Uke bass strings suck

[Bob E]

My solid body Rondo special came with Aquila Thunderblacks. The E and A strings are a little sticky feeling and there is a scratchy attack on every string that kind of drives me nuts. I can minimize it if I dial out the highs and hit the string just right, but then it kind of looses some of the upright sound that I'm looking for.
Aquila Thunderguts are the same dang thing in a cream color.
Road Toad Pahoehoes aren't as sticky and have less string noise, but they are a major PITA to put on and tune up. They also have lighter and uneven string tension that doesn't play well with the under saddle piezo pickup. I already had to drill out the holes through the body to get the D and G strings on there. I don't really want to cut up my saddle for these strings. I can get a good approximation of their tone just by boosting the bass a little more with the Aquilas.
Is there anything better?

 

[fretlessguy]

I understand where you are coming from. To be honest......I do not think the best set has been invented yet. There is something missing and yet something good about every set I have used. The one set I have not tried yet are the flatwounds. I would love to try a 5 string set of flats in
B E A D G for my KALA Calli solid body or maybe even an extra long set for it in a set of Reds. For now I will just rock on with what I got. Gotta love those uke basses.

 

[Bob E]

I'm tempted to put the piezo bridge and preamp from my Hadean on a 6' 2x4 and see what happens with a set of weedwackers.

 

[iiipopes]

There are other u-bass strings being made now, so there are now several types of sets, from the Road Toad to the Aquila offerings you mentioned to actual metal flat wounds by Galli and others. I prefer the Silver Rumblers on my bubinga Kala U-Bass, but I understand what you are experiencing with the articulation, so that may or may not be an alternative for you. Silver Rumblers are similar to Thunder blacks, but a bit more tension and a bit less roll under the fingers in my experience. I gig with my u-bass often. To help with the articulation and tone, I use more of a double bass pizz technique, where I roll my right hand in a little bit and pluck more off the side of the tip of the finger than the top of the fingerprint of my finger. Links:
https://kalabrand.com/collections/u-bass-strings
https://aquilacorde.com/en/modern-music/bass-ukulele-ashbory-bass-strings/

 

[Rabidhamster]

Dust with Corn starch thats what folks did with the ashbory bass strings iirc

 

[xyloeye]

I really like the sound of my Kala. It still has the original strings. They're making me crazy - so sticky. I have flat wounds (La Bella Deeps) on my fretless Sadowsky. I'll never change. I use the Kala for my excursion into bluegrass from my usual jazz stuff. What do you think about putting flatwounds on the Kala? Would Aquila Silver Rumblers be a better choice? I'm confused. Thanks for your opinions.

 

[SomeGuyIThink]

I always thought that it was because of the size and so to get the low notes you need the rubber.

 

[Michedelic]

I always thought that it was because of the size and so to get the low notes you need the rubber.

Upgrades retain a rubber or nylon core, but feature a metal or tape wrap. I have a Gold Tone 25” scale fretless M-Bass uke, and switched to their Silverback strings…

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