Author Topic: annoying tuning problem (Read 5163 times)

_tom_ · « **on:** June 03, 2006, 06:15:11 PM »

Well I tuned down to Eb to learn Panama today, and for some reason my guitar never sounds in tune even though I just intonated it so that the 12th fret harmonic and fretted note are the same pitch, and each string is in tune (according to the tuner and my ears) but whenever I play open chords and play along to the song it never sounds right.. I never have this problem in standard tuning! Whats wrong?!

Cheers for any help

Searcher · « **Reply #1 on:** June 03, 2006, 06:56:13 PM »

So it doesn't sound in tune to itself and it doesn't match the track? Is that what you're saying?

There can be two easy explanations for this. I find that when my guitar is not tuned to A 440 I think it sounds kinda out of tune and I figure it's just because I'm used to how it normally sounds. If the intonation is good, then I'm not sure what else it might be. The guitar is a funny instrument to tune at any time and there are always compromises in the tuning when fretting various notes along the fretboard, so perhaps this has exacerbated that issue.

The thing about playing along to CDs--and especially CDs before people used ProTools for everything--is that sometimes bands just tuned by ear before they recorded, so the pitch isn't exactly to a certain tuning. I've noticed this before with older recordings.

dave_mc · « **Reply #2 on:** June 03, 2006, 08:09:56 PM »

didn't EVH tune his B string (or Bb string, lol) a little flat? so major chords sounded ok with distortion? that might be it...

:drink:

_tom_ · « **Reply #3 on:** June 03, 2006, 09:13:53 PM »

Well its mostly the open chords that sound wrong, just like theres a wrong note somewhere but I dont see why its like that, I swear it never used to do this :?

dave_mc · « **Reply #4 on:** June 03, 2006, 09:34:59 PM »

it might be the evh Bb string thing, then?
EDIT: is it only when you try to play EVH songs?

_tom_ · « **Reply #5 on:** June 03, 2006, 09:40:08 PM »

No its for anything I'm playing really.. I'm quite confused as to what could be causing this..

dave_mc · « **Reply #6 on:** June 03, 2006, 10:19:05 PM »

^ yep, strange.

i have no idea, sorry!

_tom_ · « **Reply #7 on:** June 04, 2006, 12:18:08 AM »

It seems to be only the open D chord that is really bad, and sometimes G seems a bit off.. isnt this the common problem I've read about before that can only be cured by having a guitar set up with Buzz Feiten system? Or not..?

dave_mc · « **Reply #8 on:** June 04, 2006, 12:18:17 PM »

^ you could maybe try an earvana nut- you don't need a full guitar setup like the feiten system does.

google earvana nut, that should give you the website (i don't know it offhand).

:drink:

38thBeatle · « **Reply #9 on:** June 04, 2006, 12:55:17 PM »

Tom, I have had a thought. I have a Strat that, if tuned to a tuner, never quite sounds right ( it is an old Strat btw) and over the years I have got used to tuning it by tuner and almost subconciously tweaking the tuners as I know what it needs ( I have had the guitar donkey's years). It could do with a set up and fret dress but I have never got around to it. In my current band we tune down to Eb and I found that it behaved a bit differently and I put that down to less overall tension on the neck and , as before, I can almost tweak it without thinking. What I am saying is that perhaps if you try the open D and tune it so it sounds in tune you might find that it is Ok.

lifted · « **Reply #10 on:** June 17, 2006, 07:29:31 AM »

On almost all tuners, if you tune your low E to it dead on, to good ears, the E is sharp. I always tune the low E just shy of the green in tune light. Also I have two guitars where I have to tune the G a tiny bit flat to sound right on open chords. Thirdly, EVH is known to tune flatter than Eb, almost to D on the first album. Do try what the Beatle is talking about. Good luck

gingataff · « **Reply #11 on:** July 11, 2006, 03:42:58 PM »

here's another reason why you might not be in tune, your strings have less tension than you're used to so you might be fretting a little too hard and playing them sharp, especially compared to the open strings.

hunter · « **Reply #12 on:** July 11, 2006, 04:34:37 PM »

I would say your nut might be too high, so fretting notes on the first few frets causes wrong tension going out of tune. That's the issue I had with my LP Special before it was corrected.