String winding around the tuners - does it affect anything?

kissing

kissing

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 30, 2009
Messages
4,362
Reaction score
592
I've heard two conflicting references to this, so I would like to ask (I can't find an answer from using Search).

When putting on new strings on a ukulele (or any string instrument for that matter), does it matter how many times it winds around the tuning head?


I recall in one of Ken Middleton's videos, where he comments that he's unsure why the folks who setup the ukulele he was reviewing had coiled the strings around the tuners so much, as this could adversely affect intonation, etc.


But then the repairman at my music store said to me the other day that he always does at least a good 3-5 windings of the string around the tuning head, as it has an effect on the tone.



This has me confused. Does the way you wind the string on the tuners matter? :confused::confused:

I'm asking because sometimes I put strings on ukes/guitars with hardly any windings around the tuners...
 
I'm not an expert and will wait for the luthiers, but I thought the number of windings, per se, doesn't matter so much as to make sure there are enough to get the string to eventually come out at the base of the tuning peg so that the "break" angle is optimal at the nut.

Let's see what the pros say. Good question, kissing.
 
I've never heard that more winds equals better tone. The more winds you put on an 'ukulele, the harder is to tune. So I always go for as few winds as I can get away with. If I could use locking tuners I would!
 
Hippie Guy said:
I've never heard that more winds equals better tone. The more winds you put on an 'ukulele, the harder is to tune. So I always go for as few winds as I can get away with. If I could use locking tuners I would!
Click to expand...

That's a good point. If locking tuners exist for guitars, the number of winds probably doesn't matter too much.

I just get enough winds to make sure it's going to stay on, and doubling back the head of the string to go in the tuner again for extra holding strength.
 
As far as i am concerned, and this goes back to 20 plus years with guitar

1. Make sure the winds go down the post not up to ensure a break angle from nut.

2. I don't use as few winds as poss but you need a couple to stop slipping

3. Don't have so many such that they overlap. Bear in mind with uke strings they stretch a lot!

Who've followed those rules and never had issues with tuning, intonation, slipping or breaking.

When I put a string on, I pre-stretch first. Then when tied to bridge, put through tuner and pull taut and begin winding. Doing this I have between two and four turns on each post. It varies as the fatter strings need less. The C string in my experience the least
 
Being that I don't deal with tying knots in slippery wire very well, I don't loop the string around multiple times like how the experts on youtube say to do it. I just pull through the tuner, and then slip the head of the string back up again into the tuner if it fits, like experimentjon. If the string is too thick, like the C and E strings of some string sets, then I do an over under knot, after much swearing. I do pre-stretch the strings and I've never had a problem running out of post or being in any danger of the string doubling over itself. If it doesn't wind towards the headstock, I've done something wrong. I've not had frayed or broken strings or slippage using this method.
 
The more windings you have, the farther down the shaft of the tuner you go. So, too few and you may not have enough down-bearing (a piano stringing term) and the string may not seat effectively in the nut slot, depending on the instrument. Too many, and you may have too much down-bearing (same term) and the string may have a tendency to stick and jump through the slot, making tuning harder, again depending on the instrument. If it has any real technical effect it's either going to buzz because the string doesn't angle down enough or it may be a bit problematic to tune because the angle is too great, depending. Intonation problems? I doubt it.

I always shoot for about three windings and get all four strings to look as uniform as possible. Trim the strings nice and short. Neatness counts.
 
Last edited:
kissing said:
I've heard two conflicting references to this, so I would like to ask (I can't find an answer from using Search).

When putting on new strings on a ukulele (or any string instrument for that matter), does it matter how many times it winds around the tuning head?


I recall in one of Ken Middleton's videos, where he comments that he's unsure why the folks who setup the ukulele he was reviewing had coiled the strings around the tuners so much, as this could adversely affect intonation, etc.


But then the repairman at my music store said to me the other day that he always does at least a good 3-5 windings of the string around the tuning head, as it has an effect on the tone.



This has me confused. Does the way you wind the string on the tuners matter? :confused::confused:

I'm asking because sometimes I put strings on ukes/guitars with hardly any windings around the tuners...
Click to expand...

For a uke, 3-4 times around the post in a neat manner is plenty like "stevepetergal" mentioned. If after a time you have more then that, trim the string a bit. The string wound around any post, uke or guitar, isn't going to have much or any effect on the tone IMO. It is not going to have any effect on the intonation either. Intonation is a matter of string length between the nut and bridge saddle, string height over the fingerboard, string diameter, fret spacing and how hard or soft the player presses the string without sideways movement. It is my opinion and some music store employees will tell you anything that gets you to fix something that doesn't need fixing to spend some money or, they are idiots, or both.
 
stevepetergal said:
The more windings you have, the farther down the shaft of the tuner you go. So, too few and you may not have enough down-bearing (a piano stringing term) and the string may not seat effectively in the nut slot, depending on the instrument. Too many, and you may have too much down-bearing (same term) and the string may have a tendency to stick and jump through the slot, making tuning harder, again depending on the instrument. If it has any real technical effect it's either going to buzz because the string doesn't angle down enough or it may be a bit problematic to tune because the angle is too great, depending. Intonation problems? I doubt it.

