True Confessions

consitter

consitter

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Okay, I'm here to admit something that everybody's gonna laugh at, but that's okay. Here goes. I've played ukulele for over six years and until last night during the superbowl power failure, :sigh: I had never strung a uke. There. I've said it.

And the most terrible thing about it? IT WAS SO EASY! I had been paying those guys at the local guitar shop $12 a pop to basically rob me. Oh well, you live, you learn. I had watched two or three videos on youtube about it, until I saw one Aldrine posted for UU. Then it clicked in my head. Worked like a charm. Did it in less than 30 minutes, and that didn't count putting my little girl to bed in the middle of the process. And I re-did one of the strings, just because I wasn't satisfied with it. Not to mention, I didn't have a string winder.

Which reminds me, a string winder is on the shopping list, because winding grovers takes a while and my wrist was hurting by the time I finished.

Alright, I opened the can of worms. You all can take pot shots at me now. I'll pwn it.
 
oh, it's ok! I only have a couple of ukes with tie bridges, so I usually have to look up how to do it. I like pin bridges and whatever you call the string-through bridges. They make life a little easier.

just about everything is hard until you try it. Which reminds me, I need to learn to set up a uke...
 
Okay, seeing as you asked for it....

LaughingHardSlappingTable.gif


I can't believe an experienced player would pay someone that much. First time maybe, and get them to let you watch how it's done.
I've been playing uke for about 1 1/2 months now - thought played cello etc in my past. First thing I did when I got my tenor ukelele was switch my G string to a low G. Then I switched hubby's Mahalo to being left handed.
The one thing I was scared of was on my Islander, cos it has bridge pins & I'd never dealt with those before. I watched a video, took a deep breath & I did it. Now I won't be scared of bridge pins. Next thing to try is the friction tuners. Oh yeah, and the thread-through bridges.

I know what you mean about the winding, but do winders really make much difference?
 
Katz-in-Boots said:
Okay, seeing as you asked for it....

LaughingHardSlappingTable.gif


I can't believe an experienced player would pay someone that much. First time maybe, and get them to let you watch how it's done.
I've been playing uke for about 1 1/2 months now - thought played cello etc in my past. First thing I did when I got my tenor ukelele was switch my G string to a low G. Then I switched hubby's Mahalo to being left handed.
The one thing I was scared of was on my Islander, cos it has bridge pins & I'd never dealt with those before. I watched a video, took a deep breath & I did it. Now I won't be scared of bridge pins. Next thing to try is the friction tuners. Oh yeah, and the thread-through bridges.

I know what you mean about the winding, but do winders really make much difference?
Click to expand...

I have a VERY expensive custom and a KoAloha Pineapple Sunday, so I was just afraid to do it. And as far as the winder, I have carpal tunnel, so yeah, it'll help stop some hurt.

Oh yeah...
































STUFF IT!!!
:smileybounce:
 
Tigeralum2001 said:
oh, it's ok! I only have a couple of ukes with tie bridges, so I usually have to look up how to do it. I like pin bridges and whatever you call the string-through bridges. They make life a little easier.

just about everything is hard until you try it. Which reminds me, I need to learn to set up a uke...
Click to expand...

What are you calling a tie bridge?
 
eugene ukulele said:
check out the first diagram on this link Scott, it basically tells you step by step what to do...tie bridge is a bridge where you literally tie the string on, it's much easier than it sounds. Also check the clips which give demos on how it's done - to suit the style of tuners you are using.

http://www.myamoeukuleles.com/restringing.html
Click to expand...

Yep. That was exactly what I did. I feel so liberated now.
 
consitter said:
I feel so liberated now.
Click to expand...

ok, good. My turn. I picked my nose in grade 4 and stuck it on the seat of a girl I didn't like. Then she sat on it and it stuck to her dress. Ha ha

ooooh...that feels much better. Kept that tight for thirty years, it's been eating me away man :p
 
eugene ukulele said:
ok, good. My turn. I picked my nose in grade 4 and stuck it on the seat of a girl I didn't like. Then she sat on it and it stuck to her dress. Ha ha

ooooh...that feels much better. Kept that tight for thirty years, it's been eating me away man :p
Click to expand...

Sooooo, that would make you 39? If so, you're but a whippersnapper. Or do they number the grades differently for you upside down folk?

More importantly, please tell me you don't pick your nose before handling your ukes!
 
consitter said:
Sooooo, that would make you 39? If so, you're but a whippersnapper. Or do they number the grades differently for you upside down folk?

More importantly, please tell me you don't pick your nose before handling your ukes!
Click to expand...

ha ha...no, 41. Maths not a strong point for me. More of an apple and cherry picker these days bro...
 
Bill1 said:
String winders are good. Two things to watch put for when using them.
The stupid thing slips off the knob while you are winding, and you put a dent in the uke somewhere, either where the winder hits or somewhere else because the whole thing moves and hits the side cutters or something else. This will possibly not happen if you put the uke on a bench top (like your ironing board) and support it.
You don't monitor the tension when you are getting close to being in tune and you over wind the string a few turns and it snaps and hits your hand and stings, then you have to find another string at 10.00 pm at night.
Click to expand...

Heh. Yeah. And that would be pretty bad considering I get my strings mail order, and it takes a week to get them. Only 2 places on the internet carry them, the guy that came up with them in the first place, and right here on UU.
 
Just so happy you are finally doing it yourself, and realize there is nothing to it. Good stuff.
 
I've done it three times in 11-1/2 months, and I'm dreading doing it again. I have about 12 sets of strings sitting around, so I guess I should just be a big girl and give it another try.
 
kvehe said:
I've done it three times in 11-1/2 months, and I'm dreading doing it again. I have about 12 sets of strings sitting around, so I guess I should just be a big girl and give it another try.
Click to expand...

If I can do it, anybody can do it. Just wondering, do you have geared tuners or friction tuners?
 
Thank you! He will be finished on 02/27, so I should have him the first week in March (chocolate heart mango tenor). When I ordered him in July, I said he would be in honor of my chocolate Lab/Shepherd, George. Unfortunately, George will most likely be going to heaven in the next week or so, so the uke will be "in memory of" instead.

OK! Back to a discussion of string-changing!
 
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