friction pegs and restringing

steelarts

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Okay, my new uke has friction tuners :( I can't say I'm particularly fond of them but they do balance the instrument and give it nice clean lines. But I've been thinking, what happens when it comes time to restring? I've never had friction pegs before. Do you have to adjust/slacken them before you start winding on the new string or do you just start winding? It seems like it's going to be hard work if the answer is the latter! I feel like a bit of a dummy for asking this question but it's bothering me.
 
If they are the ones with tension screws on the end, I'd keep a small screwdriver handy, loosening and tightening them as you go.
 
Not sure what kind you have... I actually just restrung my Flea last night with Worth clears. It was my first time stringing it up. I ended up just getting enough tension on the string to keep it on the nut and bridge then running it through once, going halfway around the peg, then running it through again the same way. Then just tighten 'er up. Worked out fine... hope that makes sense. You definitely don't have to do as much cranking with friction tuners :p

Friction tuners are way more touchy than geared tuners, as you've probably found out already, but once you get used to them they aren't so bad. I prefer geared tuners though.

I second the small screwdriver idea. You want to tighten them down to where they move and not scrape on the head stock, but still hold the strings in tune and don't move when you lay the uke down or rest it against a wall. You will need to tighten them periodically.
 
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In general with any strings on any instrument, you want to give yourself at least a couple of winds around the post to hold it in place when you tighten it up. You want a little leeway. I'll usually pull the string through the hole on the tuner and then push it back a little bit for what I estimate is a couple times around the post. Pull the string up and away from the uke so it's taut at the post and the bridge and wind away.

I actually really like friction tuners for restringing for the simple reason that the 1:1 gear ratio takes so little effort to get them wound up. No cranking with a string winder. Just a few quick turns and it's done..
 
It's actually far easier to change strings with friction tuners. You only have to turn the tuning knob two or three turns to take up the slack instead of 40 or 50 turns with high-ratio tuners!

Lovesses my friction tuners, I does!
 
Thanks very much for your advice guys, it makes me feel a lot easier now. I was just wondering if you needed to slacken of the pegs first but of course, with a 1 to 1 ratio you're not going to be cranking the pegs around as with geared tuners; I didn't think of that, "Doh!" (I feel a bit like your Homer Simpson, OldePhart)
 
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