They can, and I’ve seen it happen, but they are usually not as prone to breakage as they are on a steel string instruments, such as the guitar or mandolin. What are some things that could cause your strings to break?

• Over-tightened strings: Not only can winding your strings too tight break your strings, but it can cause damage to your bridge and even pull it off. It is usually safe to tune a standard ukulele up a whole step from GCEA tuning to ADF#B (which is the standard tuning in certain parts of the world), but go much higher and you’re putting your ukulele in peril (especially concert and tenor-sized instruments).
• Old strings: The materials strings are made of can become brittle with age (nylon, plastic, fluorocarbon, etc.). That said, there are ukes out there that are happily played and yet have never had their strings changed. Whether this is good or bad is a personal call. However, fresh strings are far less likely to break, and you don’t want to try to settle in a new string mid-performance.
• Nicks in the strings: Nicks from collisions with the objects of everyday life and being pressed against the fret wires could be the source of a break, but over-tightened or old strings are more likely culprits (unless you go banging your uke about a lot, traveling with it out of its case, leaving it in the car in the heat, etc.).

Some people are fanatical about changing their strings regularly. They like the sound of ‘fresh’ strings. For me, if you feel underneath the strings and notice deep grooves where the fret wires make contact with the strings, then it is probably a good idea to change them out. Worn strings can do more than break, they can cause intonation issues that will make you sound out of tune, or become dull and lifeless sounding.

If you’re in the market for new strings, I’ve really been enjoying Aquila’s Sugar Strings on my carbon fiber tenor ukulele. I am also a fan of fluorocarbon strings of all stripes (they’re all the same material) and have a set on my Godin multiuke.

Post filed under All UkulelePlay! Blog Posts.