Tuning

Ken Campbell · From: Ferndale, Montana

All,

Question regarding tuning. When you all say a guitar stays in tune what does that mean exactly? I have to tune my guitar a little bit every day when I sit down to play. Is this normal. Thanks as always

Ken Campbell
Ferndale, Montna

Georg Sørtun · From: Mandal, Agder, Norway

Tuning a little bit every day, is quite normal. Especially if the steel is in, or gets transported between, places with varying temperature. Depends of course what "a little bit" means, as I usually only check 3d string every time I sit down to play when the PSG is stationary (at home).

Remember though: don't attempt any tuning until you have played-in the instrument for a few minutes - a tune or five, as the instrument needs time to warm up and settle to playing conditions.

Bob Blair · From: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Guitars need to be tuned and pedal steels are no exception. To me, saying that a guitar stays in tune only means that the changes rarely need to be retuned (which is certainly the case with my Zum Hybrid and my Fessendens). I touch up the open tuning a bit every time I sit down at a guitar. Of course temperature changes will affect them. Georg's advice about making sure the guitar is warmed up before you retune is a good idea - otherwise you are going to have to retune it right away.

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

Retouching the tuning daily is normal.
Every guitar I've ever owned (including 6 strings and Dobros and ukes) have needed it. My Zum is exceptional, in that typically only one string of 20 needing adjustment.
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2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Mike Wheeler · From: Delaware, Ohio, USA

I agree. It's a big mistake, and a big time waster, to try to tune a cold guitar that hasn't move since it was last in tune.

As suggested above, play it for 10 or 15 minutes. You will likely be surprised that it comes back in tune all by itself.

If it doesn't, there might be other issues with the guitar that need to be addressed...like the kind of lube that was used, or pull train adjustments, etc.

I have 4 different brands, all pro quality, that rarely need any tweaking to be in tune. Even moving between different locations isn't much of a problem as long as they are warmed up a while.
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Best regards,
Mike

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

If you can't play 15 minutes to a half-hour without tuning, something is probably wrong. A lot of players never stop tuning, and are touching things up after (and during) every song. That's not how it's supposed to work. A good guitar will eliminate a lot of this..if it's set up properly, but many players proceed to "overtuning" some changes, and then can never get it to stay in tune.

Bill Ford · From: Graniteville SC Aiken

I read that placing both hands,palms down on the strings, and moving them back and forth on the strings does wonders to "warm the strings" and make tuning easier. I usually do this before ever checking the tuning,it works. My guitar stays set up all the time @ Church (with a Sharp cover) on it.
Bill
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Bill Ford S12 CLR, S12 Lamar keyless, Misc amps&toys Sharp Covers
Steeling for Jesus now!!!

Clete Ritta · From: San Antonio, Texas

When there are noticeable temperature fluctuations tuning will be affected on any stringed instrument. Some guitars are more stable than others in a controlled environment though. Not sure if single vs. double neck has any effect. My Carter D10 stays indoors at home for practice, but yet the strings always go a little flat (never sharp) from day to day. Maybe thats just me wearing them out? The Fessenden U12 holds tune a little better. My Mullen S10 is even more stable, but I gig with it and the temperature dictates its pitch. How hot is it outside? Well, its about 5 cents flat today! Laughing

I play it for a few minutes, then tune it once and forget about it. During a break I may recheck it, but it hardly ever goes out of tune.

Regardless of the open tuning discrepancies, the pedals and levers rarely need much adjusting at all once set, provided you always use the same brand and gauge strings. Sometimes vibration during travel can rattle things loose. I recently had to reset my vertical stop which had shifted while in the back of a bumpy trailer ride. It wasnt the nylon hex tuner at all. Always bring drivers and wrenches in case!
Warning: Contents tuned by pitch not volume. Some settling may occur during shipping and handling.

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