Ukulele Strings
Changing Your Ukulele Strings
A lot can be learned from the classical guitar and guitar fingerstyle world when if comes to strings and even technique that be applied to the ukulele.
29 April 2026
String Brands & Info
Set-up Tips
There is a lot of mis-information regrading how to change ukulele strings. The Buster Jones video below IS the BEST video for learning how to change strings on a Classical guitar out there. And, it DIRECTELY applies to any ukulele with a
tiebridge. — Curt
Guitar TIP-Stringing a Nylon String Guitar
These Principles Apply for Ukulele As Well
Buster B. Jones (BreshDigitalTV) shows you his fast technique for changing nylon strings. If you're a gut string player you'll love this video. ( YouTube link ). Buster B. Jones (August 24, 1959 — February 2, 2009) was an American guitarist specializing in the fingerpicking style .
Changing Strings
A lot can be learned from the classical guitar and guitar fingerstyle world when if comes to strings and even technique that be applied to the ukulele. The reason is simply a longer history of the Spanish guitar and the more advance techniques involved for playing the demanding repertoire required of a classical guitarist.
The
When?
Other than,
I want to try a different brand and material.Here are a few things to look for as to when you should change your strings are:
- Is it difficult to get a particular string in tune and stay in tune?
- Does the string
wobble
when the string is plucked (sounded)? - Are there any nicks or dings along a string? You can determine this by running your thumb and index finger over the strings along ALL sides of the string and feeling for any abnormalities. It typically happens at a fret.
- Are any wound strings (typically the low strings four and three), wearing out at the frets? These need changing more often than plain strings. These need changing more often then plain strings. The Thomastik-Infeld Classic-N Stainless Steel Chrome strings go a long, long way in solving this problem and a few other problems that are inherent with wound strings.
Treble & Bass Sets
As the wound strings 6, 5, and 4 wear out faster, classical guitar string sets are often available as treble sets of strings 1, 2, and 3 and bass sets of strings 4, 5, and 6. And, regardless what a manufacturer of ukulele strings will tell you — ukulele strings are mostly classical guitar strings cut to length and repackaged and marketed as ukulele strings.
The
How?
Here is another video from Strings by Mail for learning how to change your ukulele strings. The videos are for classical guitar and apply the same for ukulele.
How To Change Classical Guitar Strings by Strings By Mail.com
Applies to Ukulele as Well
NOTE: These techniques for changing strings apply to ukuleles as well with a tie bridge. For ukulele with pin bridges you can tie an Ashley Stopper knot to create a
ball endto hold the strings in.. It also explains why there are so many windings of string on mass produced ukuleles when they come into the store ( Curt, Funky Frets Music Store ).
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