How to restring a balalaika
Restringing a balalaika prima is quick, three strings, but two things catch first-timers out. The bridge is not glued: it stands on the top, held only by string tension, so if all three strings come off it falls and moves. And the strings are loop end, hooked onto pins or a small tailpiece at the bottom of the body.
Balalaika prima tuning, string by string
From the 3rd string to the 1st, at A 440 Hz.
| String | Note | Hz |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | E4 | 329.63 |
| 2 | E4 | 329.63 |
| 1 | A4 | 440.00 |
How to use it
- Before you start, mark the bridge position on the top with a strip of low-tack masking tape.
- Do a step and tick its box; progress stays saved on this device.
- In the tuner, tune both E strings to E4 and the A string to A4, then play the two E strings together: there should be no beating.
Help and explanations
This guide changes one string at a time to keep the bridge in place, and ends with a string-by-string tuner: E4 329.63 Hz on the two unison strings and A4 440 Hz on the first, at A 440 Hz.
Keep the bridge where it was
The bridge position sets the scale length: about 439 mm from nut to bridge on a standard prima. Move it 2 mm and the octave at the 12th fret is off by about 8 cents. Changing one string at a time keeps the other two pressing the bridge down; if it does fall, put it back on your tape mark, facing the same way as before, and check the 12th-fret octave with the intonation checker.
Loop ends and materials
Balalaika strings, steel or nylon, are usually sold with a loop at one end that hooks onto a pin at the bottom of the body. On steel strings the twisted end of the loop can stick out 5 to 10 mm and scratch the top or your hand; the Russian string guide at gpvn.ru warns about it. A strip of thin card between the loop and the top avoids marks while you work.
On the prima the two E strings are the same gauge and material, nylon or steel, and the A is always steel. If you replace only one E, replace both, or the old and new strings will not sit in unison.
Tips
- Slacken a steel string fully before you unhook it: the loop can snap off the pin and flick across the top.
- Nylon E strings stretch for several days: retune often during the first week.
- Want to compare steel and nylon? See the balalaika string tension calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How many strings does a balalaika have?
Three. On the prima they are tuned E4 E4 A4: two E strings in unison and an A a fourth higher.
How do I tune a 3 string balalaika?
Tune both lower strings to E4 (329.63 Hz) and the first string to A4 (440 Hz). Fretted at the 5th fret, the E strings give A, the same note as the open first string.
Do balalaika strings have a ball end or a loop end?
Usually a loop end, hooked onto a pin or small tailpiece at the bottom of the body. Pyramid's prima sets are loop end.
Are balalaika strings steel or nylon?
The A string is steel. The two E strings are nylon or carbon on most concert primas and steel on many folk instruments, for example the 0.38 mm steel E in Pyramid's 679/3.
Why does the bridge fall off when I change strings?
It isn't glued: string pressure holds it. Change one string at a time, and mark its position before you start, since about 439 mm from the nut is the scale.