Friction Tuners for N00Bz...

tad

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Okay, I've been wanting a sopranino for a while now, and my student loan check came in, so I went and got myself an Ohana sopranino. I figure it's the cheapest solid-wood uke you can buy, anyway, at 150 with case and MGM love.

But there's a problem. It's got friction tuners.
And I still haven't mastered those things. The one uke I had that had friction tuners, I traded 'em out for some geared tuners. I still haven't learned to adjust to a 1:1 gear ratio...


So...

Any advice for someone who's completely new to friction tuners, as far as tricks, care and feeding, how to talk to them so they cooperate...?
 
just dont expect to have to turn it a lot is all I can say, I have used geared tuners since I started and when I got to play a 5k (which had friction tuners) I had no problem with them, I just had to make a slight adjustment
 
Just summing up some stuff that came along in earlier threads, off the top of my head.

1. "the screw" and tightening it. You only need to tighten them enough to keep your string from going slack, so turn it loose a bit and see if it sticks. If not, adjust with 1/8 turn per try. When it sticks and the string is in tune (= the tension you will be using), you're fine. Overtightening will result in difficult tuning and knackered pegs.

2. Tuning. Howlin' Hobbit suggested "pinching" instead of turning. As you will find out, turning a 1:1 peg will result in octaves you never knew were possible on a uke. So get a firm grip, and slowly slide-turn your fingers to turn the peg. Plactice, plactice, plactice. When you become a tuning master you will know, your hands will start to show a light pink glow.

How's this? Too basic, or useful?

When you are restringing, take one apart and take a look to see how it works. You're an academic right? Should be no problem ;)

(ah, feeding: they take small chunks of beef or mutton, with only a pinch of salt and some basil. Cook well to prevent congestion.)
 
Tuner Leverage

I made this to help my wife when we first started playing. It's a piece of oak that has a fork cut in it that just fits over the key. The longer you make it the more leverage you have. It really makes tuning easy when you are beginning. The only problem was the cats kept on carrying it off.
 

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Just summing up some stuff that came along in earlier threads, off the top of my head.

1. "the screw" and tightening it. You only need to tighten them enough to keep your string from going slack, so turn it loose a bit and see if it sticks. If not, adjust with 1/8 turn per try. When it sticks and the string is in tune (= the tension you will be using), you're fine. Overtightening will result in difficult tuning and knackered pegs.

2. Tuning. Howlin' Hobbit suggested "pinching" instead of turning. As you will find out, turning a 1:1 peg will result in octaves you never knew were possible on a uke. So get a firm grip, and slowly slide-turn your fingers to turn the peg. Plactice, plactice, plactice. When you become a tuning master you will know, your hands will start to show a light pink glow.

How's this? Too basic, or useful?

When you are restringing, take one apart and take a look to see how it works. You're an academic right? Should be no problem ;)

(ah, feeding: they take small chunks of beef or mutton, with only a pinch of salt and some basil. Cook well to prevent congestion.)

I've actually taken one apart before when I changed out the friction tuners on my Republic resonator (which now sounds amazing with Aquilas and a low G...) And yeah, it was helpful.

I knew about the screw tightening, but the pinching... that I hadn't heard before. I'm not quite sure I grok what you're saying, but it seems to precisely address what I'm having trouble with. I need to develop more finesse, I guess.

I made this to help my wife when we first started playing. It's a piece of oak that has a fork cut in it that just fits over the key. The longer you make it the more leverage you have. It really makes tuning easy when you are beginning. The only problem was the cats kept on carrying it off.

That's a really clever use of a lever! (Levers, of course, vying with the wedge in the contest to establish the coolest of the six simple machines...)
 
Student Loan

I went back and read the original post. I might go back to school since they are giving out student loans for new ukes :). You must be a student at Uke U.
 

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Here's the Pinch, don't twist thread.

The pinch technique is for that last few cents of tuning. You can still give a heftier turn if your string is still way off. The pinch thing is to stop the "shooting up too sharp followed by shooting down too flat" thang.

That's incredibly useful, HH-- that's pretty much on the nose the part that was a problem for me... getting it exactly right after I'm in the neighborhood. (Using mostly geared tuners is probably bad for me, as it gets me in the habit of twisting away casually...)

I'll definitely try that when my Ohana comes in. If I still can't get it, I might have to jury rig a twisting lever like the one above...
 
congrats on the new uke! i got the same just recently. i'm used to the friction tuners from my fluke so it wasn't too much of a pain to deal with. that howlin hobbit thread was very helpful to me as well.

I made this to help my wife when we first started playing. It's a piece of oak that has a fork cut in it that just fits over the key. The longer you make it the more leverage you have. It really makes tuning easy when you are beginning. The only problem was the cats kept on carrying it off.

that is brilliant!
 
HH -- this is for you: +1

You know the best stuff. Thanks.
 
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