Ukulele Strings

Wacky World of Ukulele Strings

There are many important ukulele resources, but the ukulele strings you choose are probably the most important.

Ukuleles come with different types of strings that can affect the sound and have different life spans. The older, authentic ukuleles had gut strings. These strings were all that were available and they were subject to problems with changes in humidity and temperature.

If you buy an older ukulele, you might get some of these strings. You can get new gut strings to replace the older ones, with the new ones being sealed and less problematic. But, you can also make a number of different choices now that weren't available before . . .

Nylon Strings

When nylon came into the musical world, most ukulele players stopped using gut strings and opted for nylon strings. They offer some of the advantages of being impervious to moisture and temperature changers. They still sound good, and most of all they are relatively inexpensive – a big plus! There are different types of nylon strings and the more you spend the better quality you will get. There are even wound nylon strings that offer a good quality sound, but they are not to be cut or they unwind.

Fluorocarbon Strings

This is a polymer type of string that has a livelier sound than nylon strings. They are also more expensive than nylon strings. It is a very tough material that allows the string to have a smaller diameter than the nylon strings.

Metal Strings

There are combinations of nylon and metal strings or just plain steel strings. Either way, they have a very different sound than the pure nylon, gut, or polymer strings. They also can be too heavy for a ukulele, so when you tighten them, you can risk damaging the instrument.

Choosing Your Strings

Whatever strings you choose, you should keep some spare ukulele strings around for when you inadvertently break one. Experiment with different strings to get different sounds and see which one you like the best. It can be a fun and entertaining exploration. Do be careful when using steel strings. Don't over wind them or you can risk breaking the ukulele.

After you've tried several different types of strings, you will figure out which are easier to replace and which have the sound that you like best.

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