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[No Pun Intended]

I know that stringed instruments have this problem, and the Ukulele is relatively new. I'm just scared that the problem is with the bridge or the neck, but is that likely if only one of the strings is giving me a problem?

(It's pretty drastic, goes from G to F# after like 5 minutes of playing]

Is there any other technique I can use to fix this?

Aryaman
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    New strings can stretch for a while, and inexpensive instruments typically come with cheap strings installed (which are more likely to stretch problematically). You could stretch the strings manually (I do this even with steel strings) to see if that helps. Or buy a set of decent strings and install them. You don't say whether the strings are tied at the bridge, but if so the knot may be slipping. [Here is a guide to ukulele string installation that may help](http://www.get-tuned.com/how-to-string-a-ukulele.php). –  Feb 14 '18 at 12:40
  • Geared tuners, or friction pegs? – Ben Miller - Remember Monica Feb 14 '18 at 15:19
  • @DavidBowling They're tied to the bridge. – Aryaman Feb 15 '18 at 06:07
  • @BenMiller Geared Tuners. – Aryaman Feb 15 '18 at 06:07
  • Related:[Is it normal for new bought ukeleles to be out of tune every few minutes?](https://music.stackexchange.com/q/24630/6851) – Ben Miller - Remember Monica Feb 15 '18 at 11:02

2 Answers2

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With geared tuners, you don’t normally need to worry about the peg turning by itself. So the issue is most likely on the bridge end.

With new strings, it is normal for the knot to be slipping. As you continue to turn the tuner and tighten the string, the knot on the bridge end will tighten up, and the string will hold its tuning much longer.

One way to speed up this process is to gently pull on the string. Tune the string, then gently pull the string so the knot slips and goes out of tune, then tune the string again and repeat until pulling the string doesn’t cause the string to go out of tune.

Ben Miller - Remember Monica
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  • Friction pegs are frequently used on the cheapest ("wall hanger quality") instruments, and can be next to useless, but I have also known geared tuners to fail - rare, but possible, and probably obvious when it does happen. With wear or low quality original manufacture, gears can slip. I recently had to replace a geared tuner on a soprano uke. – MickeyfAgain_BeforeExitOfSO May 15 '18 at 14:04
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    @mickeyf There are also high-end ukuleles that use friction pegs, and these can work very well. – Ben Miller - Remember Monica May 15 '18 at 16:27
  • Mill - I don't disagree. After all, the finest Violin family instruments use friction tuners. However, my observation has been that the dirt cheap ukes invariable use friction tuners because a cheap friction tuner is cheaper to manufacture than a cheap geared tuner. – MickeyfAgain_BeforeExitOfSO May 15 '18 at 19:01
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It might be an idea to check that the string is wound on at the tuning peg correctly. Or maybe the string isn't long enough to wind enough of it at the peg and so it is flattening when being played?

Jomiddnz
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