More string questions

First, I am always amazed at the knowledge and patience with people like me I find on this site. It is great. Now for the issue. Put the uke logic low tension strings on the Pono MTD. I don't like them (maybe ought to had yet). I had worth browns on. I really like a warmer sound. When all you smart people change strings, do you keep the old ones? Do you have sticker tabs to identify them in case you want to use them again?

plunker said:

First, I am always amazed at the knowledge and patience with people like me I find on this site. It is great. Now for the issue. Put the uke logic low tension strings on the Pono MTD. I don't like them (maybe ought to had yet). I had worth browns on. I really like a warmer sound. When all you smart people change strings, do you keep the old ones? Do you have sticker tabs to identify them in case you want to use them again?

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I'm impatient, so I cut my stings off when I change them. So I naturally throw them away. Even if I tenderly unwound the strings I think I would still throw them away because the ends would be all twisted and gnarled. I put a premium on my time and it isn't worth it to struggle with used strings, especially when strings cost less than breakfast at the corner diner.

I originally kept strings that didn't work on a particular tenor. Thinking I would use them on a different instrument. But it's just a PIA to tag them bag them and then try to get the curled ends to work in a different uke. If I played concert size as well as tenor, I might try to save some barely used strings for use on the concerts. But I play only tenors.

The few times I was successful at restringing a tenor with barely used strings, they didn't sound right when I brought them up to pitch. They seemed kind of dull compared to the original sound. But that could just be my imagination.

I can't help but wonder about stretching a set of strings and then releasing the tension and having them contract part way and then stretching them out again will be even and consistent in the string. But I'm no doubt over-thinking this. I've loosened strings to clean a fretboard or reposition a saddle and re-tightened the strings with no apparent ill-effects.

I don't change strings nearly as often as I buy them as I accumulate many more than a few years supply (and I bought extra sets a year ago worrying that some strings might become scarce or go out of production).

Even then, I believe I sometimes have saved them and put them somewhere in case I break one (which has never happened either). They are easy to save if you choose and there is almost no downside if you throw them away.

I don't keep the old ones. I acquired so many packs over the years that it will take a long time to use them up (bought some in bulk when I really liked them). If I don't like a set I am trying out, they go into the bin. This may be a bit wasteful, but I have trimmed down my ukulele herd quite a bit in recent years, and don't plan on adding more in the foreseeable future, so keeping them around for testing them on another instrument isn't useful.

I definitely keep them. Tag and bag em. I even have a page on my iPad of my string inventory. That way I can keep up with what I have available. Why? Because different strings sound different on different ukes. As a result, I have a drawer full of bagged strings. It's paid off on several occasions.
Here's how:
1. It allows me to experiment. For example - I have an 8 string baritone that normally is strung, dD,gG,BB,EE. I happened to have a set of Guadalupe strings designed to tune a bari GCEA, except an octave lower. Since I had this lower g in my string drawer, I put it on the 8 string Bari, and wowzer, it made a huge difference.
2. In the case of breakage - I simply go to the drawer and find a suitable replacement. Its happened at least twice.
3. It provides flexibility. I've often switched from Low G to Hi G (and back again) trying to get the most out of each instrument. Or sometimes, I Frankenstein a set - using an A string from one set along with a C string from another again in the attempt to get a certain sound out of an instrument.
4. It sets me up for a future uke. Once, I ended up selling a Concert, then a year later, received one in a trade. Its strings weren't so hot - but fortunately, I had saved some concert strings and I was able to restring the uke as I thought best.

Bill1 said:

If they do not sound the way I like when I fit them, instead of taking them off, I try to change the way I play to get the strings to make the sound I want. Or I just wait a week and they settle or I get used to them. You can do that and you will not vaporise of self combust.

A box of picks and some focus on technique can work wonders and can save you a lot of money.

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This ^ a million times over. Uke Logic are world-class strings. Just because you don't like them now doesn't mean you won't like them after a week of using them.

Anything different takes adjustment. I'm inclined to hate any new strings or ukes I try (even if they're really great) just because I'm so used to what I use. Does that make the strings or uke bad? No. It just means I need to learn to play to them. Give me a month to get a feel for it and I'll sound 95% the same on any good uke and strings.

I am in agreement with those who save their strings when a whole set is changed. I also don't change sets often and tend to wait until the strings literally wear out.

I used to save them. I had a lot of them here. I gave them to a guy in TBUS who is saving them to be recycled. D'Addario has a program. You have to send in two lbs. then they give you credit points toward new strings. Guitar strings are okay too. Now they don't have to go into a landfill.
I normally wear my strings plum out on my ukes to save money, so they aren't any good for another uke.
Due to intonation troubles, my luthier has me trying out a set of nylons, but I don't like them at all, so they aren't gonna get worn out. I ordered Worth Browns lites which are going back onto it.

rainbow21 said:

I don't change strings nearly as often as I buy them as I accumulate many more than a few years supply (and I bought extra sets a year ago worrying that some strings might become scarce or go out of production).

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Same. I feel like acquisition syndrome for me might actually be more strings than ukes. I do save them, mostly so I can try them on multiple ukes. But I haven’t really started doing that yet, and I’m not sure how good they’ll sound with each restringing. But it’s turning into a larger project than I anticipated, with plans to record samples and a spreadsheet to rate string/uke combinations.

Nickie said:

I used to save them. I had a lot of them here. I gave them to a guy in TBUS who is saving them to be recycled. D'Addario has a program. You have to send in two lbs. then they give you credit points toward new strings. Guitar strings are okay too. Now they don't have to go into a landfill.

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That’s great! Thanks for sharing this. I went over and checked their website. Looks like you have to create a free membership to do this, but then they’ll take care of shipping your old strings to them. Even without the credits, it’s great that they’re doing this.

Although now I’m wondering what two pounds of strings looks like.