How Do You Restring?

Ukecaster

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I've received a couple of ukes in the recent past where the string connection arrangement at the headstock included some type of knot on the string posts, so when you go to restring, it's a real PIA (to me), requiring me to loosen it with a tiny jewelers screwdriver, just to undo that knot. That spells danger to me, sharp tools digging knots near a pretty headstock.

I've always used a method I've seen on an HMS video, Aaron, I think, whereby you go through the post hole, then the 1st wrap goes over the string, then all the other wraps under the string. This squeezes the string end between the first 2 wraps, and prevents slippage.

What's your method?
 
Knotting the string post seems weird. I've always wrapped like you describe: go through the post to about the next post, through the tuner post to that point, and wind going down the shaft. Cut after measuring or after winding depending on my mood. I probably should leave less extra with nylon strings than I do with steel as I tend to get way more wraps than I should need.
 
No knots at the headstock here, I do like you.
I probably saw the same video.
I probably strung a few ukuleles before watching it, not paying proper attention to the wrapping technique and winding downwards. Just had habits from a guitar with slotted headstock, where there is no up and down on the tuner, just side to side.

When stringing an ukulele that needs a knot at the bridge rather than a simple tie bridge, I wait a couple of days before cutting the extra length. A few times I have had the knot slip, and had to redo it. That is easier if you have a little extra string.
 
My contribution I want tell might have been also in the above posts, does not concern about the worry of slipping, there might be many methods and are mentioned above I'm sure.

It is good to have just right amount of slack before starting to wind the string on traditional uke tuners. Same as with acoustic and electric guitar similar ones. The aim is that newest winding is always the bottom one in the tuner "rod". That way it will look neat and I think ensures problem freer balancing when other tunings are tried and no sudden slippages in general. Pencil graphite in nut sluts might be a good idea too.

What is the right amount slack might change depending of the material and depends of course from the tuner rod diameter. With fluorocarbon I think no more than 7 cm (deflection) and nylons stretching I think more, maybe even less. With typical tuner peg diameter.

So mine was not about the initial few windings that should in general prevent any slipping. The slack is certainly needed for the initial windings.
 
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Agreed. I string through the post, wrap it around and pass under the string between the nut and the post, and when winding make sure that the string is coming off of the bottom of the post thus locking in the portion of the string that was originally fed through the post. (Sounds more complicated than it is.)
 
I've always used a method I've seen on an HMS video, Aaron, I think, whereby you go through the post hole, then the 1st wrap goes over the string, then all the other wraps under the string. This squeezes the string end between the first 2 wraps, and prevents slippage.

That's the way I do it. It was difficult at first, but now it's easy. I have a manual winder and also a battery-powered one.
 
Usually, on the thinner gauge strings, I poke the tag end through the tuner post, wrap it once around the post, then through the hole again. Cinch it tight, then wind it up.

Heavier gauge strings - once through the hole, then one wind over the string, the rest go under.

Sometimes the thinner strings still slip too much. When that happens I'll pass the tag end through the hole once, then wind it around the rest of the string one full turn before passing it through the tuner hole again. This effectively traps an overhand knot inside the tuner post.

When it's time to restring, I have a cheap stainless steel dental pick with the points blunted. This comes in handy when loosening knots in bridges and tuner posts alike.
 
Interesting. Never knotted. I used to pass through twice, but now I just pass through once and don't seem to have any issue. I think I could put a little more thought into my winding technique and final height of the string so I'll have to check out Aaron's video.

(My minor annoyance is with a lot of new ukes with tie bar bridges and how they come looped each string through the next ones. I don't get how that's supposed to look better, but that's a whole other conversation. )
 
Yet another who does it as described in the original post. I don't know why anyone would knot- I'd think it would weaken the string somehow (and yes, the PIA to remove them). And sorry, Glennerd, that's how I string my bridges lol. But usually only on certain shaped ones where there's a groove where the bridge meets the body that I can tuck them into.
 
Yet another who does it as described in the original post. I don't know why anyone would knot- I'd think it would weaken the string somehow (and yes, the PIA to remove them). And sorry, Glennerd, that's how I string my bridges lol. But usually only on certain shaped ones where there's a groove where the bridge meets the body that I can tuck them into.

Haha, fair enough! I’m glad some people like it.
 
I've received a couple of ukes in the recent past where the string connection arrangement at the headstock included some type of knot on the string posts, so when you go to restring, it's a real PIA (to me), requiring me to loosen it with a tiny jewelers screwdriver, just to undo that knot. That spells danger to me, sharp tools digging knots near a pretty headstock.

I've always used a method I've seen on an HMS video, Aaron, I think, whereby you go through the post hole, then the 1st wrap goes over the string, then all the other wraps under the string. This squeezes the string end between the first 2 wraps, and prevents slippage.

What's your method?

Interesting. I just put the string through the hole and turn the tuner knob. No slippage.
 
Interesting. I just put the string through the hole and turn the tuner knob. No slippage.

Very often, in my experience, this only works on the heavier gauge strings UNLESS I'm willing to just keep winding until the string stops slipping. The problem with that is there ends up being too many turns around the post.

I will adjust lengths until I have one neat layer of turns that only wind to a point that's just shy of the grommet on the headstock when the string is brought to pitch.
 
Interesting. I just put the string through the hole and turn the tuner knob. No slippage.

I believe that prior to watching the video quoted in the first post, I would either do this or put it through the hole twice.

I guess you have to hold the end right untill it has the first few turns, to avoid early slipping.

The technique for squeezing the string under the winding is neat though.
 
No knots at the post. I've never heard of that before.
 
This is how I do it. doesn't slip, and to take it out, you don't have to untie anything, just push the string

View attachment 116678

This looks interesting, but it looks like this might make a type of knot that could get pulled into the hole. Also, I've run into a few tuning pegs which have such small holes, a string will only pass through once. This will probably work on most though, I'll try it next time, thanks.
 
These slippage prevention measures are to me like making a knot to a necktie. I use tie or change strings so seldom, that I have to refer to a picture for both of these operations. Time and time again over years.
 
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