on (Romero XS soprano was designed for low g)

 

[Mike $]

Right now I have a set of Aquila Bionylon low Gs on my cherry top soprano pineapple and they sound great ($4.44 at Just Strings). I also love the low G Aquila Lava set on that one as well ($6.57 Just Strings).

 

[TBB]

Specifically: Gold Alloy Smoothwound 4th (Linear / Low GCEA) +$1.75. I like the pink ones.

There's currently a Uke Logic gold wound low G on my Kanilea soprano and it works great. As best I can tell, the string is the same as a Fremont Solois

I’d forgotten about Uke Logic, thanks for the reminder! I think I remember reading that the wound low g is a Fremont or Thomastik Infeld, but I think I’d be quite happy with either of those.

The Romero US2 strings are probably relabelled Labellas

Another brand I’d forgotten about, I’ve heard good things about LaBellas.

Right now I have a set of Aquila Bionylon low Gs on my cherry top soprano pineapple and they sound great ($4.44 at Just Strings).

I don’t know anything about the bionylon, I assume they’re unwound? Are they quite fat?

 

[man0a]

I like La Bella 908 wound strings for soprano low-G. These cost about $2 at my local music store. Some other brands (Romero, Fremont, etc) relabel and resell the La Bella strings for much higher prices. The unwound strings that I've tried don't give me enough punch on sopranos.

 

[man0a]

The Romero US2 strings are probably relabelled Labellas. They sound and feel great but that could be the uke they're on (Romero XS soprano was designed for low g)

Not probably. The Romero package says that the strings are made by La Bella.

 

[Mustdote]

I like my low G Aquila Reds on my Ohana PK-70G soprano.
They tune well, don't need high tension but don't feel floppy and can be played so lightly. I didn't find they snap like some people warn. 28, 32, 28, 22 so didn't need to file the nut.

Red Series | Aquila Corde Armoniche

A unique feeling and a strong, consistent sound. Until now, it was necessary to increase the gauge of a string for it to produce a lower-pitched note. But increasing the string’s diameter also increases internal dampening. That makes the string less bright, less responsive and more muffled; the...

aquilacorde.com

I'll try the Uke Logic ones listed earlier. Great thread! Sometimes a different set of strings feels like a new uke! Not that we all have too many.