Trem and down tuning

[danktat]

Ok...So the first issue I have stumbled across with a fiddle with a trem instead of a stop bar tail piece. I went to tune my low E string down to D and found that though it was really "close" the rest of the strings were out of tune. So, that means that instead of just plucking the E and D and listening to the "wha wha wha wha", have to retune the rest of the strings if I want to really be in tune.

Not a HUGE deal.....but something I am not used to. So far, I have not used the wiggle stick yet ... at all .... but I have been working on a song that needs that down tuning. So I figured I would bring it up.

 

[jak3af3r]

That's because the tension on the strings/trem springs system has changed. The same thing happens when you bend strings but unless you're doing double/triple stop bends you probably won't notice.

This is why I'd gravitate to my McCarty over Custom 24 on country gigs for those steel bends not making the other notes go slightly flat.

 

[danktat]

That's because the tension on the strings/trem springs system has changed. The same thing happens when you bend strings but unless you're doing double/triple stop bends you probably won't notice.

This is why I'd gravitate to my McCarty over Custom 24 on country gigs for those steel bends not making the other notes go slightly flat.

Most of the CU22s I have had have been stop tails. This is only the second one with a trem (and my other one was blocked). People were telling me I'd adjust. And for the most part, I have. But this one situation caught my attention.

 

[Rider1260]

You can set your trem to drop only and that will solve you issue as far as tuning down goes ( the silver sky comes from PRS set that way )
just tighten the trem spring screws until the back of the bridge touches the body when tuned to pitch.

 

[jak3af3r]

Most of the CU22s I have had have been stop tails. This is only the second one with a trem (and my other one was blocked). People were telling me I'd adjust. And for the most part, I have. But this one situation caught my attention.

You could, instead of making the back of the bridge sit on the top, cut a piece of wood to fit on the spring side and double-side-tape it to the block so you could use the trem going down but the block would stop the springs from pulling the other strings sharp (block towards the springs) with a dropped tune and not putting a dent in the top of the guitar.

 

[László]

You realize that this is the perfect example of a first-world problem, right?

They, uh, make electronic tuners these days. Most of them actually work pretty well.

Saves a lot of time compared to a tuning fork.

 

[danktat]

You realize that this is the perfect example of a first-world problem, right?

It's horrible. I don't know if I will ever play again.........I can't believe I'd have to retune....what is the world coming to?

 

[alantig]

It's horrible. I don't know if I will ever play again.........I can't believe I'd have to retune....what is the world coming to?

Dude, c'mon.

PTC. Tune that sucker right up and have it back to you in a week.

 

[Egads]

Dude, c'mon.

PTC. Tune that sucker right up and have it back to you in a week.

It's too bad those Gibby automatic tuners won't fit on the PRS headstock. You wouldn't have to send your guitar to the PTC every other week!

 

[markd21]

The red CU22 in my avatar is a guitar I would gig often and we had two drop D songs in the set. I would just drop the E to D, fine tune the A and D real quick and just run with it. I had the advantage of being the only guitar in the band so there was no "competition" as far as being in tune went, and I just realized that while I like to use open chords, on the drop D songs I couldn't. Everything was a root 5 on the EAD strings. Leads were good to go, and I just enjoyed the moment.

Recording? Meh, that's when I would only use a properly set-up guitar in Drop D - usually my Gretsch Duo Jet with a Bigsby, lol. That guitar had GREAT drop D tone. I bet it was the Filtertron pickups. The second best recording guitar for drop tuning was my Vela. Notice a theme??

 

[László]

It's horrible. I don't know if I will ever play again.........I can't believe I'd have to retune....what is the world coming to?

Haha!

“How did you tune a guitar when you were a boy, Les? Did you use a tuning fork?”

“Dude, when I was a boy they didn’t even have eating forks!”

 

[alantig]

Notice a theme??

You only care about tuning if the listeners are sober?

 

[rpoce24]

Do they still make the tremol no, and does it work with PRS. It is a little bar that screws into the cavity on the back on the guitar and will allow you to lock the trem when you want. If you never use the trem you can always have a guitar tech hard tail it.

 

[danktat]

Dude, c'mon.

Do they still make the tremol no, and does it work with PRS. It is a little bar that screws into the cavity on the back on the guitar and will allow you to lock the trem when you want. If you never use the trem you can always have a guitar tech hard tail it.

My last PRS that had a trem was blocked. I left this one alone to see how I settled into it. Somehow, I like the "option" of the trem.....but, ironically, haven't actually used it since acquiring this guitar....lol

I guess I am sort of stuck in a transition point as far as figuring out weather or not to leave it be, or block it off. I don't really use alternate tunings (h*ll, I can barely play in standard tuning) but this one song I was working on requires it.

 

[alantig]

Well, you can always get into Hipshot tuners and D-Tunas and the like...

 

[jxe]

just ignore or remove the big string, the bass player will love it.

 

[JustRob]

Dude, c'mon.

PTC. Tune that sucker right up and have it back to you in a week.

You can tune them? I just buy a new guitar when mine goes out of tune.

Seriously though...
Drop tuning with a trem always takes a little more fine tuning and time.
Block the trem, or get the Teemel-No thing.
Or once you get it set for Drop D, leave it there. Standard tune a different one.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

floating trems are not "quick drop D tuning" friendly. As has been stated, changing the pitch of one strings changes the tension on all the others. Use a decked trem guitar or fixed bridge guitar for sections of the gig where you need to quickly go Drop D for a song, then right back. My Mira is my first PRS that I can do that on since all 4 others have floating trems.

 

[danktat]

Or once you get it set for Drop D, leave it there. Standard tune a different one.

floating trems are not "quick drop D tuning" friendly. As has been stated, changing the pitch of one strings changes the tension on all the others. Use a decked trem guitar or fixed bridge guitar for sections of the gig where you need to quickly go Drop D for a song, then right back. My Mira is my first PRS that I can do that on since all 4 others have floating trems.

See, always SOMETHING to make a guy want to buy another guitar!!!!

 

[Deleted member 5962]

See, always SOMETHING to make a guy want to buy another guitar!!!!

you know how we roll here, bro.

Seriously, that mysterious guy who posted right before me had one possible solution. The Tremel-No. If it were me, I'd one way block it if I was a regular D Tuner. Block it so it on the inside, so you can still bend down, but not up. This allows you to still have a usable trem, go to Drop D on the fly without touching your other strings and best of all, the bridge gets the tonal advantages of a fixed bridge, since it sits solidly on the wood block except when bending down. Three wins for a regular D tuner guy!