String Issue

mesa · #1 03-24-2010, 01:53 PM

Howdy!

I bought an Amalio Burguet Nogal few weeks ago and notice the treble B and E strings always go out of tune ( even when in the case over night). Is this a tuning machine issue? I've been playing it a good bit so I think I'm past the strings "settling" in.

thanks
curt

scooter jenkins · #2 03-24-2010, 02:07 PM

im not sure i can give you a definitive answer on this. but i think its just because of how 'finicky' classic guitars are in general. way more so than a regular steel string. almost everytime i get my classical out of the case, i have to tune it. and if i strum aggresively on it for a few songs, it has to be tuned again. but its worth it to me because of the sweet sound that comes from them.

mesa · #3 03-24-2010, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scooter jenkins

im not sure i can give you a definitive answer on this. but i think its just because of how 'finicky' classic guitars are in general. way more so than a regular steel string. almost everytime i get my classical out of the case, i have to tune it. and if i strum aggresively on it for a few songs, it has to be tuned again. but its worth it to me because of the sweet sound that comes from them.

I wondered about that as this is the first classical I've had.

David Hilyard · #4 03-24-2010, 02:12 PM

Nylon strings are stretchy and pretty much need adjusting throughout a playing session. It's not uncommon to tune, or adjust tuning after each piece. As the strings age and settle in, you'll have longer periods of time between necessary tweaking, but it'll never be like steel string guitars. I think it's not the guitar or the tuning machines. It's just nylon strings and what they do. The bass, wrapped strings won't do it as much.

You might make sure your wraps around the rollers are locking the string from slipping. Slipping can be a problem, but if they are pinched and locked, then you are doing all you can do, I think.

Retuning after overnight will be necessary almost always.

Bottom line: no worries. Just get use to it.

mesa · #5 03-24-2010, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Hilyard

Nylon strings are stretchy and pretty much need adjusting throughout a playing session. It's not uncommon to tune, or adjust tuning after each piece. As the strings age and settle in, you'll have longer periods of time between necessary tweaking, but it'll never be like steel string guitars. I think it's not the guitar or the tuning machines. It's just nylon strings and what they do. The bass, wrapped strings won't do it as much.

You might make sure your wraps around the rollers are locking the string from slipping. Slipping can be a problem, but if they are pinched and locked, then you are doing all you can do, I think.

Retuning after overnight will be necessary almost always.

Bottom line: no worries. Just get use to it.

Thanks David!

1after909 · #6 03-24-2010, 02:26 PM

also "normal" vs "hard" tension may also affect tuning..great info too David!

sjonnie1 · #7 03-24-2010, 02:34 PM

What is the temperature during day and night?

mesa · #8 03-24-2010, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sjonnie1

What is the temperature during day and night?

Hey Marcel

The temp stays between 18-21C and I have normal tension strings on it.

curt

Play2PraiseHim · #9 03-24-2010, 03:50 PM

I agree. This is quite normal for nylon strings. It does take some getting used to if you are primarily a steel string player. You will notice this more on newer strings after a string change. If you are ever going to gig or perform with your nylon, it is always good to not hcange the strings out within about 3 days. THey need time to stretch.

corbetta · #10 03-24-2010, 04:17 PM

What everyone has said is correct.

Nylon strings are very sensitive to both temperature and humidity changes – we used to joke that if somebody opened the conservatory's front door, all the guitars on the fifth floor would go out of tune.

I'd add one small thing - make sure you don't have too much "wrap" around the rollers. All of that wrapped up string needs to stretch before the guitar will stay in tune. One or two "wraps" around the tuner's roller is definitely enough, provided the string is secured with a "loop around itself" sort of knot.

Enjoy!

WaddyT · #11 03-24-2010, 04:25 PM

Regular nylon strings will change more than, say, carbon strings. Nylon is very susceptible to temperature changes, and will even start going sharp as you start playing, and the strings get warm from vibration. Carbon strings are much more stable than nylon, and carbon trebles tend to stay in tune better once they have passed that first week or so of being on the guitar. Until they have been on there a week, anything is possible. Also the difference in humidity between in your case and out of your case might make a difference.

aragorn · #12 03-25-2010, 11:09 AM

I notice a bigger difference in a small studio room than at home in my living room - temperature & humidity changes can make for fairly substantial changes in pitch pretty quickly.

I find that I have to tweak both my steel string and my classicals after I take them out of their cases, but only the classicals respond to room temperature or humidity noticeably.

Not having too many wraps on the tuner is a good tip, too. Other than temperature/humidity sensitivity, I don't see that big a difference between my guitars in terms of stability during a playing session.

-brian

#13 03-26-2010, 02:47 AM

Nylon strings are stretchy and pretty much need adjusting throughout a playing session. It's not uncommon to tune, or adjust tuning after each piece.

As the strings age and settle in, you'll have longer periods of time between necessary tweaking, but it'll never be like steel string guitars. I think it's not the guitar or the tuning machines.

It's just nylon strings and what they do. The bass, wrapped strings won't do it as much.