Ways to keep your guitar in tune while playing on stage....

Red Dog Studios said:
hey guys,

i've got to where i noticed that after every 1 or 2 songs, my guitar will need to be tuned again, like it's not really really bad, but enouf to where it anoys me. I do tune up many times before show and i have a pedal tuner on stage that will mute the channel and let me tune quickly if i need to, but i was just wondering what is the cause of this? I have hurd that playin your guitar hard or jumpin around will tend to do it too, but i do really do alot of jumpin or whatever, but i do tend to move around alot. what do some of you guys do for this problem? thanks alot
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Aside from properly winding your strings, a simple technique that I do is to tin the string with solder where it wraps around the ball. This prevents the string from slipping or tightening. I read about this years ago, but only started doing this about 2 years ago, and it has made a significant diifference for me.
 
string locks

Hi!

I'm new here, but enjoying things a lot! ..reading trough old posts has kept me from posting.
That link was good info, though nothing much new to me. never had much trouble with tune, cause I use really heavy strings, know how to put them in and yank the hell outta them when changing strings, I stretch outwards from several points, by the pickups and 2-3 points on the neck. I personally loathe and fear and hate whammy bars, especially floyd rose. Thats mainly because I play rhythm and use heavy palm muting on the bridge, that de-tunes that kind of bridges. I have also played bass for some 5years in two bands, and laugh around that I played guitar for 15 years and turned a bass-player when I saw a floyd rose bridge. :)
But at the same time appeared those locks on the far end of the neck, and those seem very affective, never had them though..
A good heavy solid guitar like a les paul has less problems staying in tune (imho) than a strat for example.
 
Aside from properly winding your strings, a simple technique that I do is to tin the string with solder where it wraps around the ball. This prevents the string from slipping or tightening. I read about this years ago, but only started doing this about 2 years ago, and it has made a significant diifference for me.

Interesting solution, but my question is-what do you do if the string breaks at a gig? Do you have to carry wire cutters with you to cut the string/solder connection? Maybe I'm misunderstanding the technique you are describing.:confused:
 
My Epiphone use'd to go out of tune all the time, got it setup, still problems. Replaced the tuners with some planet waves (locking), and I have no problems with keeping in tune and I play pretty hard with plenty of bending and plenty of jumping.


-jeffrey
 
alternatively one could take up knitting :p :p then the guitar would never go out EVER AGAIN

why hasn't anyone invented the stringless guitar :D
 
flamin-gitaur said:
Aside from properly winding your strings, a simple technique that I do is to tin the string with solder where it wraps around the ball. This prevents the string from slipping or tightening. I read about this years ago, but only started doing this about 2 years ago, and it has made a significant diifference for me.
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Heh - and I thought I was the only one who still does this. :)

These days, though, I often use a drop of super-glue to achieve the same thing. Faster and cleaner, and no squinting and finger-tip charring required :)

The bullet-type strings that Fender produces don't require this, but where I live, these strings aren't easy to get.

@Anfontan: we don't solder the strings to the guitar - we solder the string to the ball/ring end of the string to prevent it from from slipping around there. This is *before* we string the guitar.
 
mgrowe said:
I know this may sound unhelpful but it is not meant that way

You should always check your tuning between songs anyway. A digital tuner is a part of my setup and it is normal to check all the time.
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Nah ....... if the git is set up right it should hold better than that. I play a lot (4 or 5 nights a week) and as long as I have fresh strings it doesn't go out much at all. I have gits that's pretty much stay in tune for several nights in a row ...... only minor adjustments needed.
I do have a stage tuner, of course .... and they are a required part of a stage rig for sure. And when I hear something sour I check it .... but you shouldn't really have to check every song unless it's a particularly bad git tuning wise.
 
Lt. Bob said:
Nah ....... if the git is set up right it should hold better than that. I play a lot (4 or 5 nights a week) and as long as I have fresh strings it doesn't go out much at all. I have gits that's pretty much stay in tune for several nights in a row ...... only minor adjustments needed.
I do have a stage tuner, of course .... and they are a required part of a stage rig for sure. And when I hear something sour I check it .... but you shouldn't really have to check every song unless it's a particularly bad git tuning wise.
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yas we're barking up the same tree here for sure

I have a strat that I used like a dog in a country band (shock & horror) & remember putting it onto a flight with no tension release on the strings!!! took it out at the other side of the flight & blow me it was in tune

4-5 nights a week indeed & I'll tune on the fly a lot (whilst the song is being played) because sometimes the instruments one is playing alongside won't be in tune to concert

I also find that with players of more road experience will bend strings to make it sound in tune if they can't get to the machine head (particularly annoying in a trio)

tuning is an art.............that is made eaier with a well setup good quality guitar
 
Anfontan said:
Aside from properly winding your strings, a simple technique that I do is to tin the string with solder where it wraps around the ball. This prevents the string from slipping or tightening. I read about this years ago, but only started doing this about 2 years ago, and it has made a significant diifference for me.

Interesting solution, but my question is-what do you do if the string breaks at a gig? Do you have to carry wire cutters with you to cut the string/solder connection? Maybe I'm misunderstanding the technique you are describing.:confused:
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I think you are misunderstinding- I am talking about putting solder "on" the string wrapping where the ball is on the end of the string (not to be confused with the winding). Strings sometimes have a tendancy to slip a little bit in this area. Hope that made more sense.
 
dinorocker said:
Heh - and I thought I was the only one who still does this. :)

These days, though, I often use a drop of super-glue to achieve the same thing. Faster and cleaner, and no squinting and finger-tip charring required :)
Click to expand...


I never though of using super glue, I'll have to give it a try.
 
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