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Post new topic IS IT NORMAL ? if not what is.
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Author Topic:  IS IT NORMAL ? if not what is.
Wayne Quinn

 

From:
Cape Breton.NovaScotia
Post  Posted 8 Sep 2013 10:57 am    
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was just wondering ,is it normal to have to be tuning your nylon tuners a lot. i have a Mullen 2011. SD,10.and very seldom ever had to use the nylon tuners. i put a set of strings on her 2 weeks ago and it seems that i had to use the nylons more than ever be for.although its never happened be for with new strings. also have a Carter for 2 years and i think may be in that time i have used the nylon tuners only 1 or 2 times to tweak her up. Confused
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b0b


From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
Post  Posted 8 Sep 2013 11:33 am    
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I usually have to touch up the pedal tuning when I change strings. That's normal.
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Richard Sinkler


From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
Post  Posted 8 Sep 2013 11:43 am    
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I touch them up as needed every time I play. Most of the time they are good to go with no tuning, but occasionally, one or more might be a cent or 2 off. I have also had gigs where I barely had time to get the open strings in tune, and everything was cool with the pedal changes.
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Lane Gray


From:
Topeka, KS
Post  Posted 8 Sep 2013 2:10 pm    
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May be just a bad set of strings, or maybe you didn't stretch 'em out .
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2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
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Greg Cutshaw


From:
Corry, PA, USA
Post  Posted 8 Sep 2013 2:47 pm    
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ALL the pros I have ever seen play, tune their tuners at least at the beginning of each set. This covers about every brand of guitar I've ever see. Temperature, humidity, stage evenness, aging of strings, etc all affect tuning. My MSA legend gets tuned a bit every time I sit down to it. centering the tuners make it close later on when things begin to drift a bit.


greg
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Jim Pitman

 

From:
Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA
Post  Posted 8 Sep 2013 4:29 pm    
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I've noticed it's temperature dependent.
I live up north where I might be playing in 80degF one day then 65 the next.
My guess is that this temperature sensitivity behavior is due to growing and shrinking pull rods. The longest rods are more susceptable - our favorite 1st pedal.
I also tune them every time I change strings I imagine due ot the slight differences in string diameter, etc.
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Wayne Quinn

 

From:
Cape Breton.NovaScotia
Post  Posted 8 Sep 2013 5:56 pm    
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thanks guys comeing from all you very respected players makes me feel some what better about it now. i had 80 SHO-BUD LDG 15 or so years ago. and i remember tuning the nylon tuners quite a lot. but i kinda thought the newer guitars changers might be a little more accurate . so once again guys thanks for your in put. it's very much apperciated and Bob this forum is worth a million bucks. and if i ever win it the forum will get a good shot in the arm. Very Happy Very Happy
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Dale Hansen


From:
Hendersonville,Tennessee, (USA)
Post  Posted 8 Sep 2013 8:15 pm    
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Wayne,
One possible cause, that is often overlooked is a slight, overall loosening of the entire guitar assembly. Every few months, I like to flip er' over, and check all of the screws in the body underneath, such as the screws holding the neck to the body, the changer to the body, the key-heads.. in short, basically, anything & everything that's attached to the main body. Another big robber of joy, and sustain, as well as being a source of tuning inconsistencies will be found at the peg-head itself. At each string change, I also like to snug up those thin nuts, on the inside of the key-head (tuners) Mine have a tendency to loosen up between string changes, so I gotta keep an eye on it.
If,..while snugging up the body screws, - you run across a stripped out wood screw - I have an excellent, easy, permanent fix for that, too... I'm outta time to cover it here, tonight, but if you need me, just hunt me down, and I'll gladly explain the procedure.

Your pal, Dale
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Lane Gray


From:
Topeka, KS
Post  Posted 9 Sep 2013 3:38 am    
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Some guitars seem more stable than others.
My Zum amazes me. When I take it from the case, I always check everything. However, out of 20 strings and 42 pulls, typically 3 need adjusted. Any more than that, it's time for strings.
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Earnest Bovine


From:
Los Angeles CA USA
Post  Posted 9 Sep 2013 6:10 am    
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Jim Pitman wrote:

My guess is that this temperature sensitivity behavior is due to growing and shrinking pull rods. The longest rods are more susceptable - our favorite 1st pedal.

Yes. A cold rod is shorter, equivalent to tightening the tuning nut. My pedals pull further in the morning when the house is colder.
It says here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_expansion
that thermal expansion of aluminum is about double that of steel. Apparently that explains why this problem is worse on some of my guitars.
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Dave Grafe


From:
Hudson River Valley NY
Post  Posted 9 Sep 2013 9:20 am    
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The other thing to check when changing strings is that the new strings are properly centered on the changer fingers BEFORE you tune up.
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Wayne Quinn

 

From:
Cape Breton.NovaScotia
Post  Posted 9 Sep 2013 7:23 pm    
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Once again guys thanks for all the great info here. and ,Dale i just got back home here , and i surely will check out all the screws under and those tuning peg nuts. you know i don't think i ever checked them be for.on either guitar. and thanks for the offer of more help. may be i should take up the harmonica . Oh Well
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Larry Bressington

 

From:
Nebraska
Post  Posted 11 Sep 2013 6:44 pm    
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Check your free play in the rods, If there's not enough clearance when a rod in UNLOADED, sometimes temperature changes will take up that slack causing continuous tuning (micro binding).... If you need more slack, adjust the levers for more travel and then back off the nylons.
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Bill Moore


From:
Manchester, Michigan
Post  Posted 11 Sep 2013 7:16 pm    
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I have several guitars; I keep them in tune. The push/pulls seem to need less adjustment, but all of them need to be tuned. I think tuning up only when it "sounds" out of tune is a mistake. Tune it and don't worry about it. Smile
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