Any of you tuning your 12 string with "cents" tuner?

[Daniel Grenier]

Like the tittle says. If you do, what values do you use for each string? Cheers!

[ericj]

I use a StroboClip HD or the iStroboSoft app on my iPhone. Both the same basic tuner. I use their 'sweetened' twelve string setting. I really like the results. I'm sorry I don't know the actual settings they used. A number of threads are out there and also some YouTube videos.

Eric
Taylor K65ce

[Inyo]

Trying to fine tune a 12-string is not productive.

It just doesn't make any cents.

[ericj]

This is from a commentator on the funeral of Paul Kantner:

“You haven’t experienced anything until you’ve tried tuning a 12-string on acid,” reflected Airplane/Hot Tuna bassist Jack Casady at Kantner’s funeral, which instantly reminded me of a great line from Kantner: “The electronic guitar tuner killed the San Francisco sound.

I’m sorry I didn’t catch the name of the author on the second quote. As a 50 year long 12 stringer both made me chuckle.

[Tele1111]

I have used a strobe tuner (original analog, to the present day strobotune HD) since the early 80’s. I’m sure I could delve more into the “cents” settings or preferences, but it needs to suit your ears, not mine. I’ll dig them out, but it’s been so long since I’ve even thought about it.

Mark

[mattwood]

Originally Posted by ericj

I use a StroboClip HD or the iStroboSoft app on my iPhone. Both the same basic tuner. I use their 'sweetened' twelve string setting. I really like the results. I'm sorry I don't know the actual settings they used. A number of threads are out there and also some YouTube videos.

Eric
Taylor K65ce

I'm using one of those as well and really like the sweetened tuning. I think the increments going from high E to low E are 3 cents, 6 , 4, 8, 10, 12.

[jaybones]

I tune mine with either my iPhone app (DoubleTune) or Reverb clip on tuner, and tune a half step down.

I do a modified Nashville tuning, tuning the D and G second strings to a fifth (A and D respectively). The fifth tuning gives a little more texture to the 12 (as if it needs more) and makes it less jangly.

[ljguitar]

Hi Daniel

I've owned multiple decent (Martin, Gibson, Taylor, Guild) 12 string guitars over the years, and each had different intonations anomalies than the others. I've only owned and used tuners which can tune to 1/1000 half step for over a decade, and my main tuner reads cents (which I never use for tuning them). In a couple of cases the intonation was out on the heavier gauge string in the pair, and in one case one of the unison strings (strings 1 & 2) was out from the other.

I have never understood how a single 'sweetened' tuning (unless one only plays one brand of guitar with the same anomalies) would work for every guitar.

In the case of my 3 custom handbuilt guitars, when I took them to my luthier who set them up for me, each required slightly different 'tweaks' to intonate them at the saddle.

I'd suggest you check your 12 string's intonation, and if it's out, have a tech set it up and set the intonation before trying sweetening the tunings.

I had an old Martin D-28 when I started playing (50+ years ago) that I had to tune the B string (2nd string) differently if I played in keys of G, E, or D for it to sound in tune. And it worked (though it was irritating on stage to my wife who sang with me).

The solution of course would have been to have someone put in a compensated saddle and then adjust the intonation at the saddle, a process which back in the 70s where we lived was unheard of (consequently not practiced).

So again, I'd suggest you check your 12 string's intonation, and if it's off, have a tech set the guitar up, and as part of the process set the intonation before trying sweetening the tunings. If you explain what you want, and the tech doesn't understand the intonation-at-the-saddle part, find a different tech.

My couple of cents worth…

[mcduffnw]

Originally Posted by Inyo

Trying to fine tune a 12-string is not productive.

It just doesn't make any cents.

Well...you can fine tune a 12 string...up to a certain point

But...the real trick is keeping it in tune for more than one or two songs, particularly if you are strumming vigorously or fingerpicking with a heavy attack.

John Denver used to joke...only half joke really...that you tune a 12 string to the one string that is out of tune.

In a lot of ways, tuning a 12 string is like herding cats.

Also...you can really only use "cents" tuning effectively...if at all...if you have tuning machines that are high ratio geared...like 18:1 or 21:1. If you have an older and/or vintage 12 string that has older Grovers/Schallers/Kluson tuners that are 8:1 or 12:1 or even 14:1...well...good luck with that

Send in the cats...

duff
Be A Player...Not A Polisher

[Social Exodus]

I tune my Taylor 458e using a Peterson StroboClip set to sweetened 12 string mode and it comes out perfect for me.

And my 12 string stays in tune too.

[JimmerO]

I'm with Larry on this one. I can't see how every 12 string would use the same "sweetened" tuning. Maybe it's useful as a place to start.

Unless you have one of those crooked fret guitars with a compensated saddle you can't get the 4 pairs of octave strings to match each other's intonation. A thinker string gives you a slightly different change in pitch when fretted from the same length and height. You need to tune it with a wider acceptance of temper. The only way I know how to do this is by ear.

I tune my 6 string guitars by use of a tuner and my ear. The tuner is quite useful but in the end each of my guitars is a little bit different. For a final tuning check I'll strum an E, a G and a D. That way I'm testing the intonation with different fret combinations. If I just tuned and tried a G I'm likely to find that the open G is a tad sharp when I play a D or an E. If I only strum an E then I'm apt to make the D string a tad flat because I'm trying to match it to the E strings when I fret it. If I can get acceptable intonation with all three chords then I'm done. I used to try and tune for particular songs that use certain chords but that got old.

I use the same technique with my 12 string realizing that I have to make more compromise with the temperament. At first this can take a while but once you get to know your instrument you'll find out where this usually ends up. It doesn't take me very long to tune my 12 string. But if I try one out in a store or a buddy's guitar I have to go through the whole process.