String Change Angst

Lanark

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Sure, I've got other ukuleles to play.

However the newest one is the one I most want to be playing and it's been just giving me the most fun to be playing for the past week. The neck is really fast and it's been leading me to all kinds of new directions. This is a keeper.

The problem is that the strings need to be changed really really badly. They're just dead and getting looser and buzzy and as much as I'm digging playing the thing it's getting hard to listen to. Plus it's a Sunday on a holiday weekend and besides playing some video games with the lovely wife and a couple loads of laundry, the uke is about the only thing on my agenda for this entire snowy gray day.

But if I change the strings, I won't be able to really play this ukulele for a couple of days until they settle fully but if I don't it'll continue to sound like poop.

*Sigh*

Well, I suppose I can count myself as extra lucky if that's the worst dilemma I face today. And it is an opportunity to try out the Worth Clear Mediums that have been sitting next to me for the last three weeks.

But still (*stamps feet petulantly*) I want to play with THAT one....
 
My advice:

As an educated classical guitarist I used to play many recitals some time ago.
I had to change strings very often, and faced the same problem as you have now.
My solution was to tune the guitar 1,5 to 2 steps higher (instead of EADGBE, GCEBDG) and put it in the case. And then, after about 30 minutes tuning it in the proper way.
Then I played for about and hour or two carefully tuning the instrument to the proper way every time I heard someting is wrong.
It usually did the trick. Of course I had to correct the tuning, but not as much as not using this method. On my classical guitar I was using Savarez hard tension strings.
I tried the same trick when changing strings in my uke last week. I changed GHS to Addario. It worked. Those strings are not as good as Savarez was, but
they were ok in acceptable time.

Please excuse my english. I'm quite tired.
 
I know how you feel, but I'd change them because after the first hour that the strings are on the uke the changes in pitch arent too dramatic, just keep a tuner handy and bring them up a little when you need to
good luck
 
A word of warning when it comes to tuning your strings a full step up. It's a small chance but make sure you are paying attention to your string tension. I had my A string snap two days ago and the welt it left is still lingering. It might just be a fluke occurance since it's the first time it happend.... but still something to think about.
 
I think it is obvious to check the tension when putting new strings on. I always do that by pushing the string a little with my right hand just above the sound hole, you can easly find this way when it is too far. About the fluke - check if the frets dont have sharp edges - or maybe just the string was old.
 
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