knot problems

Hi all,

so I just got a new tenor and bought new strings to throw on it. this is my first time restringing uke ever, and this one has a tie bar bridge and a slotted headstock. I got the bottom three strings on okay, but the g string is giving me a really hard time, and I'm afraid that I'm going to damage my uke/the strings. so here's what's been going on: I did the same tie bar bridge knot that I did on the other strings, and then I started tightening, but when I got to a certain point, the knot would snap and come unwound. So I left a much longer tail on the knot, but the knot is still snapping when the string gets tight, and all of a sudden the string goes way lower than it was. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong, it worked on the other strings anyone have an idea?

thanks,
Tina

the last time, did the string/knot come undone? If not the Knot was just tightening.... you should be ok.

JT

a couple times the knot came completely undone, so that's when I just left a lot of extra tail, but after it kept cracking, I just pulled the string off entirely

Not exactly sure why this is happening. Take a look at this web page of LiveUkulele.com. Maybe the knot is not just right? http://liveukulele.com/gear/changing-strings/

it might be your knot itself... certain knots will only hold in a natural fiber rope, not a synthetic rope, and certainly not a synthetic string.

If you're using fluorocarbon strings, pull the string through the hole and then create a ball at the end by melting the tip with a lighter. Tie the knot as you normally would. The ball should hold the string from slipping out.

Check out the famous UU string changing video for great guidance.

When square knots slip, I try figure eights. Hold the string in your left hand, letting the tail droop off to the right. Grab the loop and give it two counterclockwise half (seen from above) twists. Pick up the tail and stick it though the loop. Pull tight. Done. It also works well in creating a fatter knot when a simple square knot slips through the bridge slot.

uke5417 said:

When square knots slip, I try figure eights. Hold the string in your left hand, letting the tail droop off to the right. Grab the loop and give it two counterclockwise half (seen from above) twists. Pick up the tail and stick it though the loop. Pull tight. Done. It also works well in creating a fatter knot when a simple square knot slips through the bridge slot.

Click to expand...

I figured it out! It was as simple as looping the one end around the other one more time, which is, I think, exactly what you said to do here. Wow, relief. For a really sad hour there, I was positive that I had somehow managed to kill my new uke. But it's still alive!

Thanks all for your help!

austin1 said:

I figured it out! It was as simple as looping the one end around the other one more time, which is, I think, exactly what you said to do here. Wow, relief. For a really sad hour there, I was positive that I had somehow managed to kill my new uke. But it's still alive!

Thanks all for your help!

Click to expand...

Hurray!

(And if you ever take up rock climbing, you now know the knot used to tie the rope into your harness.)

gah i hate restringing and i have to put some aqulias on my new waverly street ukulele but they are tied in the body haven't done stringing like that before should be "fun".