Let That Be A Lesson To Me

Howard Parker · From: Maryland

Here's the scenario.

Over a period of several weeks my ears were telling me that my Carter was having an odd tuning issue.

The guitar sounded fine when played low on the neck, but my low E would play increasingly flat the higher up the neck I went. The E changes/returns tuned fine and the guitar seemed to be in tune with itself. Head above the 12th fret and you could "tell". Above the 15th fret and I was doing reverse slants when playing strings 5/8.

I really got concerned when I put a StroboFlip on the guitar as It verified what I thought I was hearing. The low E was way flat above the 12th fret

Well, the neck hadn't moved. Nothing seemed to be amiss on the changer end and only the low E was an issue so I (regretfully) chalked it up to player technique until....

I dragged the rig to Mike Auldridge's place for a jam/lesson and reminded myself to have him watch me. Sure enough, the only way I could play in tune up high was to use a reverse slant. We swapped guitars (semi humorous watching Mike crawl under my shorted guitar legs, I on the other hand couldn't reach his knees) and I could play his Zummy in tune, anywhere and he had my issues. We tuned the guitar to his Peterson Stomp and we just ran around in circles chasing this thing. We had a mystery.

Until this morning...I changed strings in preparation for a gig and VIOLA!!! "We Have Liftoff Houston". The guitar plays as sweet as ever, as high up the neck as I feel like going.

Now I'm curious as to the cause of that type of (I'm assuming)string failure. Yes..the set had been on for a while, but not long enough where the guitar was sounding dull. Maybe the winding was subtly unraveling from the core? Dunno, anyone want to venture a guess?

I suppose if there are lessons to be learned:

1. Look for simple solutions first.

2. Strings are a consumable. Change often, no...more often!! Embarassed

I feel much better now.
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Howard Parker

03\' Carter D-10
70\'s Dekley D-10
52\' Fender Custom
Many guitars by Paul Beard

Robert Harper · From: Alabama, USA

I had a similar occurance with a new string except it did not sound right even though the tuner said it was in tune. I finally had a player who tuned by ear and he tuned the darn thing and the tuner said it was high, even though it sounded right to me also. This was a new 6 string
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"Oh what a tangled web we weave when we first begin to deceive" Someone Famous

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