Stupid new out of tune acoustic

[Monkey Allen]

I've had this Taylor 110 that has spent, easily, 80% of its life in it's case when not in use. But there was a period when I would leave it leaning against a wall during summer, when it was very hot and humid.

A brand new guitar when I bought it, it now has a slight S down the treble side of the neck and is a mongrel to tune. I've had it pro set a couple of times. Most recently about a year ago. I find the low e, the a, the g and b strings to be the worst.

Once an acoustic gets a slight S in the neck, is it ruined?

Am I finding it harder to tune because I'm tuning it at D# and not E?

Should I be giving the guitar a lot more pro treatment? ie. instead of just tuning the strings and wondering why it doesn't work, should I be much more alert to the overall tuning, including the truss rod and what not?

This guitar is only 2-3 years old, and the S is NOT really that bad...it's only slight.

thanks

 

[travelin travis]

it should be covered under warranty. i don't think leaving your guitar leaning against the wall would cause a twist in the neck but i'm not sure about the humidity factor. as far as the flat tuning, you should have your guitar setup for that tuning.

 

[punkin]

Hey Light!

One thing for sure, what ever you do, don't use epoxy! I learnt that'n from Light

Seriously, just a bump. I'm interested too. Some folks hang them, some put them on stands and other keep them in cases. I would have thought that keeping it in the case would have been a no brainer so long as the case fit snugly. Further, and I could be wrong (Light will straighten me out ) if there were a heat problem, you'd think that the body or at least the top would have suffered as well. I read where someone of wonderous repute said that if anything, acoustic guitars made these days tend to be "over-built".

My guess, the neck wasn't completely dry and eventually settled down to it's desired posture.

Never mind me...I'm just bumpin' it.

 

[Monkey Allen]

Warranty is a thought...although I'm not sure how long the warranty is for. I still have the docket, so I could approach the shop I got it from and see what happens.

The case is a snug fit. I have an old Ibanez Performance which is 15yo...it's had the hell beaten out of it...and although its tone can't beat the Taylor, at least it tunes pretty ok.

The $$ for the Taylor isn't reflected in the tuning that's for sure. I've hardly played the Taylor, and certainly haven't abused it.

But, yeah, maybe it's time to also look into having it set up for D#, not E

 

[Horsedoc]

If you bought it new, take it to the dealer or a certified Taylor repairman. If there is a problem, then it is covered by the warranty and Taylor will fix it.

 

[Light]

Warranty is a thought...although I'm not sure how long the warranty is for. I still have the docket, so I could approach the shop I got it from and see what happens.

The case is a snug fit. I have an old Ibanez Performance which is 15yo...it's had the hell beaten out of it...and although its tone can't beat the Taylor, at least it tunes pretty ok.

The $$ for the Taylor isn't reflected in the tuning that's for sure. I've hardly played the Taylor, and certainly haven't abused it.

But, yeah, maybe it's time to also look into having it set up for D#, not E

Other than the Baby Taylors, all Taylors have a lifetime warranty on materials and workmanship. I don't know what is going on, so I can't say if this is going to be covered. Contact Taylor and find your nearest warranty center (though I'm not sure how many there are in Australia).

Tuning down a half-step will effect the intonation, so yes, that could very well be part of your tuning problem. Leaning your guitar against the wall, though certainly a bad idea, is unlikely to cause any damage to the neck (other than when the guitar falls and shatters into a thousand pieces, of course). I'm afraid I haven't looked at a 100 series in a while, so I'm don't really remember what they are like. I'm pretty sure they have the NT neck, so it is unlikely to have any fall off at the body, so I would guess that you biggest problem is probably a high fret or two somewhere, which COULD be a climate related issue, and which can look like you've got an S shaped neck. But it wouldn't cause tuning problems.

For tuning issues, the most likely issue is, as always, a poorly adjusted nut, with a very distant second for the saddle being in the wrong place (try tuning it up to pitch...Sound better? There's your problem). If it's the nut and you can't find anyone to adjust it properly, try a little pencil led in the slots when you restring it (you do restring at least once a month, right? Cause if you don't, worn strings are nearly impossible to get in tune). The graphite can help, though it is not at all a fix.



Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[Monkey Allen]

Thanks Light. I'll take it in to a good place to get looked at, and have it set up for a step down tuning. Apart from that, I'll be looking into warranty.

 

[muttley600]

I read where someone of wonderous repute said that if anything, acoustic guitars made these days tend to be "over-built".

My guess, the neck wasn't completely dry and eventually settled down to it's desired posture.

Never mind me...I'm just bumpin' it.

That would be me then I have often said that here and elsewhere because they are. You don't want one built too lightly either as some luthiers do. The answer really is somewhere between the two. Makers who have built by hand for a while will look to finish with a guitar that is lighter than you average production model and substantial enough to be stiff and resonant. A lot depends on the timber you have in front of you and how it feels. The big guys don't have the luxury of working each top or back and sides as an individual item.

As to the solution to the problem I'm with Light. Get it to a Taylor repair shop you will be covered. I suspect you may have a couple of potential problems. A badly adjusted truss rod with too much relief, this will give you intonation problems up the neck. and possibly a badly set neck angle. Taylors Bolt on neck system has been sold as the perfect solution to this problem so give them a chance to sort it. Although he talks about the 14 fret hump problem the same applies to your possible problem in this video. Personally I don't like their neck system because of the way it effects the tone but thats just my opinion. Thousands of people love Taylors sound so thats good too. I have never seen one that couldn't be setup correctly so you should be OK. If it can't Taylor will honour their Warranty almost without exception. A "real" S bend in a neck is extremely rare on decent guitars by the way.

To try and make any other judgments would need some more info such as where up the fret is it out of tune and by how much...Is it in tune at the nut and out at the 12 fret or vice versa sort of thing.

Get it to a Taylor authorised dealer and take it from there their after sales is among the best

 

[Monkey Allen]

It's out of tune in the open positions. The g string is most obviously out and the low e string never seems to sit right. It always sounds off to me. Like a lot of acoustics, the b is a constant battle.

I agree with the last 2 suggestions/ tips. I'll take it to Billy Hyde and have one of the blokes look at it and attempt to set it up at D# for me. If they tell me it won't tune properly, then I'll have to get it to a Taylor dealer and go from there.