Common Questions

New nylon strings will drive you nuts before they take a set to hold their pitch. Keep pulling 'em up into pitch, and they will settle down..... really. Yes, it can take a couple of weeks.

Are you sure it is the tuners? If so, tighten the tiny screw at the end of the tuning knob 1/4 turn clockwise. If they still slip, tighten another 1/4 turn until they hold.

If the tuning knob gets too hard to turn, then you have gone a mite too far.

Goto.... Ukulele Tuning Page ( http://www.ukuleleworld.com/uw_tune.html )

The 4th string is tuned one octave lower.... all other strings are the same. People with a guitar playing background are most interested in Low-G tuning.

Almost all ukuleles are simetrical and do not have string compensation built in. Simply reverse the order of the strings and you have a "lefty".

A banjo ukulele is a ukulele.... it just looks like a banjo. For tuning.... Goto.... Ukulele Tuning Page

Please don't. Leave metal strings to the mandolins, but please keep them off of your ukulele and banjo ukulele.

This is to increase the weight of the string while keeping the flexibility of a smaller string. Strings that are too thick are dead and muddy sounding.

This is a compromise between a thick string and a metal wound string that can 'hiss' at you when you finger rubs the winding. Either are fine.

Shake the uke, does it rattle? You may find a 'Do Not Eat' (silica gel) packet inside. Remove it thru the sound hole.

Is the string tuned up to pitch? If so, where is the buzz coming from.... the headstock or the uke body? Press the first fret and pluck the string. Does the buzz go away? If so, the nut groove is too wide for the string.

"Wound" string buzzes?.... winding is loose, or beginning to fray.

If the buzz continues down the fretboard, there is something loose at the saddle or inside the instrument. Is there a 'Do Not Eat" inside? If you have an amplified uke, is a wire from the pickup or control, moving around inside? The bad news can be that an internal rib is loose..... or there is structural damage to the body of the instrument.

Cases give your instrument the most protection. Gig bags are really handy in running around with your uke.

Hot cars and hot car trunks are no friend of your ukulele. Please don't.

If you are a semi professional, every couple of months is fine. Just have a spare uke handy in case you break a string. If you just play for fun..... maybe once a year will do.

Some strings can get stiff and dead sounding.

You bet there is.... but there is no universal best string for all ukulele music. For best sound, I like Aquila strings..... they tend to be a bit more cut sensitive however from finger nails, sharp picks or sharp edges.

Uke purists all want friction tuning pegs.... because that is the way Grandfather did it on his uke. Geared tuners have come to use later. Geared tuning machines slip less, and easier to tune, but tend to make the ukulele top-heavy.

Not really, the larger size cavity in the concert and tenor ukes tends to emphasize the lower frequency harmonics in the sound.

We have more strings than we can keep up with now.... and we don't sell single strings for ukuleles.

The baritone uke tunes to the key of "G" like a guitar.... and most guitar music an be used with the baritone uke.... so there is not much demand for music specifically for the baritone uke.

High Tension strings are a little heavier, a little tighter, a little harder on the fingertips, a little harder on the instrument, but a little louder and clearer in tone with somewhat better sustain.

ANSWER.

I did not find the answer to "my question" here...... now what?

We certainly will try to help you if you will send us an e-mail. We are always glad to hear from you! Just write... Sales@ukuleleworld.com Well, that is not quite right.... " Our Staff" generally are glad to hear from you.

Ukuleles are fun instruments, meant to be enjoyed and played.... and we want to help you enjoy all the fun possible.

We want to try to help answer your questions.