A *weird* way to secure strings to the uke?

bellgamin

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I'm interested in a cheap-from-China concert uke via Ebay. It's all solid mahogany (sic) & costs $72.99 w/free shipping. YEAH, I know -- it's a crap shoot.

Anyhow I noticed that this uke's bridge is slotted so that the strings are each fastened by a knot INSIDE the instrument's body. I would appreciate any & all answers/comments re the following questions:

1- Is this a good or bad or horrible way to secure strings?

2- How in the world would I remove the old strings then put in new ones?

Aloha from Hawaii
 
Do you mean a string-through bridge? Similar to a pin bridge, just without the pins? (Like this.) If so, I prefer those to slotted bridges by a mile. I remember Chuck of Moore Bettah writing that he went back to this style of bridge, and I mostly see them in higher end ukes. You funnel the strings ends through the holes and then fish them out through the sound hole, make a knot (preferably using a 4mm glass bead), and pull the other end out.

Or I completely misunderstand and you mean something different. In that case, are there any photos you could share?
 
Yes, it's a "string-through bridge". How difficult is it to fish the strings out through the sound hole? Where do I get 4mm glass beads? Sorry for the dumb questions -- this is virgin territory for me.
 
The beads you can get from crafting stores. I bought mine on eBay, they just cost a couple bucks for 200 of them. Important is that you check how big the holes in the beads are (I went with 1mm holes) and that they do have holes.

The fishing out of the string ends can be annoying, especially when it's the last one. If you twist and wriggle the string, it will eventually be close or under the soundhole, though. There are probably better methods, and maybe tools that can be used, but this works well enough for me.
 
Glad you asked the question, bellgamin, and equally glad you answered, mivo! My new ULO has a string-through bridge, and while it has lovely new Worth strings, I was wondering what the heck I would do when it was time for a change. Brilliant!
 
Fishing out the strings is no problem if you handle the bridge end for all strings before tying any of them to the tuner spindles.
 
I've been using the bent wire tool (soft wire, rolls into a circle and stays in my case), diamond beads, and I sure do loosen the strings before cutting.
 
Diamond beads?

String ties, like these. Probably a matter of preference, but I prefer round glass beads that have no edges when they press against the wood from the inside. And you get hundreds of beads for a fraction of the price.
 
I think this is a better system than either a slotted or tie bridge as the stress on the strings will push the bridge down so you are much less likely to get the bridge popping out. Slotted and tie bridges both apply a shear force to the bridge assembly and if the glue weakens over time, the bridge is liable to come off eventually. I notice some makers, especially of lower end ukes will reinforce the bridge with a couple of screws or dowelling through the top to reduce the chances of this happening.
 
Thanks! So we have options - tie a figure 8 knot, use a Diamond bead, a glass bead, a stone bead, a plastic bead, or even a wooden bead. Any advantages/disadvantages to any of these?

I can't answer this competently, but I use beads because they are smaller and have no edges. Those aspects (larger size, square-ish tie ends) may be completely irrelevant. I tried plastic beads and had an A string cut into the bead, so those plastic beads were probably too soft and my knot too small, so I switched to the glass ones. Allen of Barron River favored glass beads when I asked him (for a pin bridge uke, but same idea). No problems with those so far on a string-through bridge and the pin one.

Whether the material matters in any way to the tone, I don't know.

edit: I did a bit of reading, and apparently there is usually (always?) a so-called bridge patch under the string-through bridge, like a thin sheet of carbon fiber or wood. A side of effect of that is that the beads/etc. press against that patch, not into the sound board, and that the patch "spreads out" the pressure. So if I understand that correctly, neither shape nor material should make any significant difference (other than the issue with the soft bead I mentioned). Someone please correct me if this is wrong, though.
 
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This is surely the best way to string a uke. How many ukes have you seen with bridges torn off because of failed glue. You will never have that problem with "string through". If your uke has a hard wood backing plate under the bridge you may not need a bead, Just tie a figure eight knot. And changing strings is not a problem. Cut the old string or push it down the string hole till you can grab it, then fish it out the sound hole. Stick the new string down the string hole until you can grab it in the sound hole and tie the knot. If you want to use a bead, remember to put the bead on before you tie the knot, then pull the string up and attach it to the tuner. Can't imagine why the first luthier glued a slot bridge on a thin tone board. dumb idea.
 
I made one of my ukes into string-through after seeing that Pepe Romero Jr. does on his ukes. It seems to me to be a much smarter way of stringing at the bridge, it tightens the end string to the inside of the top while also tightening the saddle/bridge down onto the top, so that the force is not pulling on the end of the bridge that can ultimately tear it away from the top.
 
Good tip! Thank you! I could see myself doing it the hard way!

My Compass Rose is string through and it isn't much of a bother to change them one at a time either.
 
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