Ukulele String Manufactures

My Personal Ukulele Strings Recommendations. click to show or hide more info

Here are a few ukulele string sets to try out first. These are sets that have a good reputation among ukulele players. I personally like the full line of Martin Ukulele strings and the Ko`olau 'Alohi strings.

Martin Ukulele Strings - Martin Clear Fluorocarbon Ukulele Strings
The Martin strings are the strings that I currently use on all my performance ukuleles.
Ko`olau Guitar & Ukulele Company - Ko`olau 'Ukulele Strings

Martin-M-600 Now using the new Martin Clear Fluorocarbon strings exclusivity.

I bounce between the Ko`olau `Alohi Strings and Savarez Alliance on my performance tenor ukuleles for years.

savarez_541R koolau-alohi I bounced between the Ko`olau `Alohi Strings and Savarez Alliance (Red Card-R) on my tenor ukuleles. Savarez now makes a dedicated ukulele string set for soprano/concert and tenor ukuleles. No low G, so I use the D'Addarrio Pro-Arte J4304 for the Low G. These are the same Alliance KF stings that I've always been using just in a ukulele package.

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.

Full line of Martin ukulele strings for soprano, concert, tenor and baritone ukuleles are available right here on my site. These are the strings I endors and use on all my performance ukuleles.

Select Ko'olau tenor ukulele strings are available right here on my site.

Savarez
Savarez S.A.
Capital de 731 500 €
SIREN : 784 124 463 000 59
APE : 363Z
5, Avenue Barthélémy Thimonnier
BP 133
69643 Caluire et Cuire Cedex
France Tèl : (0033/0) 4 37 40 32 00
Fax : (0033/0) 4 37 40 32 10

Links

Benefiting from the most recent discoveries, the classical guitar strings (three trebles strings made at first of plain gut and basses strings made of copper wound on silk (later on silver plated copper wound on silk)) have evolved into the use of monofilament nylon called plain nylon for the three trebles strings and of silver plated copper wound for the three basses strings.

( source: Savarez web site )

Info click here to view more info

Ukulele

Here is a tenor uke string set that I've been using for years:

Savarez Alliance (red card-R)

C Tuning, low or high G

E-1 KF Plain Treble Standard Tension .024, 541 R for the A and high G in "C" tuning
B-2 KF Plain Treble Standard Tension .027, 542 R for the E
G-3 KF Plain Treble Standard Tension .033, 543 R for the C
D-4 HT Classic Silver Wound Polished .033, 544 RH for the Low G

D'Addario Pro-Arte

C Tuning, low G or D Tuning, low A

D Light Silverplated Copper Wound .028, J4304 for both the low G and low A bass strings

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C. F. Martin & Co.
510 Sycamore Street
P. O. Box 329
Nazareth, PA 18064-0329
Phone: 610-759-2837
Fax: 610-759-5757

Info click here to show or hide more info

Martin-M-600 Established in 1833, C. F. Martin & Co. is the oldest surviving maker of guitars in the world. Currently the largest producer of acoustic guitars in the United States, Martin Guitar is creating some of the finest instruments in the music products industry.

Martin Ukulele Strings – Clear Fluorocarbon

Soprano (M600) | 19 | 26 | 34 | 22 |
Tenor (M620) | 21.6 | 28 | 34 | 25.6 |
Baritone (M630) | 22 | 26 | 34 | 35 |

C. F. Martin & Co., Inc., world-renowned leader in acoustic guitar and string manufacturing.

History of The Martin Ukulele
Frets.com has a History of The Martin Ukulele page.

The History of Martin Ukuleles - (link)

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Ko’olau Guitar and Ukulele Company
Kitakis Stringed Instrument Repair

401 N.Cane St. A-10
Wahiawa, Hawaii 96786
808-622-1064
fax: 808-622-1646 eMail: sales@koolauukulele.com

Click for a Google Map

Guitar
Ukulele

Listing Info click here to show or hide more info

( from listing's site ) - Ko’olau Guitars and 'Ukuleles are professional quality, hand crafted instruments. The shop is located in Kaneohe, on the Island of Oahu, Hawaii, approximately fifteen minutes from Honolulu, at the foot of the the beautiful Ko’olau Mountains.

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Aquila
Aquila Corde Armoniche di Peruffo Mimmo & C. S.a.s
Via Aviano 16
Caldogno
Vicenza
36030
Italy
P. IVA 02295710244
Phone: +39 0444 986972
Fax: +39 0444 989399

Aquila USA
P.O. Box 82761
Portland, OR 97282-0761
Ph/Fax (503) 788-5029

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Info click here to view more info

Aquila USA is the U.S. representative for Aquila Corde Armoniche, manufacturers of the finest gut strings and synthetic strings, for historical and modern musical performance.

Nylgut is a synthetic gut string.

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D'Addario Strings
J. D'Addario & Company, Inc.
595 Smith Street
East Farmingdale, NY 11735
tel: 516-439-3300 - fax: 516-439-3333

Listing Info click here to show or hide more info

Uke String Sets

J53 Hawaiian Ukulele Black Nylon
J65 Ukulele Clear Nylon
J68 Baritone Ukulele Clear Nylon/Silver
J54 Tenor Ukulele Silver/Black Nylon

This is set that I use on some of my tenors.

D'Addario T46 - Titanium T2 Hard Tension, Treble Set

For a high G tuning, order a single T4601 - 1st string (e) hard tension .0285. For a low G tuning use a D'Addario Pro Arté J4704 - 4th string (D), normal tension or a D'Addario Pro Arté J4303

I get my strings online at StringsByMail.com.

