Author Topic: Sharp weather (Read 3559 times)

remak · « **on:** May 28, 2008, 06:32:09 AM »

We are having warm weather at the moment, (31C which is warm for where I live) and I noticed something odd. All my guitars are sharp.

Now, from school physics I would expect the metal strings to expand and therefore go flat. Why do guitars go sharp in warm weather?

ToneMonkey · « **Reply #1 on:** May 28, 2008, 10:09:24 AM »

Wood expands too

AndyR · « **Reply #2 on:** May 28, 2008, 11:09:59 AM »

And the truss-rod :?

I've given up trying to predict whether it's going to go sharp/flat - seems to be different for different guitars in my place!

gwEm · « **Reply #3 on:** May 29, 2008, 11:13:07 AM »

yeah, my guitars went a few cents sharp as well

FELINEGUITARS · « **Reply #4 on:** May 29, 2008, 01:10:26 PM »

wonder if it happens on the Gibson robot guitars

Roobubba · « **Reply #5 on:** May 29, 2008, 02:38:54 PM »

Don't forget changes in relative humitidy, too!

Oli · « **Reply #6 on:** May 31, 2008, 08:45:35 PM »

My LP has gone sharp a couple of times over the last week or so.... it's my newest guitar, and it's the first time i've had tuning fluctuations like this before.

remak · « **Reply #7 on:** June 08, 2008, 11:26:23 AM »

Hmmm, wood does indeed expand, but far far less than metal, and, true relative humidity would affect the wood but only to a small degree where the wood is covered in nitrocellulose, methinks.

I'm tending to the truss rod theory. My Warwick thumb which has a truss rod about 50% longer than a guitar does indeed develop a slight buzz in summer which disappears in autumn, so the neck curve must be changing.