Help! It is impossible to tune my guitar!

New strings take a day or so to settle. Until then you do have to keep on retuning them.

Have you got a locking trem too?

Yes i do have a locking trem. What does that mean tuning wise?

Some of the strings i have on there (3rd and 5th i think) have been on there since i bought the guitar about a month ago and they go out of tune just as often as the others. I thought maybe tightening the tuning pegs would make a difference?

I have a Fender Squier Showmaster HSS and it is impossible to tune. It takes ages to get the guitar in tune and then when i tighten up the bolts at the top of the neck the guitar immediatly goes out of tune

are you "tightening" the "bolts" after the guitar is already in tune?

Yes i have to or the strings come out of place.

Sounds to me like your guitar may not be strung properly.

Here are some links:
https://www.guitarnoise.com/lessons/stringing-and-cleaning-your-guitar/

http://home.nycap.rr.com/nils/GuitarStringing.htm

http://users.powernet.co.uk/guitars/setuptut.htm

Are you wrapping the strings over and under on the peg so that they are locked in to place?

I'm not quite sure i understand this whole over and under thing with the string. I gave it a go just now and i twisted the string over and under itself but it was impossible to get it tight and became untuned really quickly again. Can anyone explain how it is done simply? e.g. i don't what the ball end of a string is etc..

if after following the links above you are still having trouble, i would suggest taking your guitar to a friend who is more experianced or to a nearby shop.
ask them to let you watch.
it will be worth the few bucks they may charge you. odds are they will likely show you for free.

Here is one more link that may help.
This one has video:

http://www.justinguitar.com/html/general_html/Re-string.html

the bolts you refer to at the top of the guitar are called tuners.
I have a feeling you have locking tuners.
if so, then it should be a lot easier to tune than what you are experiencing.
first. after the string end is put through the hole on the tuner post, you then screw tight the retainer.
then the string is locked onto the tuner post and you can begin winding the string tight.

it mis important, with locking tuners, not to have too much string wind around the post.

That was actually really useful thanks Dennis except for i have the apparantly infamous Floyd-Rose thing on my guitar but i think i have worked out that bit.

I will give it a go now and hopefully it will be fine

Cheers

a few tips that we all know.

have the guitar volume up full when using a tuner. that way the signal is strong and the tuner can read it better.
the string should wind around the post in a certain direction.
six in a line tuners the string winds counter clock wise.
six on a side tuners the strings winds counter clock wise for the three low strings and clock wise for the three high strings.
with Floyd Rose system it takes more time to tune. I go high to low and trepaat sevral times until the tension is reached.
and then remmebr that strings will stretch out and need to be retuned often for a day or two.

Just a thought. Do you mean the locking nuts when you're referring to "bolts"? If so, you're supposed to tune your guitar while the fine tuners (the small screws on the bridge) are in middle position. After you've tightened the locking nuts, correct the tuning with those screws.

I'm assuming you have a Floyd Rose with a locking nut. The procedure goes as follows. Loosen the locking nut, tune up with the regular tuning keys, tighten the locking nut and then USE THE FINE TUNERS ON THE FLOYD ROSE TO FINE TUNE BACK TO CORRECT PITCH. I don't think I read where you were using the fine tuners down on the bridge. Ohh .. yeah...what aarrgg said. :lol:

First, just my opinion, but I hate Floyd Rose systems, and especially locking nuts. Vastly overrated.

Couple of things. First, tune your guitar to correct pitch with a tuner. Now look at the bridge. Is it floating parallel to the body? Or is it pulled slightly forward or back? When properly set, the bridge will float parallel to the body when the guitar is in tune. If not, you have to take the plate off the underside of the body and adjust the spring tension. If the bridge pulls forward you need to increase the tension of the springs. There are usually screws that hold the springs, turn those closewise (to screw inward) to increase tension. If the bridge tilts back when it tune, then the springs are too tight, loosen them. It make take several adjustments to get the bridge balanced with the guitar in tune.

Now, loosen all strings slightly. Loosen the locking nut. Turn the tuner screws on the bridge till they are in the middle of their travel. You should be able to go both directions, in or out.

Now using the tuners on the headstock, tune the guitar to correct pitch. Now tighten down the locking nuts.

Just my opinion again, but locking nuts are useless. Your guitar will still go out of tune. And using the tuning screws on the bridge is pretty useless too. Soon they will come to the end of their travel and you will have to set the guitar up again.

Best thing is leave those tuning screws in the middle and take off the locking nut. When your guitar goes out of tune, quickly retune using the tuners on the headstock. Much quicker, much simpler.

Those Floyd Rose bridges are more "cool" than useful in my opinion. But that's just my 2 cents.