How to keep your guitar in tune, Haywire Custom Guitars emphasizes proper string stretching, maintaining good intonation, and regular tuning checks. They also recommend keeping your guitar’s tuning pegs in good condition and making sure the nut is cut correctly.
Here’s a more detailed breakdown:
String Stretching:
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New strings, especially when first installed, need to be stretched to help them settle and maintain a stable tuning. This involves pulling on the strings gently and retuning several times.
Intonation:
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Proper intonation ensures that notes are in tune not only when played open but also when fretted at the 12th fret or higher. Haywire recommends adjusting the saddle position to fine-tune the string length for each string.
Tuning Pegs:
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Haywire Custom Guitars thoroughly checks and lubricates tuning pegs to ensure smooth and even movement, preventing them from getting stuck or losing tension, according to their Tune Up Your Guitar page.
Nut and Fretboard:
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Haywire Custom Guitars also emphasizes the importance of a properly cut nut and polished frets to ensure that the strings sit correctly and don’t buzz, according to their Guitar Setup page.
Regular Tuning:
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Haywire advises tuning regularly to ensure the guitar stays in tune, especially after changing strings or when the environment changes.
Guitar Intonation And Setup Adjustments
Step-by-Step: Setting Up Your Guitar: Intonation Proper intonation is a process of balancing the length of each string so the guitar plays accurately across the fingerboard. The 12th fret provides the reference point because it is the octave of the open string. Start with fresh strings. Strings develop uneven wear as they are played, and worn strings can produce misleading intonation readings. For an accurate setup, begin with a properly installed, fresh set of strings. Tune the open string precisely. Bring the string to exact pitch using a reliable electronic tuner. This establishes the reference point for the intonation check. Check the 12th-fret note. Play the string at the 12th fret using normal playing pressure. Excessive finger pressure can raise the pitch and give you a false reading. Compare the 12th-fret pitch to the open string. 12th-fret note is sharp: The string is effectively too short. Move the saddle backward, away from the neck, to increase the string length. 12th-fret note is flat: The string is effectively too long. Move the saddle forward, toward the neck, to decrease the string length. Make small adjustments. Intonation should be adjusted gradually. After each saddle adjustment, re-tune the open string before checking the 12th fret again. Moving the saddle changes the string's pitch, so skipping the re-tuning step can lead to an inaccurate adjustment. Repeat the process. Continue the tune–check–adjust cycle until the open string and its 12th-fret octave are accurately matched. Repeat for each string. Every string behaves differently because of its diameter, construction, tension, and interaction with the instrument. Each one must be evaluated and adjusted individually. The Important Part Intonation is not simply a matter of moving every saddle to a predetermined position. The final position of each saddle is determined by the individual string and the instrument. Proper intonation requires careful measurement, small adjustments, and repeated checking until the guitar plays accurately where it matters—under the player's hands.
