diff --git a/beets/dbcore/db.py b/beets/dbcore/db.py
index 19dd720d9..2a2709240 100644
--- a/beets/dbcore/db.py
+++ b/beets/dbcore/db.py
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ class Model(object):
         return obj
 
     def __repr__(self):
-        return u'{0}({1})'.format(
+        return '{0}({1})'.format(
             type(self).__name__,
             ', '.join('{0}={1!r}'.format(k, v) for k, v in dict(self).items()),
         )
diff --git a/beets/dbcore/query.py b/beets/dbcore/query.py
index 268c879c7..7c6fc077d 100644
--- a/beets/dbcore/query.py
+++ b/beets/dbcore/query.py
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ class Query(object):
         raise NotImplementedError
 
     def __repr__(self):
-        return u"{0.__class__.__name__}()".format(self)
+        return "{0.__class__.__name__}()".format(self)
 
     def __eq__(self, other):
         return type(self) == type(other)
@@ -116,8 +116,8 @@ class FieldQuery(Query):
         return self.value_match(self.pattern, item.get(self.field))
 
     def __repr__(self):
-        return (u"{0.__class__.__name__}({0.field!r}, {0.pattern!r}, "
-                u"{0.fast})".format(self))
+        return ("{0.__class__.__name__}({0.field!r}, {0.pattern!r}, "
+                "{0.fast})".format(self))
 
     def __eq__(self, other):
         return super(FieldQuery, self).__eq__(other) and \
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ class NoneQuery(FieldQuery):
             return True
 
     def __repr__(self):
-        return u"{0.__class__.__name__}({0.field!r}, {0.fast})".format(self)
+        return "{0.__class__.__name__}({0.field!r}, {0.fast})".format(self)
 
 
 class StringFieldQuery(FieldQuery):
@@ -368,7 +368,7 @@ class CollectionQuery(Query):
         return clause, subvals
 
     def __repr__(self):
-        return u"{0.__class__.__name__}({0.subqueries})".format(self)
+        return "{0.__class__.__name__}({0.subqueries!r})".format(self)
 
     def __eq__(self, other):
         return super(CollectionQuery, self).__eq__(other) and \
@@ -406,8 +406,8 @@ class AnyFieldQuery(CollectionQuery):
         return False
 
     def __repr__(self):
-        return (u"{0.__class__.__name__}({0.pattern!r}, {0.fields}, "
-                u"{0.query_class.__name__})".format(self))
+        return ("{0.__class__.__name__}({0.pattern!r}, {0.fields!r}, "
+                "{0.query_class.__name__})".format(self))
 
     def __eq__(self, other):
         return super(AnyFieldQuery, self).__eq__(other) and \
@@ -466,7 +466,7 @@ class NotQuery(Query):
         return not self.subquery.match(item)
 
     def __repr__(self):
-        return u"{0.__class__.__name__}({0.subquery})".format(self)
+        return "{0.__class__.__name__}({0.subquery!r})".format(self)
 
     def __eq__(self, other):
         return super(NotQuery, self).__eq__(other) and \
@@ -607,7 +607,7 @@ class DateInterval(object):
         return True
 
     def __str__(self):
-        return u'[{0}, {1})'.format(self.start, self.end)
+        return '[{0}, {1})'.format(self.start, self.end)
 
 
 class DateQuery(FieldQuery):
@@ -768,7 +768,7 @@ class MultipleSort(Sort):
         return items
 
     def __repr__(self):
-        return u'MultipleSort({0})'.format(repr(self.sorts))
+        return 'MultipleSort({!r})'.format(self.sorts)
 
     def __hash__(self):
         return hash(tuple(self.sorts))
@@ -801,7 +801,7 @@ class FieldSort(Sort):
         return sorted(objs, key=key, reverse=not self.ascending)
 
     def __repr__(self):
-        return u'<{0}: {1}{2}>'.format(
+        return '<{0}: {1}{2}>'.format(
             type(self).__name__,
             self.field,
             '+' if self.ascending else '-',
diff --git a/beets/util/confit.py b/beets/util/confit.py
index e017c7d54..301699864 100644
--- a/beets/util/confit.py
+++ b/beets/util/confit.py
@@ -129,10 +129,10 @@ class ConfigSource(dict):
         self.default = default
 
     def __repr__(self):
-        return 'ConfigSource({0}, {1}, {2})'.format(
-            super(ConfigSource, self).__repr__(),
-            repr(self.filename),
-            repr(self.default)
+        return 'ConfigSource({0!r}, {1!r}, {2!r})'.format(
+            super(ConfigSource, self),
+            self.filename,
+            self.default,
         )
 
     @classmethod
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ class ConfigView(object):
         raise NotImplementedError
 
     def __repr__(self):
-        return u'<{}: {}>'.format(self.__class__.__name__, self.name)
+        return '<{}: {}>'.format(self.__class__.__name__, self.name)
 
     def __iter__(self):
         """Iterate over the keys of a dictionary view or the *subviews*
@@ -1018,7 +1018,7 @@ class Template(object):
         )
 
     def __repr__(self):
-        return u'{0}({1})'.format(
+        return '{0}({1})'.format(
             type(self).__name__,
             '' if self.default is REQUIRED else repr(self.default),
         )
diff --git a/test/_common.py b/test/_common.py
index 5b179ed7e..e3b006e14 100644
--- a/test/_common.py
+++ b/test/_common.py
@@ -225,9 +225,9 @@ class InputException(Exception):
         self.output = output
 
     def __str__(self):
-        msg = u"Attempt to read with no input provided."
+        msg = "Attempt to read with no input provided."
         if self.output is not None:
-            msg += u" Output: %s" % self.output
+            msg += " Output: {!r}".format(self.output)
         return msg