Which bridge stringing do you have/prefer?

Which stringing method do you have/prefer?

  • Slotted bridge

    Votes: 16 21.9%
  • Tie bridge

    Votes: 32 43.8%
  • pin bridge

    Votes: 9 12.3%
  • through the body tying

    Votes: 16 21.9%

  • Total voters
    73

Nickie

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I hope I haven't repeated this....here goes.
Which stringing method on the bridge to you prefer?

1. Pin bridge
2. Slotted bridge
3. Tie bridge
4. Through the body

Can you say why?
 
I have pin bridges, slot bridges and tie bridges. Tie bridges are my least favorite, pin bridges are the easiest and neatest to change strings on, slot bridges second.

Oh, my UBass has through the bridge, haven't changed strings on it yet.
 
I have two tie and two slotted. Both are good. With tie block the tie bridge is easy to change string and re use string only played for a short period of time. My next tenor I want a string thru system. Just want to try it. Having played guitar for year the only one I'm not in a hurray to go to is pin bridge.
 
My favorite is the slotted bridge, and my least favorite is the through the body type.


Scooter
 
I have slotted, tie, and through the body types, and prefer the through bridge. It has a clean look and requires less fiddling to change strings once you get the hang of it. Never had a pin bridge.
 
I have experienced all types of bridges mentioned.

The easiest to change strings, for me, is the pin bridge, which may look a little over-the-top on a small uke, though.

Hardest to change strings is the through-the-body type; almost impossible for me to change just one string at a time.

Slotted bridges would be easy and light, but I've seen knots slipping and slots tearing.

So I guess to me, the usual tie bridge is a good compromise of looks and functionality. They may be more problematic in how the strings pull at the bridge, but I have never personally experienced bellying or that a bridge got pulled off.

There seems to be advantages and disadvantages to every type of bridge.
 
I have not tried pin bridges or through the body, so I have no comment on them.

I currently have a tie-bar bridge and a slot bridge. I really really hate the slot bridge and think the tie-bar works fine. On the slot bridge, I've had knots slip and I've had to sand out one of the slots to fit thicker strings. No problems at all with the tie-bar.
 
I always look for a tie bridge, very easy & secure, (when you have learnt how to successfully tie the knots ;) ), you can also use a knotted string with (or without) a bead, if you so wish. :)

I've only got one slotted, that's on my RISA Uke Ellie, I don't like it, & I had to file it out to fit a low G.

I remember pin bridges from my guitar days, I had one fly out when strumming, not too keen on them.

Through body sounds like a good idea, but a lot of aggravation just to change one single string, probably the best mechanically though. :cool:
 
Visually, and for ease of changing strings, I prefer a tie bridge (especially the nice old-fashioned chunky ones).

But yes, knots (even double & triple knots) tearing through, taking chunks of the bridge with them, and whole bridges coming off, make those feel a little less secure - so, for practicality, durability and ease of mind, I prefer a tie bridge.

I don't have any hands-on experience with the other two kinds.
 
I have ukuleles with tie bridges, slotted bridges and pin bridges. There is something to be said for tie bridges. Its stood the test of time and generally doesn't cause any problems. I have one ukulele with a slotted bridge. It works with care but it needs to be very accurately slotted or there will be problems. These are both what we will call top mount systems. They are traditional on classic string instruments as the string tension isn't usually high enough to pull the bridge off but it has been known to happen.

Pin bridges and through body are BOTH thru body types. The BIG technical advantage here is that the string is anchored under the top so there is zero risk of pulling the bridge off. Pin bridges work brilliantly with ball end strings or strings you fit a bead to the end of. The nature of the design is that the hole is big enough to fit a ball end through which anchors under the bridge plate when the pin pushes the ball end SIDEWAYS. Bridge pins are designed to resist sideways forces ONLY. Not vertical forces. Tying a knot or two in you classical strings isn't usually enough and leads to problems but with a ball end or bead on the end of your strings its a great system.

What we are referring to as through body is where there is only a tiny hole just big enough for a string and its held in place by a simple knot on the end of a string. Technically its a very good system which is reliable and avoids any of the possible pit falls of pin bridges but trades this for a slightly awkward string changing regime. Its not that difficult to change these strings but you need to get the technique right.
 
I do have ukuleles with each type of bridge. The tie bridge is traditional, looks and functions very nicely but I prefer the through body type. Custom builders like Moore Bettah, Kinnard and Ono have switched over to this style of bridge, these guys know their stuff. I understand that there is a mechanical advantage to this method and I know changing strings can more difficult. I just really like how clean and slick everything looks with this bridge.
 
Every ukulele I have owned is a tie bridge. I tend to change strings more often then necessary, just to try something new. I do not have an issue with the knots.
 
Mine have the tie bridge. That's just what they came with. I'm pretty good at tying things, as my brother was a Boy Scout and I was a sailor for a while, so wrapping them and tucking the ends under the next is pretty easy for me. I think that I would like to try the slotted bridge, it just seems so simple and quick, but I'm not going to buy another ukulele to do it.
 
Both of our ukuleles have slotted bridges. The guitars of my former life had tie bridges and pin bridges. I could live with either on a uke. I do not think I'd like a "tie through the body" bridge at all.

A tip for those with slotted and tie bridges: Tie your string end in a knot and then melt the end of the string with a bit of flame from a lighter. The heat will cause the tip of the string to ball up. It will make it almost impossible for the knot to untie itself, which is most likely to happen on the thinner strings. I learned this technique while studying classical guitar.
 
Through the body seems really tedious to be honest, and regardless of benefits from the construction, not something I would like on any uke I have.
 
Slotted. Pins are a deal breaker, and I even find tie bridges to be too fussy for me - while I can tie the knots, I'd prefer not to. I've never encountered through the body tying on a uke and I'm pretty sure I'd consider that fussy as well. For me, simpler is always better.
 
My first uke, a Pono tenor purchased about a year ago has a tie bridge. Being new to the uke I went a little crazy trying different strings, must have had 8 or 10 different sets on over several weeks. I never had a problem with the tie bridge until I tried Fremont Blacklines and tied the knot as usual but on both the C and E string the knot slipped loose under tension and the result was two little dents in the perfect finish. I consider it newbie mistake- I should have added an extra loop to the knot! I like the tie bridge now that I've gotten used to it.. but I share this here as a cautionary tale as it did seem the Fremont's were more prone to slipping.
 
My favorite is the one I've used the most when changing strings (tie bridge). My least favorite is through-the-body (because I've never done it, and some of the comments here about it are scaring me from it). The slotted ones are the easiest, but so easy that I think that something must be wrong or the uke can't be that good if that's all it takes. Last night I changed a pin bridge uke for the first time in at least a year, and dreaded it -- until I remembered/realized that it's as easy as my favorite (back to the tie bridge, and I'm done).
 
My fave is through the body/bridge stringing. I hope it doesn't scare anyone off. It is the easiest for me. Strings come wound in the package and this shape makes it easy to get the string out of the soundhole. It just takes a little niggling and holding my mouth just right. I do tie a piece of C string into the end of the A string, so it doesn't slip through the bridge during tuning.
2 ukes at our house have it, and if I ever buy another uke, it shall have this type of bridge. Neat, clean looking, and some folks think it helps sustain.
 
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