Uke issue..

Ame

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Alrighty, so here's the dealy. The E string slips out of place when I play it sometimes...

Here's a vid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJbqVwGWokc

and here's a picture:

2533396418_d365f401a3.jpg


I dont know what's wrong.. :\

Thanks for any help guys!
 
use a nail file thats what i did with one of my ukes.
 
might just have to replace the nut
after this im out of ideas
 
i would say just try to do it yourself... but if you are seriously afraid of messing it up, i say take it to a luthier and have him just put a fresh nut on it, or carve it...

its a small issue that you could just take care of yourself (and alot cheaper to handle yourself)

best of luck in your repairs.
Bassukuguy
 
i would say just try to do it yourself... but if you are seriously afraid of messing it up, i say take it to a luthier and have him just put a fresh nut on it, or carve it...

its a small issue that you could just take care of yourself (and alot cheaper to handle yourself)

best of luck in your repairs.
Bassukuguy

yea I think I'll just do it myself. I dont have money anyways for repairs haha
 
can you post a couple different angles with the string in the slot? when you look at it from the side, does the bottom of the E sit higher above the fret than the other 3? If not, you may want to be careful about cutting the slot deeper or it will buzz against the fret. most likely, you just need to make the slot a little wider, cutting it into more of a U shape as opposed to a V shape. Am I making sense? Anyways, the additional photos may be helpful.


Good luck!
 
If you're going to do it yourself you can get a nice set of files that will work well by going to your local Home Depot and buying a set of the files that they use to clean the tips of oxy-acetylene welding torches. They're cheap! (Last I checked they were under $5, but that was a bit ago).

Also, it's very hard to tell from the pic, but it looks like the back of the slot (the part closest to the tuners) sort of "vees out" whereas the other strings seem to be sitting deeper. If you can deepen the slot in the back, and make sure that your string is wrapped around the peg with the string spiralling down from the hole in the peg (so that you have a steeper angle over the nut) you ought to be able to make it stick better without changing the action.

Man, that's harder to describe than I thought it would be. If it doesn't make any sense, holla! I'll try to answer specific questions.
 
HH is right. My added advise is go slow. Do a little bit at a time. If you go too deep you WILL have to replace the nut. Its easier to take some off rather than to fill it up and do it again. Just start cutting into the nut on the edge that is closest to the tuners. that way the string will sit in the groove better and not pop out. Try locate a FINE blade or file that is thin enough like the groove. a think hacksaw blade should fit. go slow though. go very slow.
 
You may be able to simple wind that particular string the other way on the tuner which would lesson the angle of the string from the nut to the tuner. I've had to do that on a few ukes because the angle was too great. I have to think twice before trying to tune those ukes tho.
 
Hobbit has great advice Also When you retie your strings make sure they wind from the top going down so at the pitch it is coming from the lowest poist on the tuning the more angle may help also.
 
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