high tension strings, the bridge, and time

valde002

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I have some new-ish and older ukes that I mostly store, take out once in a while (all are tie bar bridges). I have noticed that on some the string slots of the E and A, the string has created a groove in the slot, as if the sustained tension has been pulling through the wood.

Is it common practice to reduce the tension on the two highest strings while not in use? On my 8 string it looks the bridge is starting to separate between the C and E, along with the aformentioned problem. I do keep the humidity in check with Oasis humidifer and have a whole-room humidifer to maintain a healthy range.

I have reduced the tension on all of my ukes because of this and will tune each only when I play, leaving the lowest two alone because of the lower tension. I only came upon this when I saw a Youtube video about detuning a Requinto because of the same problem (these are bigger than the uke but with the same tuning).
 
Always keep your ukuleles in tune. To tune up means unstability as plastics always tend to favor the previous stable state. Call it tuner friction or whatever.

If you are afraid of high tension, then other strings. If ukulele bridge failure, then bad things happen or was not strong enough.
 
Uhh... maybe you mean the saddle... the bridge is the wooden part that is glued to the soundboard. The saddle sits in a slot in the bridge. All my ukes have bone saddles.

My tech guy told me that I should not let my seldom-used ukes get more than approximately 1/2 tone off from where I tune them when playing.

I have some ukes that are several years old. Not antiques but old enough to have problems, maybe. They are kept tuned GCEA with fluorocarbons. Bone saddles. No discernible saddle deterioration so far. Maybe your deteriorating saddles are not bone. In any event, buffalo bone saddles are cheap & plentiful on Ebay. Easy to replace sooo .....o
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By the way, I like to loan out my newer, but seldom-used ukes to players I trust. Haven't had an "injury" to a loaner yet. I also like to lean an idle uke against the woofer of my stereo. I think they enjoy the vibrations. ... Okay, so maybe I really am a teeny bit weird. ��
 
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