Mailbag: On Fluorocarbon Ukulele Strings

Question from: Concerned Ukulele Player

"I notice that you have used Martin Fluorocarbons on ukes in the past and in a couple of recent instruments you have used the D’Addarios. I am curious of your thoughts. I recently strung an instrument with them. It seems to me that the D’Addarios are perhaps a little warmer and maybe a little more balanced, but I am not sure. The Martins may have a little more shimmer, which may be just a brightness. I am never sure as after a short I am not sure of my memory of sound or feel.

Curious about what you have found?"

Reply from: Jake

"I stopped using the Martins when they got inconsistent (intonation, same thickness throughout) about a year and a half ago. The D'Addarios are VERY consistent and, yep, sound great. I've been using them for everything [ukulele] as standard strings since.

The low G tenor uke set from D'Ad with the unwound G is also fantastic -- short-scale bari ukes can use it to tune to a step above DGBE (like capo on 2) and long scale ones can tune DGBE and still sound great... all plain, too. On soprano you can get "low A" with them -- ADF#B -- which is neat, too, and on longer-scale sopranos ~14" you can get the low G out of it.

I also like Worths but I only really [use] them for my own instruments or specific use due to cost and fuss of having to remember that they're 2-sets-in-1 because of the length. :) Their clears are a little more sparkly than the D'Ads and their browns are more mellow and fundamental-sounding."