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Tuning instabiity
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Author:  Colin North [ Thu Sep 22, 2016 6:58 am ]
Post subject:  Tuning instabiity
Got an Ibanez Acoustic coming in the weekend for a check as to why it goes quickly out of tune when played, all strings
He has plenty other guitars, including another of the same model and has no problems with them.
The tuners have been changed (by someone else) in an attempt to rectify this, with no improvement.
Got to be the scale length or string tension is varying somehow, so I'll be checking nut, bridge, saddle and neck stability as well as checking out the tuners.
Anyone suggest any possible reasons?
Author:  profchris [ Thu Sep 22, 2016 9:55 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Tuning instabiity
A very common reason is lots of string wound on the tuner posts.

Just enough turns to prevent slipping (2 or 3) is best.
Author:  Pmaj7 [ Thu Sep 22, 2016 10:20 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Tuning instabiity
profchris wrote:
A very common reason is lots of string wound on the tuner posts.

Just enough turns to prevent slipping (2 or 3) is best.

Never heard of that. Unless maybe if they were overlapping on themselves.

Only thing I could think of is a loose nut.
Author:  Chris Pile [ Thu Sep 22, 2016 11:37 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Tuning instabiity
My checklist for years is as follows:
Check the tuners - mounting screw tight? Retaining nut tight? Is the knob tight?
Nut height set low for best intonation? Nut slots binding?
Frets loose or badly worn? Are they really high, and the player uses too much finger pressure?
Bridge, affixed properly? Loose saddle, intonated correctly? Action just too high?
Finally.... Strings - are they bent anywhere? Is the wrapping on the wound strings loose?
Good luck and let us know what happens.
Author:  Glen H [ Thu Sep 22, 2016 1:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Tuning instabiity
Make sure the string end balls are seated up against the bridge plate. Snugly.
Author:  david farmer [ Thu Sep 22, 2016 3:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Tuning instabiity
I make sure the player with the problem shows me how he tunes and plays and duplicates the problem in front of me. I amazed at the strange things people do and wonder why its not working.

Nut slots. #1

I would also make sure the saddle is flat bottomed and not teetering on a piece of beer label or half a ham sandwich as a shim.

Other than plastic rollers coming loose from shafts on nylon tuners, I don't think I've ever found tuning instability resulting from the tuners themselves.
Author:  Colin North [ Thu Sep 22, 2016 3:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Tuning instabiity
Quote:
......... on a piece of beer label or half a ham sandwich as a shim.
laughing6-hehe
Nothing would surprise me.
Had a classical in earlier in the year where the intonation must have been poor and 1 mm was hacked off the top end of the FB with a saw in an attempt to correct it by compensating nut position.
The wider replacment (butchered) nut was on top of a strip of soft clear neoprene plastic tubing to lift it high enough to cut sting slots......
Said he'd got a cheap deal on Eb*y
And thanks, I'll be checking the string slots are not binding, etc.
Author:  philosofriend [ Thu Sep 29, 2016 10:01 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Tuning instabiity
Could be caused by a couple of cracks or unglued joints in the guitar. Tune the guitar, then hold the body firmly with your right elbow while you push the headstock left, right, up, and down enough to make a slight tuning warble. Then the guitar should come back to the same tuning it started with. If not, check everything listed in this thread. In my experience tuning instability can be caused by almost any part of the guitar... except the tuners themselves.
Author:  Colin North [ Tue Oct 11, 2016 2:13 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Tuning instabiity
New nut was the problem.
Nut slots looked "as supplied", spaced but not filed after fitting, just slapped in by local music store- all too high, and horizontal, no backslope at all.
Frets dressed (worn), saddle radiused properly to 10" as FB, all set up and intonated for 10's tuned a semitone down.
Now going to be his favourite acoustic for gigging.
Author:  david farmer [ Tue Oct 11, 2016 9:32 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Tuning instabiity
Good nut slots are the fastest way to a players heart.

It's helpful to have those straight up fixes to look back on when you loose an afternoon futilely chasing a hardware buzz around. [headinwall]

Anyone think a Fishman trap door pre-amp would still work if the whole thing was dipped in a can of liquid rubber? [uncle]
Author:  Colin North [ Tue Oct 11, 2016 9:44 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Tuning instabiity
Duct tape?
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