string changing

Depends on how much you play, how hard you play, type of string you own, etc. Run a fingernail on the underside of your strings, do you feel grooves from the frets? If so, maybe time to change, or you can wait till one breaks;). A fresh set of strings may help brighten the sound of an uke with old strings, just as a good/quality set of strings will also.
 
I wish I could make heads or tails out of the description on the string changing blog entry to match the video. It's a bit difficult to describe a tie-bar bridge knot. What I need is an actual picture of it. :(
 
Plainsong said:
I wish I could make heads or tails out of the description on the string changing blog entry to match the video. It's a bit difficult to describe a tie-bar bridge knot. What I need is an actual picture of it. :(
Click to expand...

I've scoured the internet, and that tutorial is one of the best I've found. I'm still not exactly confident I could do it myself without screwing up the first attempt, though.
 
I you string "sing" correctly then its okay, if you have some doubts about string. Change it. 6$ is lought price ;]
 
Plainsong said:
I wish I could make heads or tails out of the description on the string changing blog entry to match the video. It's a bit difficult to describe a tie-bar bridge knot. What I need is an actual picture of it. :(
Click to expand...

Where did you see this blog entry?

I never tie my strings in knots. I just loop the string around itself at the bridge.
 
Well there are two types of bridges, well actually now there are 3 cuz of kanilea's bridge pins for their ukes. But what are u guys talking about the bridge with the 4 notches in them so u can make a knot on the string and have it locked into place into the notches of the bridge?

Like the one on the bottom?
AcoustBridgeBRI1BRIS5ABRIABRIMBRIU2357.jpg
 
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i got one from philippines that has that kinda bridge, it's a little more convenient cuz all u do is make a knot and slip it in there
 
I guess it's just one of those knots you have to in person and try to replicate. I've read the Uke Minutes blog that accompanied the video, and watched the video, but I can't see at all how the tie-bar bridge (the one where the string is pulled through a loop made on the other end of the string) knot works.
 
It's not exactly a knot. It's just a twisted loop and the tension of the string holds it against the bridge to prevent it from coming untwisted.

  1. Put the string through the bridge.
  2. Fold part of the end back against the main part of the string (about 1-1/4 inches of it) so that you're holding a little loop. You'll be pinching the very end of the string up against the rest of the string.
  3. Grab the round part of the loop and give it about 4 twists. It will look something like the twisting on the hook of a wire coat hanger. Don't let go of your "pinch point" during this.
  4. Now you have a littler loop at the end of the string with twists behind it running "up" the string. You'll have to adjust your grip now so that you're grabbing all of the twisted part.
  5. Put the other end of the string through that little loop and then pull it snugly against the bridge.
The loop part will be pointing towards the fretboard and the end of the string (the part that's been twisted) will point more or less towards the butt of the uke. The whole twisty part will be resting against the bridge.

The hardest part of this whole process is just making sure nothing comes untwisted. Once you've got it snugged against the bridge you'll have no problem with that.

EDIT: Boy! After posting this way (which is how I've always done those sort of strings) I find a nice, photo-illustrated article on an easier way to go about things. It's for a classical guitar but the knot is the same.

Hope this helps.
 
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seeso said:
Mine doesn't have notches in it.
Click to expand...

Yours must be broken, Hahaha, or custom?

I just changed my GHS strings on my kamaka tenor for the first time (I've been avoinding the task for a month now but after reading this thread I was inspired by this here thread, thanks!!). Its been over 4 months...Put on some Hilo strings and now my uke rocks once more!! It took me over an hour to figure ou:Dt how to wrap the string over the bridge, but once I got the first one everything went fine. One minor tuning this morning and the thing stays in tune.
 
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Would anyone know if the worth clear/brown tenor strings low g set, has a wound low g, or regular string?
 
How long does it take these strings to settle down and stop stretching? I put Aquilas on my uke (never changed them before) and they won't stop stretching. I am a steel stringed guitar player mostly and have never seen strings stretch like this.

I actually need to go back and remove some string from the tuners. With all the stretching, I have pretty much used up all the real estate on the tuning pegs.
 
With the Aquila strings, you can pull them tight with no slack at the peg before doing a lock knot and tuning them up. They will stretch to give you three or four turns. You can leave a little slack on the thicker C string and that will give a couple of turns.

You can also pre stretch them by pulling up (away from the fingerboard) on each string, and they stay a little better. They will still take a couple of days to settle down though.

Rod
 
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