Smoother tuning

Subject: Smoother tuning
From: ddw
Date: 29 Mar 00 - 08:56 PM

This may fall into the category of me being the last to know, but I picked up a little tip not long ago that makes tuning a lot less hassle.

Every time I change my strings now, I take a very fine mechanical pencil and mark the inside of the grooves where the strings seat in the nut. The graphite lubrication has completely eliminated the bind-and-snap that used to make tuning such a pain.

Does anybody else have any little things that make perfect sense that a lot of us wouldn't have thought of?

david

Subject: RE: Smoother tuning
From: canoer
Date: 29 Mar 00 - 09:43 PM

Thank you ddw.

Subject: RE: Smoother tuning
From: Clinton Hammond2
Date: 29 Mar 00 - 11:21 PM

ddw...

You can do exactily the same thing to a sticky zipper.. rub a pencil tip over it a few times and it'll go, slicker'n snot!

{~`

Subject: RE: Smoother tuning
From: catspaw49
Date: 29 Mar 00 - 11:41 PM

Hi ddw......There are some materials used in saddles and nuts that are either friction free, like delrin and its variants, or are self lubricating, such as ivory. Bone and antler unfortunately are not. Try out some of the saddles in synthetic (like Tusq) and see what you think of them soundwise. They work well on some guitars and on others they don't. Delrin bride caps have made Hammered Dulcimer tining infinitely easier and are pretty much used by everyone.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Smoother tuning
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 30 Mar 00 - 12:13 AM

Great thread ddw. One of the best way I know for a last second "quick tune" is to play a chord with only "E"s and "B"s in it. Here's how it works: (wish I had a guitar in my hand) with your index finger play the 7th fret 5th string (E). the 9th fret 4th string (B) with your middle finger, and the 3rd string 9th fret (E) with your ring finger. Strum all six strings hard. If you're perfectly in tune you'll hear this really resonant (partial) E chord. If you're not in tune (even slightly) it'll sound awful!

Try this, it works.

Rick

Subject: RE: Smoother tuning
From: catspaw49
Date: 30 Mar 00 - 12:27 AM

Rick, you described that another time here and I could never remember where!!! Thanks....and at least this thread ought to be easy to find.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Smoother tuning
From: Mooh
Date: 30 Mar 00 - 09:41 AM

Been doing this for years. There's also no substitute for a properly cut nut. frets.com might help you with that.

Subject: RE: Smoother tuning
From: Allan C.
Date: 30 Mar 00 - 10:17 AM

Something which makes sense but I had not considered:

Whenever a friend of mine played notes or chords which involved putting his finger on the fifth string, third fret of his guitar, it sounded sharp. Open strings sounded perfect. Virtually all other notes on the guitar seemed to be right on pitch.

Give up?

Turned out that the particular portion of the fret, itself, was ever so slightly higher than necessary. This meant that the string, when depressed, was actually pushed down farther than it would normally need to be, thus raising the pitch of the note slightly. A luthier filed down the fret only the smallest bit and solved the problem. (Probably shouldn't try this at home, kids.)