• From: Latvia
  • Registered: 2012-01-24
  • Posts: 24

Topic: tuning issue

Trying to tune my made in China plywood classical guitar using this http://www.proguitartuner.com/guitar-tuner/ tuner with my laptop inbuilt mic. It has always worked nicely, but lately I seem to have a lot of trouble with the bottom strings, B in particular, it has gone really stubborn. When I get close enough to B, it starts to behave in an odd way. It starts off ringing as B for half a second or something and than jumps to F sharp (always exactly F sharp, never anything else). I am a bit on the tone deaf side and total noob, but it sounds weird even to my ear (it sounds, well, broken)
Could the problem just be in dead old strings? (they should be dead old from what I know about the history of the instrument, it's the one that goes around our church so everyone has fiddled around it but I guess no one has bothered to invest in new strings, neither have I) Or is it something natural? Or is it something bad?

  • From: Scott County, Virginia, U.S.A.
  • Registered: 2008-03-19
  • Posts: 794

Re: tuning issue

Strings do not last forever, I believe you should put on some new strings, it can't hurt and they are not that expensive. medium or medium/lights should serve the purpose.

Live in the "now" - a contentment of the moment - the past is gone - the future doesn't exist - all we ever really have is now and it's always "now".
  • From: Latvia
  • Registered: 2012-01-24
  • Posts: 24

Re: tuning issue

bluejeep wrote:

Strings do not last forever, I believe you should put on some new strings, it can't hurt and they are not that expensive. medium or medium/lights should serve the purpose.

Well, I took a closer look and found the problem, and, yes, it's strings. They are actually so worn they are starting to go fluffy around the nut. Silly me, how could I be so blind big_smile So I guess off to the store I go. Thank you! I learn something new every day smile

  • From: Scott County, Virginia, U.S.A.
  • Registered: 2008-03-19
  • Posts: 794

Re: tuning issue

Let us know what strings you decide to put on.  Always curious as to what strings others use.

Live in the "now" - a contentment of the moment - the past is gone - the future doesn't exist - all we ever really have is now and it's always "now".
  • From: New Zealand
  • Registered: 2008-01-29
  • Posts: 53

Re: tuning issue

I used to fit Elixer nanoweb 12 - 53s but have since switched to D'Addario EJ16s. They are light 12 - 53s phosphor bronze

  • From: Latvia
  • Registered: 2012-01-24
  • Posts: 24

Re: tuning issue

Changed them (after the suggestion of a friend/anyhow store only had 2 types of nylon around to D'Addario EJ45) and, yes, they do not jump around anymore.

How long should it take to play them in properly so they do not go out of tune in 20 minutes? I understand the knots have to settle in (and I'm pretty sure my knots are far from perfect) and stuff, but is there anything else I can do wrong?

  • From: Probably Somewhere
  • Registered: 2010-12-09
  • Posts: 2,446

Re: tuning issue

winding too much string or too little string on the peg causes slipping.

  • From: NY
  • Registered: 2009-08-26
  • Posts: 4,320

Re: tuning issue

Well honestly, nylon strings take forever to wear in until they stay in tune... about the time they do, it's time to change them again.  Be careful not to do the suggested stretch of the strings that you may see for steel as you an cause an uneven spot in nylons.  I generally would tune mine 1/2 step high upon a new string change, that way you MIGHT be able to get through one whole song before it's totally flat again.  sigh... the beautiful sounds of nylon can be worth it all though.

Art and beauty are in the eyes of the beholder.
What constitutes excellent music is in the ears of the listener.

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