Aquila strings

I am getting an Electro-acoustic ukulele for christmas and I can't wait!
I would like to put some nice Aquila strings on it as I have heard one with them and it sounds really nice. My question is Can strings on an electro-acoustic ukulele be changed easily?

I have "west-side music centre" nearby, they have a workshop at the back where they work on guitars and I presume uke's as well because their shop is plastered with them. Do you recommend I go to them?

Any help is appreciated!
Cheers,
UkesAreCool

Hi, I'm new to the uke too. I just changed my strings for the first time last night (for Aquila strings as it happens), it was really easy & didn't take very long at all.

psy said:

Hi, I'm new to the uke too. I just changed my strings for the first time last night (for Aquila strings as it happens), it was really easy & didn't take very long at all.

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Was this an electro-acoustic ukulele?

You can easily change the strings yourself, you needn't go and pay to have someone else do it. Once you do it a few times, you'll be used to it and it'll be easy! It's really worth learning as changing strings is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to alter/improve the sound of your uke.

Here's a pretty good video on changing strings. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwNDkh43oqc

Be aware that there are different types of bridges and different ways to affix the strings to the bridge. The way shown in this video is one of the more common methods.


There's no difference in changing strings on an acoustic, electric or electro-acoustic. As I mentioned, how you put the strings on is based on what style of bridge you have and your own preference.

Thanks Jamie, I think the one I like has this type of bridge so I might have a go at stringing it myself! If not I can always take it to my music teacher at school and ask him to have a go
Thanks for all your help!

Cool. Using your music teacher to help out is a great idea. He might have a string winder too which will make stringing just that much easier. Plus, having someone right there to show you how's its done or to coach you through the process the first time would be very helpful.
And music teachers are cool!

The knot at the bridge can be a little intimidating the first time. This video has a good closeup demo for tying that knot:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyv7uOiXsbM

At the end of the day, if you are intent on playing uke, you really need to learn to change strings.

If you don't, you just know your luck - you are performing and "ping!"

Its not very difficult, just go slow and copy how they were done before you took them off.

Thank you all so much for recommending the videos; I just restrung my ukulele for the first time, putting Aquilas on it. It wasn't as hard as I thought it might be, and now I know I'll be able to do it always. Eureka!

I have no idea why but I sort of enjoy putting strings on lol

PatriciaPDX said:

Thank you all so much for recommending the videos; I just restrung my ukulele for the first time, putting Aquilas on it. It wasn't as hard as I thought it might be, and now I know I'll be able to do it always. Eureka!

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Empowerment!

First time I changed strings, I messed up somewhat.

First I took all the old strings off first and when I came to tie the knot I wasn't very clear what to do. Fortunately I figured it out OK. The other mistake I made was to cut off the excess string at the tuner end too soon so whenever I increased string tension, the strings kept slipping out of the tuner. I though I would have to send for more strings but I did manage to sort it in the end. Fortunately I had left rather a long 'tail' at the bridge end so I retied the knot closer to the end of the string, then tied a little knot in the other end of the string and held it taught while winding it on to the tuner. The knot then prevented the string from slipping through the hole in the tuner and I was able to tension the strings and tune them OK. Fortunately the uke was a 'klunker' so I could put it all down to experience and it was still usable - and sounded much better for having decent strings. I eventually gave that uke to a charity shop when I bought a replacement.

Next time I changed strings I did not cut anything off, thinking it would be best to let the strings settle and let the tension take up the slack properly at both ends, so I tied the spare string at the tuner ends neatly in a loop and left a short tail at the bridge end and left them until the strings had settled properly. I still haven't cut the spare off, though the strings have been settled for some time and are holding their tuning well. Perhaps I'll get round to it sometime. The uke in question is my cheaper one which I mostly use for practice at home.

That said, changing strings is not a major job and doesn't take long and it's worth learning to do yourself so you're not reliant on others, especially if a string goes when you're out.