trouble keeping Baby Taylor in tune

gregstrummer · #1 01-03-2002, 07:07 PM

I own a Baby Taylor and am having trouble keeping it tuned. I tried changing to new (light Martin Marquis) strings, but still the same. It is getting very frustrating. Does anyone else have this problem or have any suggestions? thanks.

Yoda · #2 01-03-2002, 08:05 PM

Greg,

Do a search on the forum on this topic....seems like it was discussed not too long ago. If my over-medicated memory serves me, seems like some folks were having tuners replaced. Also, you might be sure you baby is humidified properly. Too wet or too dry can sure affect the tuning. Do you use a humidifier? You can also call the customer service folks at Taylor for help.

Yoda

Guitarjonze · #3 01-03-2002, 10:11 PM

yoda and gregstrummer-
I'm having the same trouble. I was tuning it a bit higher than standard and it seemed to maintain the tuning better but I don't think that's (higher pitch) is good over the long run.
I use lights on it like is recommended.
Standard tuning seems to go south pretty easily, though.
I do remember that thread about tuning problems and the poster said Taylor sent him a new set of tuners-pretty impressive service.

JW · #4 01-04-2002, 08:58 AM

Ive had this problem, most likly the tuners. Remove the tesion from the strings and you will probably find loose tuner screws. Tighten the phillips screw until the tuner feels like it has a good drag on it without binding. Retune and this should take care of it. JW

slw · #5 01-04-2002, 09:33 AM

I also had trouble tuning my baby. It got so frustrating that I had it "professionally" setup after much discussions with the Taylor folks. Results ..... much better playing, sounding and I also learned how to play it better.

The setup was perfect, action great. But, as I was checking it out in the store and trying to tune it, I was still not happy, not so much the issue of it staying in tune, but getting it in tune.

Then the luthier/repair guy walks in to drop off some other guitars. So I asked him why I was having so much trouble tuning the baby? He asked me to tune it and play something.

As I played he pointed out that as I fretted certain strings (i.e. the B string on the D note) it would go sharp because I was pressing down alot harder. Because of it's short scale, the baby will sound more out of tune depending on how you play it. If you fret harder on a string it will sound sharp! Try it, you can actually get a tremolo effect by just pressing harder on a fretted B string.

Solution? Now that I knew the setup was correct, I tune each open string with a Intellitouch tuner (any tuner will do) and minimize using string harmonics to tune other strings. Again because of the shorter scale length of a baby, it will sound out of tune if you try to tune using harmonics and fretted notes. I only use harmonics on 2 strings and kind of spit the difference when checking the open string tuning and a fretted note.

If you try to tune the baby using harmonics and fretted notes, it will drive you crazy, unless you have a really good ear, which I don't. I don't know if this answers your question about it staying in tune, but it may be the way you're tuning it (using harmonics) and the way you're playing it (fretting harder on notes) that makes it sound out of tune.

Hope this helps.

Acoustics4ed · #6 01-06-2002, 03:33 PM

wow
I feel pretty luck, the Baby I have stays in tune all the time. Teh fat E is a bit tricky and I think its the tuner. In fact the only thing I can say bad about it is the frets stick out on both ends of the finger board, and it was like this from the dealer but I never noticed it till after I had it home a day or 2.
Although it seems to be getting better.....I wonder if the dealer isnt keeping the store humid like he has in the past??

Who know.....but I lowered the action and have elixar custom lights on her now......might have to raise the action now but cant complain.

bob taylor · #7 01-06-2002, 09:41 PM

Try mediums rather than lights, it can help a lot. Low tension is exacerbates tuning trouble.

Think of a baby fret scale like this: it's a standard guitar with the capo on the 2nd fret. So if you tune it to F# it is the same tension on the strings as a full size guitar. That's the tension they are made for.

The problem isn't so much that it's not in tune, it's that with lower tension, (short strings tunde down to "E") they are squishy and when you fret them the chord forms go katy-wampus. So you want to increase tension, not decrease it.

If you have a newer baby without the "wall-brace" seen through the soundhole, these are full NT style. This was a complete re-tooling of the baby we did this year just to make them better. (Further evidence against the downward spiral theory, if I do say so myself)

These guitars will hold medium strings at F#, but they stay in tune pretty good with mediums at E. Lights at "E" on a new or an older baby is loose. If you have an older one, and the action is high have someone pitch the neck back so that it's good with mediums at "E"

Bottom line , medium strings at "E" help tuning. Also, check out the tuners at JW suggested. It all adds up.

Aruthas · #8 01-06-2002, 09:58 PM

Someone has to help me here. My first language is French, but I consider myself fluent in English, so my being unfamiliar with the expression "katy-wampus" used by m. Taylor must mean that it is a highly technical term, right?

rbachman · #9 01-07-2002, 07:41 AM

Bob,
Then you are saying that it is okay to use mediums on the Baby?
I thought that mediums were taboo on the Baby?

muzz76 · #10 01-07-2002, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by rbachman
Bob,
Then you are saying that it is okay to use mediums on the Baby?
I thought that mediums were taboo on the Baby?

Same here, I also thought i'd read somewhere on the company site that tuning up was once recommended but was retracted because of potential tension problems on the neck.

Derek

bob taylor · #11 01-07-2002, 11:49 AM

If your baby is the newer one, the one without the curved brace inside, the mediums are fine, at E or F#. If it's an older one you can use mediums at E, but you may have to have it adjusted. I'm sure it will hold up.

I think you'll find it will tune better.

rbachman · #12 01-07-2002, 12:10 PM

Bob or anyone,
I feel real stupid asking this. What does "mediums at E" mean?

BillM · #13 01-07-2002, 12:15 PM

Medium Gauge strings at standard tuning.

Bill

rbachman · #14 01-07-2002, 12:22 PM

Thanks Billm, that's what I thought.

Acoustics4ed · #15 01-07-2002, 12:58 PM

OK
I know Im not the hippist dude here, and lord knows I know little about the fabrication of guitars BUT?

Why is the Baby (smallest bodied) ok to use mediums on and the full size units are not?? (x12, x14)

Babies still have a solid non laminated top right?
Different wood?
Different glue?
different bridge material?

Am I missing something with all this?

You all can kick my rear in San Diego for pursueing this for so long but all I am doing is trying to understand.