007
C.O.G.
Posts: 2,601
My main instrument is: 1965 Hagstrom H45E
|
Post by 007 on Oct 22, 2013 9:05:39 GMT
I have an Epiphone 12er its a pain in the arse to tune. I tune a string and within 10 minutes its gone out half an octave. This is the lower strings usually not the higher. Do you think its because the string is not wound tightly enough round the barrel of the machine head? or what?
|
|
leoroberts
C.O.G.
Posts: 24,534
My main instrument is: probably needing new strings
Member is Online
|
Post by leoroberts on Oct 22, 2013 9:18:11 GMT
We're supposed to TUNE them?
Oh, dear God, that's a whole new world of pain ....
|
|
|
Post by sigmadel on Oct 22, 2013 9:34:49 GMT
I find mine is only a problem if I'm using new strings as usually its brill at holding up . In the acoustic mag review of the guitar David Mead said he was impressed on that front as he had it in the office laying round for over a week and everyday he'd pick it up and play something and he never had to tune it once . In answer to your question , it may help adding a turn or two on the posts or it could be a set up issue . I know Gibsons are a pain to keep in tune due to the rake angle on the headstock so it could be Epiphones are the same . It may just need the truss rod tweaked slightly . What type of tuners are on it ? And what key do you normally play it in or store it in ?
|
|
ocarolan
Global Moderator
CURMUDGEONLY OLD GIT (leader - to join, just ask!)
Posts: 33,956
Mini-Profile Background: {"image":"","color":"c0cfe1"}
Mini-Profile Name Color: 182a3f
Mini-Profile Text Color: 733a1c
|
Post by ocarolan on Oct 22, 2013 11:21:09 GMT
Paul, if this occurs mostly when tuning up after changing strings I suspect you might need to take a bit more care over disposing of those you remove - in particular, be very careful to check that you aren't sitting on the curly bits of the old ones.
Keith
|
|
|
Post by scorpiodog on Oct 22, 2013 11:42:43 GMT
Do you lock the strings onto the post, Paul? That might help.
12 strings have always been a bugger to tune. Usually it's because tuning up the treble strings puts the bass strings out (or vice versa). Not so much a problem since the electronic tuner which makes it much quicker to adjust when it goes out.
|
|
|
Post by grayn on Oct 22, 2013 12:41:38 GMT
Although tuning the twelver can take a little more time, your problem isn't a normal one, IMO.
Perhaps a tech could look at it?
|
|
007
C.O.G.
Posts: 2,601
My main instrument is: 1965 Hagstrom H45E
|
Post by 007 on Oct 22, 2013 12:53:12 GMT
Do you lock the strings onto the post, Paul? That might help. How would I lock them 12 strings have always been a bugger to tune. Usually it's because tuning up the treble strings puts the bass strings out (or vice versa). Not so much a problem since the electronic tuner which makes it much quicker to adjust when it goes out.
|
|
|
Post by earwighoney on Oct 22, 2013 13:18:54 GMT
Restringing a 12 is even worse than tuning one.
Next to that is fingerpicking a 12.
007 - as obvious as it might sound have you tried a different brand of strings?
|
|
|
Post by scorpiodog on Oct 22, 2013 13:40:48 GMT
Do you lock the strings onto the post, Paul? That might help. How would I lock them There a whizzy way of doing it that I have had described to me 2 or 3 times. I know IanLP59 can do it and so, I'm sure can many others on the forum, but I forget. My way (the easy non technical way), is to wind your new string once over the tail end of the string (so it goes up the capstan) and then cross it over so that the winds go down the capstan not up (ie the tail end goes over the string). That locks the string end onto the post by pressure from the string winds. It sounds more complicated than it is.
|
|
|
Post by scorpiodog on Oct 22, 2013 14:07:24 GMT
Aha! Thanks to Youtube, here's the whizzy way:
The relelvant bit starts at 3:47.
|
|
|
Post by sigmadel on Oct 22, 2013 15:32:52 GMT
That's the way I normally do it too , simply trap the tail under the windings .
|
|
|
Post by ararat66 on Oct 22, 2013 21:59:24 GMT
curly string thing at the end of the video is very cool - enough to allow my guitar to be unshaven next string change
|
|
|
Post by K Tresp on Oct 22, 2013 22:57:28 GMT
12 strings can be a bit of a labour of love but are so worth the hassle. Glorious when they come off. I would agree with some of the other posters that this sounds like a something out of the ordinary and it may pay dividends to have it looked at.
Might also be worth trying tuning the whole thing half a step down from whatever tuning you have it in just to take some of the tension off. Found this helped on a couple of dodgy 12 strings I used to have years ago. Lucky enough to have a couple of decent 12s now though and dont really have the tuning issues.
|
|
stringdriventhing
C.O.G.
Posts: 1,859
Mini-Profile Background: {"image":"","color":"101011"}
Mini-Profile Name Color: E61921
Mini-Profile Text Color: e6ce19
|
Post by stringdriventhing on Oct 22, 2013 23:17:52 GMT
Aha! Thanks to Youtube, here's the whizzy way: The relelvant bit starts at 3:47. That looks better than what I normally do - I'll try it next time I'm restringing.
|
|
Wild Violet
Artist / Performer
Posts: 3,556
My main instrument is: Symonds OM-14
|
Post by Wild Violet on Oct 23, 2013 7:31:24 GMT
There a whizzy way of doing it that I have had described to me 2 or 3 times. I know IanLP59 can do it and so, I'm sure can many others on the forum, but I forget. This does, however, make it a lot more difficult to get the strings off when you change them. I don't wrap my strings this way but have had plenty of poked/bleeding fingers changing strings after someone else used this technique.
|
|