Why is my guitar out of tune?

Have you ever tuned your guitar perfectly, only to play an E major chord and think your tuner is broken? Yep, I have.

Tuning instability is one of the most common problems that requires attention when getting your guitar setup. This instability can be caused by a number of things, but some players may not know where the problem lies. I thought I’d share some information with you so you know what to look out for, and some of the signs that your guitar might be in need of some love. Here are some of the areas I work on to help your guitar play in tune.

-       String tension

Whether you play in Standard Tuning, Eb, Open C, Drop G or anywhere in between, string tension is an important piece of the puzzle in making the notes on your guitar sound in tune. Selecting the correct string gauge for your tuning AND your guitar is crucial. Personal preference for the feel of the strings comes into play, which is why it is so important to get to know the player and their needs. Here are some tips to help you make a choice for optimizing your instrument.

1.     Scale Length (length between the nut and the bridge)

Not all guitars have the same scale length. A general rule of thumb is that the shorter the length, the thicker the string gauge.

Common scale lengths

25 1/2” (647.7mm) – Fender Stratocaster/Telecaster

24 3/4” (628.65mm) – Gibson Les Paul/335

34” (863.6mm) – Fender Basses

For example, a Telecaster is longer than a Les Paul.  If you string both guitars with standard gauge strings (10-46), the tension will be higher on the Telecaster. Although the increased tension will create a tighter bass response, the trade-off is a tighter feel and slightly more difficulty bending the strings.

The lower you tune your guitar, the thicker the string gauge will need to be.

Drop C on a Les Paul is just not going to work with 8-38 strings because they are far too thin to be able to accurately sustain such a low note. Such low tuning on a Les Paul would require a gauge closer to 12-60 to achieve proper string tension.

2.     Playing technique

String tension really depends on the technique of the player. If you have a very light touch with both your picking hand and fretting hand, you can most likely use a lighter string gauge. If you are a heavy handed player like myself, you may have to use a heavier string gauge to prevent strings from bouncing around the intended note.

-       Truss Rod

Your guitar neck most likely has a big adjustable metal bar down the middle of it. This is called your Truss Rod. It is doing it’s absolute best to counteract the string tension from bending the neck. If the balance is out, the neck may look somewhat like a banana. This leads to the strings being a different height at the start and end of the neck as they are in the middle. Notes around the 8th fret will require more effort to push down therefore they will sound out of tune. We should try to get the neck pretty close to straight.

A good way to check if your neck is straight without any special tools, is to hold down both the first fret and last fret of the low E string and then look underneath the string at around the 8th fret. If there is a sizeable gap between the bottom of the string and the fret (not the fretboard), then your truss rod needs to be tightened. If the string is touching the fret, then the truss rod is too tight.

Finding the balance (and the right Allen Key) can be tricky at first. Truss rod adjustment is usually the first thing I’ll take a look at on your guitar before going any further. 

-       Nut slots

The most important piece of the puzzle in maintaining tuning stability is also the most overlooked! Nut slots!

If the nut slots are not wide enough, smooth enough or have not been cut at the right angle, the strings will bind against the sides.

Picture a fat guy on a waterslide. He might be the exact same size as the pipe, most days he can pass through without a worry. But on a hot day or after a few too many cheeseburgers, that pipe may not match his size anymore and then we’ve got a large problem (pun intended).

The string will not be able to pass freely which can lead to radical changes in tuning, especially after bending strings or tremolo use. This also increases the risk of snapping strings. If your strings make a creaking noise or drastically jump in pitch when you turn a tuning peg or use the tremolo, the nut slots are most likely the culprit.

The point of contact between each string and the nut needs to be precise. If there are issues here, the open strings will not play in tune with fretted notes.

Back to my first sentence of this blog…

Have you ever tuned your guitar perfectly, only to play an E major chord and think your tuner is broken?

·      Intonation

Intonation is when each fret plays the exact pitch that it is supposed to. The previous three issues (String tension, Truss rod adjustment and Nut Slots) all have an impact on your intonation. There are three other main factors that influence the intonation of your guitar.

1.     String action

This is the height of the strings from the tops of the frets. If the action is too high, you have to push too hard to get each string down to the fret. This will bend the string slightly, making the notes sound higher than they should.

2.     Saddle position

Aligning the saddles properly at the bridge is a small adjustment of the scale length of each string individually. Every guitar has different requirements when making this adjustment.

3.     Properly crowned frets

A properly crowned fret is nice and round on top instead of flat. Flat fret tops shift the intonation of the note. Not only will this cause the notes to sound out of tune, but can also lead to fret buzz and an overall scratchy feeling under the string. This is like nails down a chalkboard to some people.

These are the kinds of things I look for and take care of for you when you bring me your guitar for a setup or particular tuning issue.

Some of these problems can be sorted out yourself with minimal tools and a little bit of research. Or this could happen…

But if you would prefer to get all of these things sorted and just spend more time playing your beloved instrument (in tune), Then please CONTACT ME and we can have a chat about what needs to be done.