I always shoot for about three windings and get all four strings to look as uniform as possible. Trim the strings nice and short. Neatness counts.
Click to expand...

Yea, spg agrees with me (and he knows). I got this one!
 
I have never heard that too few or too many windings affects the sound. Actually that thought seems really quite silly. I've heard you want to wind it enough so that the strings won't pop off. Is this not correct? I always wind so that I have 3 loops.
 
With nylon based strings, (as opposed to steel on a guitar)
I was always told that no more than three winds around the
capstan was maximum,as the string will continue to stretch
on there and make tuning new strings last even longer!
 
Once I'm up to pitch, a string has no more than three windings. It'd be an alarm bell if I had more, thinking ahead to when the strings stretch more. I've not ever had intonation issues or other glaring problems, other than knot-tying. Bead endings for uke strings is an idea whose time has far past.

Are you guys winding the string around three times and then tuning up to pitch? What happens when the string stretches and there's only so much room on the post?
 
Plainsong said:
Once I'm up to pitch, a string has no more than three windings. It'd be an alarm bell if I had more, thinking ahead to when the strings stretch more. I've not ever had intonation issues or other glaring problems, other than knot-tying. Bead endings for uke strings is an idea whose time has far past.

Are you guys winding the string around three times and then tuning up to pitch? What happens when the string stretches and there's only so much room on the post?
Click to expand...

I cut each string at a point where it will come up to pitch with about three windings. Then after a week or so, each may have perhaps another half a winding, and there it will stay.
 
stevepetergal said:
I cut each string at a point where it will come up to pitch with about three windings. Then after a week or so, each may have perhaps another half a winding, and there it will stay.
Click to expand...

I still don't really get it, but that's because I'm not generally handy at things like this. How are you getting the string to stay on the post before tuning? I just loop the string head back through the hole, if there's room. I loop the string under itself (with swearing) if there isn't room.

On YouTube, the experts loop it around once or twice and I never got why you need to do that. It doesn't make it easier or better in my experience. Maybe I'm just not meant to understand these things, but it seemed a good thread to ask. At least one person does it like me.
 
bazmaz said:
1. Make sure the winds go down the post not up to ensure a break angle from nut.
Click to expand...

I think this could be the crucial factor...

Sometimes when a particular string has trouble winding around the tuning head (cheap ukes?) I just tie a knot to affix it onto the tuning head and turn.
This would sometimes result in the string just being wound once or twice around the posts.

Would this result in a lack of break angle affecting the tone... perhaps?

I've got one of my bass guitars tuned like this too.. only 1 or 2 windings... ah well.. I guess next time i change strings, I'll do at least 3 windings.
 
sukie said:
I have never heard that too few or too many windings affects the sound. Actually that thought seems really quite silly. I've heard you want to wind it enough so that the strings won't pop off. Is this not correct? I always wind so that I have 3 loops.
Click to expand...
Well, now you know from stevepetergal and bazmaz, it's not silly. Fun to learn from UU.
 
So yet another thing I don't understand and am not doing right and should be having all sorts of problems when I'm not. Great.

I seriously don't have enough skills with my hands to argue with the string getting it to wind around a few times and then doing.... (what, I have no idea) something and tuning it up. Or else I should be having problems? I still don't get it.
 
Plainsong said:
So yet another thing I don't understand and am not doing right and should be having all sorts of problems when I'm not. Great.

I seriously don't have enough skills with my hands to argue with the string getting it to wind around a few times and then doing.... (what, I have no idea) something and tuning it up. Or else I should be having problems? I still don't get it.
Click to expand...

If it works don't worry about it. I think you don't understand because you need a visual or hands on instruction. It ain't rocket science. I started to stress that I was doing mine wrong, but wait, the uke plays, no buzzing and good intonation stays in tune. Let's not over think it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

K
String winding and buzz
Replies
0
Views
213
Kimosabe
K
The Epigrammic Poultry
The winding on the g-string of my baritone wearing extremely quickly
Replies
2
Views
944
BR Ukuleles
B
J
Tuning/Intonation experiment/cure: (String winding)
Replies
7
Views
4K
jimmybookout
J
c-hwll06
Small quality amp for a 6-string bari/guitalele under $200
2
Replies
20
Views
373
chris667
chris667
T
Accidentally tuned low G string an octave higher - did I damage my new uke?
Replies
4
Views
207
merlin666
M
Top Bottom