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Ukulele Strings

Ukulele string manufactures for standard, concert, tenor and baritone ukuleles.

Here are a few ukulele string sets to try out first:

I bounce between the Ko`olau Gold and Savarez Alliance (Red Card-R) on my tenor ukuleles.

Ukulele Strings are available at these great dealers: Elderly Instruments and UkuleleWorld.com and many more on the ukulele dealers page.

For information on using classical guitars strings on ukulele.

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Using Classical Guitar Strings on Ukulele

 

Guitar TIP-Stringing a Nylon String Guitar

Buster B. Jones shows you his fast technique for changing nylon strings. If you're a gut string player you'll love this video. (YouTube link)

This technique for changing strings applies to ukuleles as well.

(Ed.) I use this technique and it works really well and saves a lot of time when restring a guitar or ukulele.

Using Classical Guitar String Set on Ukulele

A ukulele is constructed basically like a small classical guitar. As such, s lot of the same concerns and information, technique and resources can be used for ukulele.

Here are a few links and resources for some great information on classical strings:

(source: FleaMarketMusic.com) Any classical guitar strings will work. You'd only use the D G B and E strings. As far as I know there aren't any unwound classical D strings.

  • Use the classical guitar D string for the uke G.
  • Use the classical G string for the uke C.
  • Use the classical B string for the uke E.
  • Use the classical E string for the uke A.

(Ed.) Any gauge string would work depending on how much tension you like on your strings. A favorite brand is Savarez. I've use Savarez Alliance strings (red package) on my tenor ukes.


"C" Tuning (G C E A) Low "G"

Savarez Alliance (red card-R)
  • E-1 KF Plain Treble Standard Tension .024, 541R for the A
  • H-2 (B-2) KF Plain Treble Standard Tension .027, 542R for the E
  • G-3 KF Plain Treble Standard Tension .033, 543R for the C
D'Addario Pro-Arte
  • D Light Silverplated Copper Wound .028, J4304 for both the low G and low A bass strings

"D" Tuning (A D F# B) Low "A"

Savarez Alliance
  • E-1 KF Plain Treble Standard Tension .024, 541R for the B
  • H-2 (B-2) KF Plain Treble Standard Tension .027, 542R for the F#
  • G-3 KF Plain Treble Standard Tension .033, 543R for the D

This is the same set as a Low "G", "C" Tuning.

D'Addario Pro-Arte
  • D Light Silverplated Copper Wound .028, J4304 for the low A bass string

This is the same set as a Low "G", "C" Tuning.


"G" Tuning (d G B E) High "D"

Savarez Alliance

(red card-R) and high tensions (blue card-J)

  • Plain KF Treble High Tension .033, 543J for the D
  • Plain KF Treble Standard Tension .027, 542R for the E
  • Plain KF Treble Standard Tension .033, 543R for the B
D'Addario Pro-Arte
  • D Light Silverplated Copper Wound .028, J4304 for both the low G (string 3)

Using a High "G" set for low

 

(source: Brudda Bu, FleaMarketMusic.com Forum) Brudda Iz used a tenor uke in low "G" tuning.

Brudda Iz used a regular high G Martin string set, but this is how he used the strings.

  • For the G string, he used his C string and tuned it low.
  • For the C string, he used his E string.
  • For the E string, he used his G string.
  • He left the A string in the normal place.

String Diameter, Density and Material

The affect of material, diamter and density on strings.

If the string material is the same, a smaller diameter string requires less tension at identical pitches.

If the diameter is the same, a denser material requires less tension at identical pitches.

Depending on how much smaller in diameter and the density of the material. A denser material and smaller diameter requires more or less tension.

Here are a few links for additional information:

Online String Resources

A few online resources for string and information.

Big City String Co.
Bridgeport CT 06606

link.png Links

Listing Info click here to show or hide more info

( from listing's site ) -

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JustStrings.com
20 Mont Vernon Street
Milford, NH  03055 USA
Phone-603.673.1104
Fax-603.673.1107

link.png Links

Listing Info click here to show or hide more info

-

There site has the tensions listed for the string sets. Nice touch and very reasonable prices. Here is a link to the gauge that I use for my American Archtop 7 String Legend: Jazz BeBop Series BB114. I just add a .081 round wound 7th string.

