docteurseb
New Member
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2018
- Messages
- 1,063
@mranonymous what do you consider "mildly to considerably" out of tune in terms of cents ?
Different people have a different view of what tuning stability is, and it's easy to become unrealistic (not saying that's the case here).
I used to have a very mathematical view of it:
1) stretch/tune all strings.
2) bend one string
3) check with tuner it's still at 0 cents (more or less)
4) slight to heavy tremolo use
5) check with tuner it's still at 0 cents
6) repeat for all remaining strings.
I thought that was the 'normal' since I had achieved precisely that with a Strat build with locking tuners, GraphTech nut, and Wilkinson VS100N 2-point tremolo, and an insane amount of time spent making sure nut slots were smooth.
Therefore expected the same of any other guitar, like a PRS, featuring locking tuners and floating tremolo.
Well that was unrealistic; I was told (and I agree now) that in the real world:
- you play a song and you retune if needed at the end.
- you're in tune as long as the ear can't perceive it, which it typically won't if you're even 5cents off.
Also Strat-style necks have a fantastic advantage with zero string pull (if the nut slots/tuners are aligned properly), whereas PRS and 3x3 headstock designs in general do not.
All this to say that once you take care of potential binding in nut slots (smoothing them because they're generally pretty rough out of the box, and adding lubricant), potential slippage of strings at the tuner (if the locking screw isn't tight enough), verifying the tremolo returns to a neutral position after bending or trem use, etc ... you will still be insanely lucky IMO to have strings remain perfectly in tune when measured with a tuner.
Different people have a different view of what tuning stability is, and it's easy to become unrealistic (not saying that's the case here).
I used to have a very mathematical view of it:
1) stretch/tune all strings.
2) bend one string
3) check with tuner it's still at 0 cents (more or less)
4) slight to heavy tremolo use
5) check with tuner it's still at 0 cents
6) repeat for all remaining strings.
I thought that was the 'normal' since I had achieved precisely that with a Strat build with locking tuners, GraphTech nut, and Wilkinson VS100N 2-point tremolo, and an insane amount of time spent making sure nut slots were smooth.
Therefore expected the same of any other guitar, like a PRS, featuring locking tuners and floating tremolo.
Well that was unrealistic; I was told (and I agree now) that in the real world:
- you play a song and you retune if needed at the end.
- you're in tune as long as the ear can't perceive it, which it typically won't if you're even 5cents off.
Also Strat-style necks have a fantastic advantage with zero string pull (if the nut slots/tuners are aligned properly), whereas PRS and 3x3 headstock designs in general do not.
All this to say that once you take care of potential binding in nut slots (smoothing them because they're generally pretty rough out of the box, and adding lubricant), potential slippage of strings at the tuner (if the locking screw isn't tight enough), verifying the tremolo returns to a neutral position after bending or trem use, etc ... you will still be insanely lucky IMO to have strings remain perfectly in tune when measured with a tuner.
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