I have been having a similar problem with my guitar recently, although I did not notice it last year when I first bought it, it is also a Seagull. I guess I have been compensating by retuning in the Octave fashion as decribed. I seem to do 6th at third fret to Third open and first at third fret. Fifth open to third at second fret and first at fifth fret and fourth open to second at third fret. It then seems to behave a lot better. I seem to recall Rick Fielding saying something about this problem on an previous Seagull thread. JohnB