tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4724767841739249964.post2888424296652750567..comments2024-03-26T17:50:42.904+00:00Comments on GOT A UKULELE - Ukulele reviews and beginners tips: On Ukulele String Changing OpinionsBarry Mazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731777711884288947noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4724767841739249964.post-77725304166446358172016-01-11T13:56:43.519+00:002016-01-11T13:56:43.519+00:00When to change strings is a debate all stringed in...When to change strings is a debate all stringed instrumentalist are familiar with. To the best of my knowledge, after many years of plucking, picking and strumming a variety of instruments, I have to say, it depends! How often do you play, how hard, and what style and which strings you use.<br />The occasional strummer may well get away with a year or more. A finger picker may notice subtle changes in a month or less.<br />Nylon and other compound strings usually need a "settling in time" and this is what can put folks off. The job itself needs no more than 1/2hr.<br />I invariably tune new strings up a tone or two, leave for an hour or so and repeat. It helps to have more than one uke so settling in is not so frustrating Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4724767841739249964.post-46954361840683674232016-01-11T00:08:33.498+00:002016-01-11T00:08:33.498+00:00Bravo for this well-meaning and well-written artic...Bravo for this well-meaning and well-written article on the question of when to change strings on a ukulele. Like you, my view on this subject has undergone changes over the years. My first ukulele was a gut-strung Sears Silvertone when I was a teen-ager that was destroyed on a school bus before the strings ever needed changing. My second ukulele was a nylon-strung Martin concert 1-C model bought new in 1961, which received quite a bit of play over the next 10 years, a period in which the strings were never changed. In August of 1971, however, I was motivated to write a letter to C. F. Martin in Nazareth, PA to ask several questions about my instrument. I told Mr. Martin that the original strings on my Martin concert ukulele still sounded "mellow" after a decade of use. He kindly responded to my many comments and questions, and his reply to my still-intact 10-year-old strings brings a smile even today when I re-read it: "Being made of nylon they are quite durable and a reserve supply is not needed." As time passed, I began to experiment with strings other than the Martin brand and found myself changing them fairly often for many of the reasons mentioned in your excellent essay. I now favor Ken Middleton's "Living Water" strings, though I also occasionally use other brands just for variety. You are very correct in saying that new strings can gift any instrument with a new voice and that it's always OK to change strings just because you fancy it. While changing strings can be a bit of a chore, it's always a worthwhile use of time and expense, in my experience. I have a highly trained classical guitarist friend who occasionally strums my ukuleles, and his first question is always the same: "Where were the strings last changed?" Again, thank you for this fine and well-crafted analysis. Joe Dan Boydhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11136663424250948987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4724767841739249964.post-40726082303787234002016-01-10T22:50:01.567+00:002016-01-10T22:50:01.567+00:00@krickey - yes - Beer and Blood - and sweat - on m...@krickey - yes - Beer and Blood - and sweat - on many occasions.Barry Mazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15731777711884288947noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4724767841739249964.post-41955716590738504272016-01-10T22:49:17.245+00:002016-01-10T22:49:17.245+00:00Every ukulele I have if I pick it up after even a ...Every ukulele I have if I pick it up after even a short break will have the strings go flat - it happens - they are constantly stretching - I suppose the don't ever totally reach a 100% stable point - some strings more than others of course. Never really considered it an issue as i tend to fine tune before any playing anyway.Barry Mazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15731777711884288947noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4724767841739249964.post-62540646619643452232016-01-10T21:02:18.982+00:002016-01-10T21:02:18.982+00:00Thanks Barry, as always,informative and honest and...Thanks Barry, as always,informative and honest and straight to the point!! Puffin Pete!Puffin' Petehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07081477272889374630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4724767841739249964.post-46775845478001843012016-01-10T20:32:50.792+00:002016-01-10T20:32:50.792+00:00Beer and Blood!! Beer and Blood!! ktrickeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14451933344006960160noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4724767841739249964.post-65483397841552777642016-01-10T20:15:41.049+00:002016-01-10T20:15:41.049+00:00Hi Barry, I have a question that I have not seen a...Hi Barry, I have a question that I have not seen addressed in your book, The Complete what ukulele players really want to know. It seems that my ukulele strings go flat if I do not play. For a variety of reasons with my highest dollar ukulele I set it back and was playing the cheaper ones (didn't want to mess up my good one ) and I would not take her to the lake house where I practiced the most. And then I didn't play any uke for a while because I had some arthritis pains which now have let up with a change of diet. I started playing again with my Lanikai Tenor which sounds great and then I picked up the high dollar girl ukulele the other day and apologized for my neglect of her but she was still flat and unhappy. I would say I have owned her a year and a half but probably don't have 8 hours of playing on her. I would think for what I paid she would have good durable strings on her since she is hand made. So for you people who collect more ukes than I do how does that work out? Do you take turns playing them even when you probably have your favorite "go to" ukulele? If you don't play them often do you have to change strings when they are played again? Thanks for ideas here.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com