Excess string

matakazer · Jun 23, 2015

So I bought some strings to test out which one sounds best to me on my ukulele. I have a question to ask regarding the excess string. Am I safe to cut it away. As in would I be able to put it back on again if I decided to remove it in the future?

By the looks of it, it seems like I can cut it away but I just want to make sure

Norman2 · Jun 23, 2015

matakazer said:
So I bought some strings to test out which one sounds best to me on my ukulele. I have a question to ask regarding the excess string. Am I safe to cut it away. As in would I be able to put it back on again if I decided to remove it in the future?

By the looks of it, it seems like I can cut it away but I just want to make sure [/QUOTE

Hi, If you want to re-use the strings leave about 2" from your tuner shaft. You will be able to string it again, Regards
Norman2]

DownUpDave · Jun 23, 2015

My experience has been that as long as you have 4-5 wraps around the post you can trim it flush and have enough for a redo. These strings stretch a lot so make sure when restringing you start with no slack in the string.

There are so many video that recommemd to have slack.........this is wrong unless it is a wound string. It is critical that the wraps end short of the post bottom. You do not want the string to overlap on top of itself. This is a sign of too much string caused by starting with slack in the string. Overlap can cause tuning and intonation issues.

matakazer · Jun 23, 2015

DownUpDave said:
My experience has been that as long as you have 4-5 wraps around the post you can trim it flush and have enough for a redo. These strings stretch a lot so make sure when restringing you start with no slack in the string.

There are so many video that recommemd to have slack.........this is wrong unless it is a wound string. It is critical that the wraps end short of the post bottom. You do not want the string to overlap on top of itself. This is a sign of too much string caused by starting with slack in the string. Overlap can cause tuning and intonation issues.

I have slack of 2 fret distance but the strings wraps around nicely. I insert the string through the hole and start wrapping it from top to bottom with no overlapping.
IDK why some video started tying or wrapping the excess a few rounds before turning the tuning pegs but I didn't do that. I am doing it right I guess?

May I also ask what is a wound string?

Doc_J · Jun 23, 2015

I agree with Dave.

If i'm planning to only try out a string, I'll probably leave only about 1 to 2 inches of string extended from the tuner spindle, just to make it easier to re-string up on the next instrument. For a tie-bridge I'll leave an inch of string there also if I plan to re-use the string elsewhere.

ubulele · Jun 23, 2015

I leave about 1/4" to 1/2" of string at each end. Along with the winding around the spindle, this is plenty to restring. When sellers have clipped the strings flush, I've had trouble trying to rethread them on the spindle due to all the curl; just a little excess takes care of that, and you can put a little extra pinch on the string end by sandwiching it between the two top wraps.

To get the right number of wraps, I pre-wind two or three wraps on the string before feeding it through the spindle, having the end emerge between the two top wraps. (Place a finger on top of the spindle to keep the pre-wraps from popping off during the threading. Or use one of those black clips used to hold together a small sheaf of papers.) Then tug to remove remaining slack. This way, you no longer have to guess about the amount of slack to start with, nor must you hold the string taut with one hand while you turn the tuning button with the other, a rather awkward undertaking.

Hippie Dribble · Jun 24, 2015

Yes, leave as much excess as you are comfortable with. Sort of the same principle as a builder would use...once it's been cut you can't get it back!!! But you always can trim it right back once they've bedded in and you're happy with the sound on a particular uke.

Excess string

matakazer

Active member

Norman2

Active member

DownUpDave

UU VIP

matakazer

Active member

Doc_J

Well-known member

ubulele

Well-known member

Hippie Dribble

Guest

Similar threads