Changing Strings
Changing ‘ukulele strings takes some practice, but once you learn how, it’s something to look forward to, because it makes your ‘ukulele sound and play better.
1. Loosen the tuner until you can pull the string out of the machine head. Then undo the knot at the bridge and slide the string out of the bridge hole, making sure to keep the string from scratching the surface of your ‘ukulele.
2. Take the new string out of its pack and feed one end through the hole in the bridge. There should be two or three inches sticking out toward the ‘ukulele’s base.
3. Next tie a knot like this:
Loop the string over the top of the bridge and wrap it around the long side to the left. Then wrap around the part over the bridge, going over, under, over, under. The last under should go over the corner of the bridge and point at the ground when you hold the ‘ukulele.
4. Now pull on the end of string that goes to the nut, so that the bridge-knot tightens up.
…Or with bridge pins:
1. Loosen the strings and pull the pins and old strings out.
2. Tie a knot on one end of the new string. Feed it into the hole in the bridge. If there is a little slot you can rest the string in, do so.
3. Fit a bridge pin into the hole snugly, but not too tight (if there is a groove on one side of the pin, line this up with the string).
4. Pull on the long end of the string until you feel the knot settle into the pin. Push the pin in the rest of the way into the hole.
5. Pull the string across the fretboard and up the center of the headstock (in between the tuning pegs). Pull the string through the hole in the tuning peg until you have about an inch of clearance when you pull the string up off the fretboard (this distance changes depending on what string gauge and type you use. Heavier strings need more clearance, lighter strings need less).
6. Now place the string in the correct nut-slot and start winding the string counter-clockwise onto the tuning peg. The first time around, the string should go over the loose end to prevent slippage. Continue winding the string neatly below the loose end of the string until tuned.
7. Repeat steps 1-6 for the rest of the strings on your ukulele.
8. Now tune up.
Optional: You can pull the string off the fretboard a few inches to get them stretched and tight around the tuning pegs (this will happen by itself over the period of a few days, but doing this speeds things up). I also recommend clipping off the loose ends of the strings so that only around a 1/4 of an inch is left sticking out. I’ve seen guys who can wind up the extra string really nice on the headstock, but I haven’t figured out how they do it yet, so for me it’s an eye hazard.
