Tune Up - Tune Down

[Twang Gang]

I always tuned guitars UP to pitch to avoid any slack between the nut and the tuning key, otherwise when you did a bend or stretched the string it would pull out the slack and then the string would be flat.

But I was doing a set up on my Strat and in Fender's instructions about different parts  of a set up they said "With locking tuners, always go a little sharp, and then tune DOWN to pitch".  

I never heard that before, although I just recently got a couple guitars with locking tuners.

Anyone ever heard that or used that method?  Tune UP with non-locking tuners and tune DOWN with locking tuners.

Edited July 1, 2019 by Twang Gang

[Beerad12]

3 hours ago, Twang Gang said:

I always tuned guitars UP to pitch to avoid any slack between the nut and the tuning key, otherwise when you did a bend or stretched the string it would pull out the slack and then the string would be flat.

But I was doing a set up on my Strat and in Fender's instructions about different parts  of a set up they said "With locking tuners, always go a little sharp, and then tune DOWN to pitch".  

I never heard that before, although I just recently got a couple guitars with locking tuners.

Anyone ever heard that or used that method?  Tune UP with non-locking tuners and tune DOWN with locking tuners.

That's a new one on me. I've always heard "tune up to pitch" as well.

[badbluesplayer]

Nope.  I have to tune "up" with my locking tuners. 

[kidblast]

you can dune down if you want, but the first time you put a serious bend on the strings tuned from sharp down to pitch, I got a $20 says that string is now flat.

 

[Karloff]

28 minutes ago, kidblast said:

you can dune down if you want, but the first time you put a serious bend on the strings tuned from sharp down to pitch, I got a $20 says that string is now flat.

 

yep. i've always heard, read, been told you tune below the desired note then tune up to it. always or else what Kidblast says will happen.  and with new strings I spend 20 mins stretching tuning up stretching more ... over & over. with maybe 2 1/2 wraps around the tuning peg. do it right and you can do Buddy Guy bends all night long and it's gonna hold. 

[deeman]

One wrap around the peg, tune up, stretch the strings liberally.

[duane v]

i always approach the tuning note.

[saturn]

12 hours ago, deeman said:

One wrap around the peg, tune up, stretch the strings liberally.

Only one wrap? 

[flyingarmadillo]

I have always tuned my Strats w/ locking tuners down, but everything else I tune up.  Funny though, the Strats are the most stable guitars I have so I guess it works.

Edited July 3, 2019 by flyingarmadillo

[Twang Gang]

Seems like we were all taught to tune up to pitch, except Flyingaradillo says he tunes his Strat with locking tuners down to pitch.  Here is what it says in Fender instruction for set up:

Remember—with most tuning keys, it's preferable to tune up to pitch. However, with locking tuners, go past the note and tune down to pitch.

So I will try tuning down on my Strat w/locking tuners and see how it works out (if I can remember - such a habit to go up to it).

[tx-ogre]

My 7 string Ltd guitar has locking ESP tuners.  ESP has not indicated that their locking tuners should be tuned any differently than standard tuners.  I’ve had this guitar for about four years and have always tuned up to pitch.  The tuning has always been very stable.