Guitar tune up.

CarlosG

Member
Hi!
I have a problem. I have sensitive ears, and I hate when guitar isn't tune.
I noticed that I must tune E6 string little lower, because when I play hard, E6 isn't tune.
I have problem with B string when I play Runnin with the Devil- Van Halen. I must tune B string little lower to main riff be in tune.
And I have problem with G string when I play G-major chord, but is the most popular problem with guitar when i everseen.
Is the compensating nut for me?
 
Re: Guitar tune up.

Stop beating the snot out of it, of course hitting it hard bends the notes out of tune. If you're having that big of an issue go up a string gauge.

Runnin' With The Devil was recorded with the B string slightly flat, not an issue with the guitar.

If your G chord is off take the time to properly intonate the instrument.

Not much else to say honestly, a compensated nut isn't going to do anything you can't fix with a screwdriver in 5 minutes.
 
Re: Guitar tune up.

I had trouble years ago with G string ringing out painfully sharply. I was using Ernie Ball slinkies the (9's and later 10's): tried number things to make it settle, but it only went away after switching to other string brand.

Many people seem to like them though... I don't know, haven't tried them again since.

I've noticed that in time you'll be better in tune, simply because you learn to adjust your touch to the playing. Keep your focus on how the notes play out.
 
Re: Guitar tune up.

Picking harder and cause the low B string to go sharper on my 7-string with Edge Zero ii-7 is an excuse to not tune (and subsequently setup) the guitar and just call it ok :)
 
Re: Guitar tune up.

There are all sorts of methods for getting the guitar more in tune- bigger strings, compensated nut, true temperment frets, etc. It is just an inherently imperfect instrument. That being said, great technique can go a long way to making sure mostly everything is in tune.
 
Guitar tune up.

You don’t need heavier strings to play in tune. Just get the guitar properly setup and intonated.

Thicker strings are stiffer, so the harmonics are more *out* of tune, and tend to sound sharp. This is what compensates nuts fix; harmonics close to the anchor points on a string tend to sound sharp on the first three or so frets. A compensated nut moves the witness point slightly closer to the first fret, thus rendering the notes a little flat to compensate. Then you intonate at the bridge for higher notes.

I use a 9-46 set because I play with a purple tortex and like to pluck hard. [emoji3]


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Re: Guitar tune up.

I use 9-46 too in E flat tuning. Before I used 9-42 but bass strings was too soft and i used 10-46 but bend and vibrato are not easy.
What do you think if I could set upintonation not only to the 12th fret? I would check five higher and five lower and would I find a golden remedy for all strings?
And when I set up intonation i should softly press on frets?
 
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Re: Guitar tune up.

I use 9-46 too in E flat tuning. Before I used 9-42 but bass strings was too soft and i used 10-46 but bend and vibrato are not easy.
What do you think if I could set upintonation not only to the 12th fret? I would check five higher and five lower and would I find a golden remedy for all strings?
And when I set up intonation i should softly press on frets?

There’s no point setting the intonation to other frets. The point of intonation compensation is to adjust for the stretching that occurs when you press the string down to the fret, since the action increases as you go up the neck. That stretching makes the note a little sharp, just as if you bent a fretted note by the same amount.
So you move the saddle back to flatten the note.

How high is your action?


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Guitar tune up.

I go as light as 9-46 with a 1.8 mm E1-2.3 mm E6 +-0.3 mm action at 12th frets and I can hit real hard, the heaviest I use for Standard is 10-52 with the same action
Use a 1.4 mm pick and hit hard. My rule of thumb is if I can hit the open string almost hard as I can with little to no overt buzz or detuning then when it is intonated properly then everything is perfect for me.
I generally like 2mm as my base line height and then adjust from there.
 
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