How to String a Collings

Jerryc41

Jerryc41

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Unless you bought your Collings new, I bet it is strung incorrectly. Both of mine arrived that way. Unlike most ukes, when the string is inserted into the bridge, it should go in knot first and then pulled back over the bridge. The inside of the bridge is designed for that. Yes, I know the knot always goes in first, but this is different. It looks better, and it's less likely to pull out.

A friend had a string pull out of his Collings, and it damaged the bridge, requiring a new bridge to be installed. Below is a link to a PDF from Collings.

https://www.collingsguitars.com/img/faq/collings-ukulele-restringing-guide.pdf
 
Thanks for posting the guide. While not all (if any) ukes have a Collins style bridge, the tuning post part of the guide applies to a lot of ukes.
 
Interesting, never realized Collings recommended inserting the tail end first.

Although, I think the most important thing to keep from tearing out the string slot is to have a large enough knot in the string.
 
Thanks , always looking for this information.

Here is a small wrinkle to this information. Before I bought this instrument, someone made an alternation to this headstock. I had the friction pegs replaced with geared tuners.
9DB5044D-FB3A-4788-BBED-BF6836640E98.jpg

Note C string is not strung correctly, wrong side of screw.
 
Thanks for the link. I recently obtained a Collings Tenor, so this guide will definitely come in handy!
 
Thanks for posting this Jerry. I don't own a Collings, but who knows what'll happen in the future?
 
If you look carefully, you will see that when they show the fingers tying the string, the string is drawn - not photographed. Clever.
 
I wonder what the reason, besides cosmetics, for this. Just restrung a UC-1 like this, wait a few days to see if there’s any sonic difference, but so far none. It certainly looks cleaner, on close inspection.

It’s pretty rare for a knot to damage the bridge, though it does happen, and has re the OP’s buddy, maybe it’s just added insurance?
 
Last edited:
Would this approach work for other ukuleles with a bridge that uses a knot?

Why would a Collings need a different approach to restringing?

I'd love to learn more.
 
Joyful Uke said:
Would this approach work for other ukuleles with a bridge that uses a knot?

Why would a Collings need a different approach to restringing?

I'd love to learn more.
Click to expand...

It wouldn't work because Collings has a small hole drilled inside the bridge to accept that 1/8" of string beyond the knot. With a regular bridge, that piece of string would just come up against the bridge.
 
Jerryc41 said:
It wouldn't work because Collings has a small hole drilled inside the bridge to accept that 1/8" of string beyond the knot. With a regular bridge, that piece of string would just come up against the bridge.
Click to expand...

Ah, that makes sense. Thanks.
 
Neal said:
Bill Collings believed that the process of inserting the tail of the string into the horizontal hole will increase the odds that the knot will be pushed in toward the middle of the bridge rather than riding the back edge of the bridge (where the wood could possibly chip out due to the upward pull of the string). Does this make sense?
Best, Mark

Mark Althans
Collings Guitars, Inc.
11210 W. Hwy 290, Bldg C
Austin, TX 78737-1913ph (512) 288-7776
www.collingsguitars.com
www.waterlooguitars.com
Click to expand...

Sounds good to me.
 
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