So im having issues with my bottom string. And only really in drop d. I have a chromatic tuner, and well all the other strings tune just fine, but that drop d string fluxuates when i pluck it. And its bad, and ive tried stretching it ALOT and it helps alittle, but still when i hit that string it goes pretty sharp, then it starts to come back to tune, then it goes pretty flat. And when it is as tuned as i can get it on the chromatic tuner, its not exactly in tune with the other strings. I have a DArmond m75 i believe (it was given to me because nobody was using it), but its in good condition and i have everything set good, the neck is good the action is good and its intonated. (well best as i can on the bottom string) So i have no clue what to do about this. Please help! lol
On a side note, im not exactly a newbie when it comes to this stuff normaly. Ive been playing guitar for a while, but ive never had this problem before. I was sort of thinking that maybe it has to do with the gauge of my strings. But ive had those on the guitar before with no problem. So its unique and baffling to me. they are D'Addario XL .009 nickel strings.
Thanks!
Do you have a floating trem unit?
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There's that and try tuning by using the harmonic at the 12th fret.
I use D'Addario 9's on all my guitars, and can't say I've ever noticed a problem - and I use open G (DGDGBD) a lot, and open D (DADF#AD) occasionally. One thing I have noticed though - when I'm tuning the bottom string, if I hit it with anything more than a very gentle strum, it will go quite sharp before settling down.
I've also noticed, when re-tuning from standard, I'll get the guitar in tune and a few minutes later I'll have to tune it again - the strings do take a little time to settle, especially if you're re-tuning them all. Shouldn't be too much of a problem if you're only re-tuning the bottom E to D, but all the same, I'd check your tuning again after about 5 minutes play.
Tuning tip I was given a while back; for electric guitars, use the neck p/u with the volume fairly well up, and pluck the string just hard enough for the note to register on the tuner. Seems to work pretty well for me.
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
No its not a floating tremolo, I dont even think those guitars come with that.
Thanks for your input guys!
Any more tips would be appreciated ;)
Nick, Vic and the others have it covered, but I guess your M75 is like a Les Paul with a short scale. Also, I have one somewhere.
Make sure your bolt-on neck is snug, but not too tight; loose bolts cause instability, even though you are tuning down.
As for the 9's, they might be okay, or you could compare with a new 46 gauge string, instead of the 42 in a light set.
In any case tune below the drop D note, then snug UP to D, to put tension on the tuner as with any tuning move.
What that means, though you may know, is that your last manual move on the tuning peg is a tightening turn. :wink:
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That's the behavior of ANY string when it's plucked, but it gets a lot more exaggerated as the string gets slacker. That's a reason why we don't use 9s on bass guitars.
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Just tune it harmonically & be done with it......maybe your intonation is out a bit....no biggie to adjust.
I vote for heavier strings. Also suggest you trust your ear -- if you know the sixth string is in the ballpark, learn to recognize when it's consonant with the fourth-string D without staring into the hypnotic gaze of the chromatic tuner.
"You can't write a chord ugly enough to say what you want to say sometimes, so you have to rely on a giraffe filled with whipped cream." - Frank Zappa
The neck seems to be a set neck. This type of guitar i cant imagine would come as a through neck guitar, so im gonna say its a set neck. But its definately not a bolt on. The thing is, i can get the bottom string in tune by ear, but i guess im more wondering why it does that, and actualy when its in tune by ear it seems to be off on my tuner. The other thing is, if i cannot get it to tune right on my tuner, then i cant really intonate it as precicely as i would like, Oh and i NEVER tune strings by going loose, the last move i do on the tuning machine is a tighten. Ive done everything as best as i can i think.
I cleaned the fretboard and frets, and the whole guitar
I set the tension rod
I Set the action
I Intonated it (bottom string best as i could)
I put a little lube in the nut and bridge,
put new strings on (correctly)
I stretched the strings properly
Tuned it up
and ive played a few times then retuned etc,
but that bottome string still seems to fluxuate to much, and like i said, when its in tune by ear its a bit out of tune on the tuner, (as far as i can tell with all the fluxuating)
Thanks again for everybodys help!
When you've just picked the string it's swinging through a wide arc, which stretches the string tighter and makes it go sharp. As the vibration decays it doesn't stretch it as much and it goes flatter. Every string does that, every time. But when a string is of a light gauge for the note it's tuned to and therefore is relatively slack, the effect is much greater. Put on bigger strings and you won't notice it. It really isn't the guitar's construction. If you're hearing a difference between guitars with the same strings in the same tuning, I'll bet the one that's doing this worse has a shorter scale length. (Which makes the strings slacker.)
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
If you're hearing a difference between guitars with the same strings in the same tuning, I'll bet the one that's doing this worse has a shorter scale length. (Which makes the strings slacker.)
Good point. The guitar in question shouldn't happen to be a Gibson style 24 3/4" scale model, while you're used to playing 25 1/2" scale guitars (like Fender, Ibanez, etc..)?
