Issues staying in tune....

[passthej45]

ok here's the deal , seems as though I do a little bit more wrestling to stay in tune on my J45 Standard than one would think. I've already had the guitar set up by a very reputable luthier. Would the tuning keys be a place to start looking(literally and figuratively ). The standard has those nickel Grover tuners and I did notice a little sticky , gummy substance by the black rubbery gaskets. Any ideas?

[folkster]

What guage string are you using?

[retrorod]

I would be looking more to the nut(strings pinching) or the bridge (are the strings snugged up to the bridge/pin properly)? If the luthier had the guitar, he should have addressed any issues!

The nut should be slotted for the guage of strings that you prefer on that guitar. Installing a heavier set could cause the strings to bind in the slots. Do you hear a 'plink' sound when you tighten a string?

When installing a new set of strings, I like to 'seat' each one as I fit the bridge pin snugly down. Doing all 6 strings this way before winding any to the peghead allows you to get your hand in there and feel that the ball-end is indeed butted up to the bridge plate.

Doing this assures that you won,t have 'creep' after tensioning strings. After tuning to pitch, get a finger under each one and give it a few stretch/tugs and continue to tune to pitch. Always 'tune up' to the desired note.

Of course.....the tuners may be bad

Hope any of this helps, Rod

[passthej45]

I use mediums and are really pretty diligent when I install strings, doing all of the stuff you said.......that's why I'm thinking maybe tuners(and part of me is probably thinking how nice to have an excuse to change them to ones similar to those on the TV).

[RASHARU]

Grover tuners are actually quite nice. I really don't think that they are causing your problem. On the other hand, I replaced my Grovers with TonePros (to appear more "vintage") and I couldn't be happier.

 

How's the weather been in your area lately? Seriously, do you have a nice hygrometer near your guitar? Swings in humidity & temperature can reak havoc on tuning.

 

Oh! And one more thing .. Does your guitar usually go flat or sharp?

[DanvillRob]

Maybe something's wrong with my tuners too.... when I sing, I'm rarely in tune with the guitar!

 

I agree... Grovers are pretty good...and if they're slipping, you can usually feel that when your using them. I find these issues are usually at the other end of the strings.

[BigKahune]

String slippage at the peghead? . . . (Retrorod covered string slippage at the bridge)

 

Tuning post windings - How many times do you have your strings wound around the tuning posts (the fewer, the better).

 

String lock at the tuning post - Are you using a lock method when you put the end of your strings through the tuning post holes? The basic is making sure you winds are pushing up against the string where is goes through the tuning post hole, forcing it against the top of the hole and pinching it tight (which is why the posts are shaped the way they are). There's also the over-under technique, and the back loop.

 

 

 

As Retrorod said, be sure you nut is cut properly and that the string slots are the correct depth.

[Franzi]

Sorry if I mention that which is all too obivious but we see it a lot at Gibson Europe: start troubleshooting a hard tune guitar by putting a nice fresh set of strings.

[Gilliangirl]

 

 

How's the weather been in your area lately? Seriously, do you have a nice hygrometer near your guitar? Swings in humidity & temperature can reak havoc on tuning.

 

Oh! And one more thing .. Does your guitar usually go flat or sharp?

That was my frist thought too. Mine's been a bear to keep in tune lately and I'm guessing it's because of the fluctuating weather. I once saw Sarah Harmer playing outdoors in Banff. Banff, as y'all know is in the mountains. Weather changes are frequent and extreme. This was an outdoor concert. She plays an old J45. She was having a heck of a time getting and keeping the guitar in tune.

[passthej45]

I live in southern Louisiana so the weather/temperature is all over the place, so I bet that is the culprit, cause when I am gigging with it , we are in the same place/enviroment for 4 hours and I don't have much problem. Iam totally wondering

BigK, how the fewer tuning post windings are better? I would figure once the string is locked in place, more or less windings should be a moot point. Please explain. Thanks

ps oh well so much for my new custom tuning keys........I'll have to come up with another reason to get them...........I know , MY christmas present !

[BigKahune]

If you're stringing standard style - winding up from the bottom of the post and then through the hole on top of the winds - the string feeds to the neck off the bottom of the windings. So more winds means more string length that can stretch as the string as it winds up the post to the hole. Of course, once the string if fully stretched out there's no problem. So then it's - what kind of a string changer are you? If you go new every gig, that's potentially a stretch problem. I think you get what I'm saying. You want 3 or so winds to help lock the string in the hole, but more than that provides more length for stretching. All this - if - you're problem is string stretching at the peghead.

 

But as you said - the environment can be a big factor, affecting the string length and wood dimensions, and so changing the pitch of the strings.

[retrorod]

I think 'pass the j45' is 'jonesing for a new set of tuners He justs wants to 'pimp his J45'.....

....Its all good :D/