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View Full Version : Guitar sounds ou of tune


reco46
01-31-2008, 03:07 PM
Last weekend I re-strung my sons Jackson Dinky with floyd rose system. I wanted to lubricate the bridge so I took off all the strings at once.

Now I've watched several YouTube videos on how to change strings and it"s confusing - some say never take all strings off at once unless really necessary due to the extra long re-set up time required to set string/spring tension and a couple others show guys removing all strings at once.

As well I lowered the bridge and in a moment of dumbness, I thought I would adjust truss rod(I know stupid move) and because the neck looked like it sloped slightly into the body I placed a small shim to raise the back part of the neck pocket.My main goal was to lower the action a bit.

Anyway that seemed to help the neck, but after messing around with the truss rod (very small adjustment) something didnt seem right so I adjusted it back to its original position. It took me about 2 hours to re-float the bridge level and get the tension equal. I blocked the bridge like people say, but every time I re-tuned the strings, by the time I got to the high E the rest of the strings had gone way out of tune, eventually it worked out.

The problem now seems to be a tuning issue, when you tune the guitar with a tuner exactly, then strum say open chords they sound out of tune. So I tune to the chord but then use the tuner some strings are out. I think the changes I made through out the intonation, I dont know, I havent actually checked it yet, would raising the bridge a little bit help. I set my own intonation on fixed brdiges before but that was turn the screw type, it appears alot harder using the allen key method to move the saddles - should I attempt this? before surrendering to a pro set up? I want to feel like I can do the work myself, I enjoy it.

The other thing my son thinks might be my unfamilarity with a guitar with jumbo frets. I cants seem to use the light touch - I still feel I have to play string right to the fret board, this causes the string to go sharp YUK!

Help! My son is playing a gig saturday and I dont want to feel like I screwed up his axe,

torndownunit
01-31-2008, 03:13 PM
Did you check the intonation?

reco46
01-31-2008, 03:22 PM
I haven't had a chance too - I guess I shoud've checked before I posted DOH! another thing I should add is this guitar is tuned 1/2 step/drop D tuning and we keep it in this tuning.

fraser
01-31-2008, 09:36 PM
The other thing my son thinks might be my unfamilarity with a guitar with jumbo frets. I cants seem to use the light touch - I still feel I have to play string right to the fret board, this causes the string to go sharp YUK!



this is possible, does it sound in tune when your son plays it? also in that drop tuning, if your unfamiliar with it you may pull the strings all over the place-
i always replace all the strings at once, i perform all my maintenance at string changes, i just loosen them a bit then cut them with side cutters- simple n quick, never had a problem. only started hearing about ppl changing one at a time recently- makes sense i guess( but not really) on a resonator, but not on an electric guitar

id check the intonation, as torndownunit said, especially if you changed string gauge at all or adjusted anything that would affect anything remotely related to the bridge-

Luke98
01-31-2008, 09:54 PM
Is it possible your using the tuner incorrectly or if its broke? or did you tune by ear as well?

reco46
02-01-2008, 05:24 AM
Is it possible your using the tuner incorrectly or if its broke? or did you tune by ear as well?

Actually I was using an online tuner that gives you various different tunings and also my ear, I think I have a pretty good ear anytime I see a band I can always tell if the guitarist is in tune