7 String String Sets

7 String guitar string set and singles available.

Has 7 string sets.
ECG24-7, 7-String Jazz Light .011-.065 Flatwounds
Single strings up to .070 (round wound)

(Ed.) For jazz this gauge is a little light. Most playerss start with a minimum of a .012 for string one. I start with a .014. Most jazz players also prefer a wound third string.

J71 Tenor Ukulele Set - Normal Tension

D'AddarioProArte_J71.gif The J71 Tenor Ukulele Set consists of an all-nylon string is inspired and guided by the virtuosity of D'Addario ukulele artist, Jake Shimabukuro. This set made from an assortment of Pro Arte' classical guitar string gauges from the EJ44 and EJ46 sets. All Pro Arte' strings are sorted by a sophisticated, computer-controlled, laser machine, which performs diameter/tension measurements and quality checks, ensuring that each set is well-matched, true-sounding and precisely intonated.

Editor Note: January 2010 I tried this set on my Ko'olau and the C and A strings where fine but the C string felt a little too big for me so I swapped in a Savarez string.

Item# / Note / diameter inches / diameter mm / tension lbs / tension kg
J4601, A, .029", 0.72 mm, 12.5 lbs, 5.67 kg
J4602, E, .033", 0.83 mm, 9.5 lbs, 4.31 kg
J4603, C, .041", 1.04 mm, 9.8 lbs, 4.45 kg
J4401, G, .029", 0.74 mm, 10.3 lbs, 4.68 kg

Info click here to view more info

D'Addario Debuts J71 Pro Arté Tenor Ukulele String Set

February 7, 2007

Getting the most tone out of the humble ukulele is now a reality with the new D'Addario J71 Pro Arté Tenor Ukulele Set.

This new D'Addario Ukulele Set consists of an all-nylon string set made from an assortment of Pro_Arté classical guitar string gauges, specifically from the EJ44 and EJ46. All Pro_Arté strings are sorted by a sophisticated, computer-controlled, laser machine, which performs diameter/tension measurements and quality checks, ensuring that each set is well-matched, true-sounding and precisely intonated.

D'Addario's efforts were inspired and guided by the virtuosity of D'Addario ukulele artist, Jake Shimabukuro, the Hawaiian born musician who has taken the instrument to dizzying heights, employing a range of techniques including tapping, striking, strumming and plucking. The range of tonalities Jake coaxes from his koa wood tenor ukulele, and his rapid fire delivery, are sure benchmarks for the aspiring ukulele player.

"I've always used D'Addario strings on my instruments," says Shimabukuro. "I'm pleased to say that the new D'Addario J71 set spells an end to mixing-and-matching strings to arrive at a usable set that sounds balanced and full."

More information available on listing's web site.

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GHS Strings
2813 Wilber Ave
Battle Creek, MI 49015
1-800-388-4447
FAX 1-800-860-6913

Info click here to view more info

(from their site) - Fourteen years ago Francisco Gonzalez, a very accomplished and knowledgeable musician himself, set out to design strings that would "respect the aesthetics, traditions and musical uniqueness of each instrument and the cultures they represent." His time and dedication produced the basic formulas the artisans of Guadalupe Custom Strings use to create strings that maintain a reputation for their exceptional quality, durability and craftsmanship.

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Hilo Strings
Bob Gleason/ Pegasus Guitars & Ukuleles
P.O.Box 160
Kurtistown, HI 96760
Phone/Fax (808)966-6323

Info click here to view more info

Hilo strings for ukulele are precision ground to close tolerances. This helps them stay in tune and play in tune. They are made from Tynex, which is more resistant to moisture than nylon.

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Kala
(pronounced Kah’ la )
P.O. Box 751149
Petaluma, CA 94975-1149
1 877 Uke Duke

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Over 120 Ukulele Models
UBass - Bass Ukulele
Tuners
Cases
Strings
Accessories

Funky Frets, Boyertown PA USA

Our family store, Funky Frets carries the line of ukuleles and accessories.

Listing Info click here to show or hide more info

Kala Brand Music Co. manufactures over 120 models of Ukulele, the Kala U-BASS, Ukadelic™, and the Uke Crazy line of Ukulele accessories. Kala Brand Music Co. also distributes Aquila Strings.

( from the Kala site ) - KALA BRAND UKULELES HAVE JUST BEGUN, BUT OUR ROOTS GO BACK A BIT.

Hawaiian Definitions of KALA (pronounced Kah’ la)

v. To forgive, a prayer to free someone from any evil influence.
nvs. Dollar, silver, money, cash, currency.
n. Surgeonfish, Unicorn fish
(Ono) Brand of Ukulele!!!

Hi, I’m Mike Upton, founder of Kala Brand Music Co. and Kala Brand Ukulele. I became acquainted with the charm of the ukulele at an early age as my Dad would strum the "uke" and sing old standards, entertaining the family, neighbors, and worshiping in Church. The sweet, soothing sound was the best pacifier for a fidgety child like yours truly, so as I grew up, you guessed it, I started playing the bass. Four strings like the uke, only much larger and able to rattle your teeth with the proper amplification i.e. Ampeg SVT 300 Watt Tube Head through a 8x10 cabinet. Anyway, back to the ukulele, I re-engaged with the uke while living on heavenly Lanikai Beach in 1991 with my lovely wife, Wendy. You were just starting to hear and see more and more people playing ukulele back then. My interest continued as I became the Hawaii Sales Representative for the Hohner Company in 1997. I found out very quickly that there were very few quality, affordable ukuleles available in the Islands. So with that in mind, I set out and with some help developed the popular ukulele line. In July of 2005 I went out on my own to start Kala Ukulele to continue to expand what is possible in the realm of quality, affordable instruments for the Ukulele Enthusiast and Novice alike.

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Curt Sheller • All Things `Ukulele and Jazz Guitar