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String Express
3 Clydesdale Close
Biggar
United Kingdom
ML12 6GH
Tel: 01899 220099

link.png Links

More information available on listings's web site.

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Strings By Mail
PO Box 7192
Ann Arbor, MI 48107
Phone: 1-734-929-0862
Toll Free within the USA: 1-800-513-8271
Fax: 1-734-929-0874

FED EX, UPS, Local Pick-up:
Strings By Mail
117 East Liberty St
Ann Arbor MI 48104

link.png Links

 Info click here to view more info

There is some great information on nylon strings, such as tension, scale length,

Strings for Acoustic Bass, Autoharp, Baglama, Bajo Sexto & Bajo Quinto, Banjo, Bouzouki,Cavaquinho, Cuatro, Guitar, Elextric Bass, Ukulele, Fiddle, Lute, Mandocello, Mandolin, Pedal Steel, Oud and more...

This is where I get my Savarez single strings for my ukes.

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Bridge Pins, Picking Strings, Tying Strings to Tuning Pegs and Bridge, etc...

 

Tying Strings

  • Tiki King "How to" section, How to change strings - link

    Slotted bridge, Tie bridge, Pin bridge

  • Tying Strings to Tuning Pegs and Bridge, Kawaiki Ukuleles - link

Bridge-Pin

Bridge pins are used on some musical instruments to locate the string precisely in the horizontal plane, and in the case of harpsichords to affect the sustain of the strings.

Slotted Bridge Pins have a groove or slot cut in them which providing room for a string to pass between the pin and bridge.

Solid Bridge Pins require a notch in the bridge to for the string.

Bridge Pin Material affect the tone of the instruments and can be any material and typically wood, bone, plastic, fossilized ivory or metal.

  • Bridge-Pin Science by John Mickelson - link

    What role do bridge pins play in sound? Aren't they just to keep the strings from flying off?

    Site discusses slotted vs. no slots. Bridge pin material and how it affects an instruments tone.

  • Guitar Bridge Pins and their effect on tone by Mury's Music

String - Tying Knots

Several knots for keeping to pesky strings from slipping.

In my search for learning what knot to tie a string end for use on ukuleles with bridge pins.

String Action

 

Action, the height of the strings above the frets, measured at the 1st and 12th frets. Action at the 1st fret is primarily affected by the depth of the slots in the nut, while action at the 12th is affected equally by the nut and the saddle.

  • Action and playability, Mya-Moe Ukuleles - link
  • Lowering Action at the Bridge on Ukulele, by Frank Ford - link
  • Checking Nut Action, by Frank Ford - link
  • Lowering Action at the Saddle, by Frank Ford - link
  • String Action Gauge, Stewart-MacDonald - link

    Measure string action (the height of the string above the fret) at any point by placing the gauge behind the string. The string height markings are at increments of .010" (ten thousandths of an inch). When the bottom of a mark aligns with the bottom of the string, that measurement is the string height at that point.

    The markings themselves are .005" thick, so referring to the top of a mark instead of the bottom adds .005" to the measurement. In this way the progressive string height scale measures in .005" increments.

Ukulele String Types

What are the diferent types of string material used for ukulele strings?

Real Gut Strings

"Cat Gut" is made from the intestines of the sheep or goats. For a long time, catgut was the most common material for the strings of harps, violins, and viols, as well as other stringed musical instruments, although most musical instruments produced today use strings with cores made of other materials, generally steel or synthetic.

Nylon Strings

There are two types of Nylon strings. Extruded, and Ground. Extruded strings are made by pushing hot nylon through a small hole ground strings are furst extruded and then ground down to size.

Florocarbon Strings

Basically fishing line. A brighter sound than nylon string.

A very technical description of Florocarbon can be found on WidipediA:

Synthetic Gut Strings

Aquila has a trade name Nylgut. A synthetic material created ti have to feel and sound of traditional gut strings with out the traditional problem os gut strings.

Thanks for visiting and checking out my site!

Content is always being added and updated. So check-in often. Curt Sheller

INDEX.PHP | Updated: Tuesday, 09th March, 2010 @ 08:04am

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