The ukulele is a fun and easy instrument to learn which is why it makes a great beginner’s instrument. Like a guitar, players pluck the string with their fingers or a ukulele pick to create a sound. Over time, these strings wear out and need to be replaced. Since there are many types of ukulele strings in the market, we’ve found the best ukulele strings and reviewed them below. Take a look through the strings below and find the strings that will work the best for you.
Overall Best Soprano Ukulele Strings
The nylgut offer a more clear sound than the regular nylon or fluorocarbon strings. The nylgut compound simulates the feel and sound of traditional gut strings.
Features:
• Nylgut material
• Durable
• Fast settling
Overall Best Concert Ukulele Strings
These Hawaiian ukuele strings provide a balanced, yet punchy, sound.
Features:
• Balanced, punchy sound
• Nylon material
• Black strings
Overall Best Tenor Ukulele Strings
The “Nyltech” material provides warm, gut-like overtones while remaining comfortable to play.
Features:
• Nyltech material
• Comfortable
• Gut-like overtones
Overall Best Baritone Ukulele Strings
They feel great, are easy to play with, and provide a clear and vibrant sound.
Features:
• Crystal nylon
• Rich tone
• Great feeling
Best Ukulele Strings
What to Look for in Ukulele Strings
String Material
Ukulele strings can be made out of many materials, but the most common are nylon, fluorocarbon, and titanium. Steel strings are less common than they are for guitars since the tension created by steel strings tends to be too strong for ukulele bodies. For beginners and those using smaller ukuleles, we recommend nylon strings.
Size of the Ukulele
You will need to make sure you know what type of ukulele you are buying for before purchasing strings so that you get the right length. Soprano ukuleles are the most common and the body measures 21 inches and the scale is 13 inches long. Next are concert ukuleles which are a bit longer at a 23-inch body with a 15-inch scale. Tenor and baritone ukuleles are the longest measuring 26-inch (17-inch scale) and 30-inch bodies (19-inch scale) respectively.
All Ukulele Strings
We’ve reviewed the ten best ukulele strings and ukulele string brands below. Read through the various pros and cons of each. Most of the strings below are for the soprano ukulele so be careful when choosing the strings that you need if you have a concert or tenor ukulele.
1. Aquila New Nylgut AQ-4 Soprano Ukulele Strings
Aquila makes high quality strings for many instruments, but is especially known for making great ukulele strings. They make several types of ukulele strings, but the nylgut offer a more clear sound than the regular nylon or fluorocarbon strings. The nylgut compound simulates the feel and sound of traditional gut strings. The manufacturing produces a string that is gauged with perfect intonation and durability.
2. D’Addario EJ87S Titanium Ukulele Strings
A brand that’s famous on orchestra instruments and guitars also makes ukulele strings. These D’Addario uke strings are snappy with a bright tone which gives them a very dynamic sound. They are also quite affordable (less than $5 at the time of this writing). They will definitely make your soprano uke sing.
3. GHS H-10 Hawaiian Ukulele Black Nylon Strings
These Hawaiian ukuele strings go great with black tuners and provide a balanced, yet punchy, sound. Because they are made from nylon, they are very comfortable to play with and provide a nice, clean sound.
4. Martin M600 Standard Concert Ukulele Strings
As famous as Martin is for guitars, it is equally known for ukulele strings. Martin manufactures these M600 strings such that they allow for precise tuning. They are able to hold their tuning for hours and days on end so you don’t need to keep fiddling with the pegs.
5. Aquila Colored Soprano Ukulele Strings
Another great ukulele string brand by Aquila, these colored strings are bound to make your ukulele stand out. Each string is a different color and the strings are designed to stay tuned for an extended time so you can keep blowing the crowd away whether it’s your cat, family in the living room, or fans in the crowd.
6. D’Addario Nyltech Ukulele Set, 6-String Tenor (EJ88T-6)
These D’Addario nylon strings are a great option for tenor ukuleles. The “Nyltech” material provides warm, gut-like overtones while remaining comfortable to play.
7. Aquila Red Series AQ-86 Concert Ukulele Strings
The Red Series of Aquila ukulele strings are made from high quality materials which provide a snappy and bright sound. However, they are a bit pricier than some of the other strings on this list so we recommend them more for intermediate players.
8. D’Addario EJ65TLG Pro-Arté Nylon Ukulele Strings
The Pro-Arté strings are manufactured by one of the leading strings companies in the world and provide a mellow tone with a solid sustain for your tenor ukulele. The low G string is wound which helps to give it a an extra deep tone and sustain.
9. Aquila 115U Lava Series Ukulele Strings
Another great set of strings by Aquila meant for tenor ukes. The Laval series features colored strings which are inspired by volcanic rocks of Hawaii (where else would you want to listen to a uke’s melodies all day long with these strings??). They provide a solid and vibrant tone due to their Supernylgut strings.
10. Martin M630 Baritone Ukulele Strings
While 10th on our list since baritone ukuleles are less common, these are our favorite baritone ukulele strings. They feel great, are easy to play with, and provide a clear and vibrant sound.
11. Aquila 89U Red Baritone Ukulele Strings
These Aquila baritone ukulele strings provide optimal volume and a comfortable playing experience. The only downside is that the wound strings can be a bit squeaky which is why we recommend the Martin’s above over the Aquila for baritone ukuleles.
Conclusion
Choosing which ukulele strings you want can be a tough choice. Thankfully ukulele strings are relatively cheap so you can try several different brands before settling on the one you like. You can even mix and match sets on the same ukulele if you like the sound of a string from one brand over the other! Be sure to check out what other ukulele accessories you’ll need!
