Tuning and cold weather

[jed1894]

Noticed tonight my my LL6 was out of tune on every string...way out. All were flat and needed tuning up a pretty good bit. It has stayed in tune from day one and never needed adjustment. However, temp has dropped here and I guess humidity is down too. House is a little cooler as well.

What you guys think?

Jed

[Mr Fingers]

Sure -- temperature can affect tuning in several ways, acting on the strings or the guitar itself. The scary concept here is "temperature change." And "humidity change." Wood, and guitars, hate both, and the movements and changes that can result -- immediate, longer term -- are always bad. I'd take your observation as a warning sign. If the temp is now going to stay lower, consistently, that may not be a problem (as long as it's not too cold); it's the changing temp, not just a lower temp, that is the potential problem.

[jed1894]

Originally Posted by Mr Fingers

Sure -- temperature can affect tuning in several ways, acting on the strings or the guitar itself. The scary concept here is "temperature change." And "humidity change." Wood, and guitars, hate both, and the movements and changes that can result -- immediate, longer term -- are always bad. I'd take your observation as a warning sign. If the temp is now going to stay lower, consistently, that may not be a problem (as long as it's not too cold); it's the changing temp, not just a lower temp, that is the potential problem.

Thanks. Humidity has dropped as well. Interesting to note is that the FG800, which is sitting next to the LL6 did not change. Strange

[Steadfastly]

Temperature changes cause metal which strings are made from, to expand or contract.

Hot = expansion = looser string = lower pitch

Cold = contraction = tauter string = higher pitch

[printer2]

Originally Posted by Steadfastly

Temperature changes cause metal which strings are made from, to expand or contract.

Hot = expansion = looser string = lower pitch

Cold = contraction = tauter string = higher pitch

What about the neck and body?

[Big*Al]

My experience is that the wood expands and contracts with humidity a lot more than temperature affects the strings. Due to the way it's braced, the top of the guitar will rise and fall, affecting tuning and playability. On cold, dry days my guitars sometimes go sharp. On a warmer winter day, they go slightly flat again.

I keep a humidifier in the case during the winter. That keeps the guitars from drying out so much that they might crack, but it can also cause other tuning problems. I play mostly at church, and I can't really re-tune it during the service. The choir area is near a big radiator. On a really cold day, my guitar can gradually go sharp just during the couple of hours it's out of its nice humidified case.

[vindibona1]

I dunno... Call me crazy, but it would surprise me if a guitar doesn't go out of tune EVERY day. Unless you're environment is so controled that your wooden instrument doesn't suffer from any expansion or contraction, then wouldn't you EXPECT it to need tuning?

[Moocheng]

yep' temperature changes will upset tuning for sure.
Also even after tuning up a cold guitar your warm hands can alter the tuning a few cents by the end of the first song.

interesting what cold does, my Tele's go sharp, acoustics go flat

[JayBee1404]

I'm constantly surprised that people seem to expect their guitars to stay permanently in tune. I've never owned a guitar that stayed permanently in tune and never needed tweaking - hell, I touch up the tuning between almost every song when I'm playing out.

When I pick up a guitar, first thing I do is check and tweak the tuning - it almost always needs it. Then, I get on and play, I don't waste time and mental effort wondering what caused it to need a tuning tweak. It's wood, it's metal, it's glue, it's organic!

Usual disclaimers apply......IMHO, YMMV etc.

[Markini]

Actually, if your strings are low or flat and have to be tuned up, that is probably heat and possibly dry condition of humidity maybe 30% or less.

If it has been cold where you live, do you have the heat turned on?
This time of year in most parts of the US is humidifying time. Air is dry and cool or cold.

Seasonal change: Time to humidify guitar (in it's case). You will also alleviate "fret sprout".

Good journeys to you.

[j.blay]

Yup. I heat exclusively with wood and live alone. I work long hours and live in Northern Michigan. I have a humidifier that keeps my home 35-50 % all winter. When I get home from work and outside temps are in the teen's or single digits, my home is often in the low 50's and sometimes in the low 40's or high 30's when it's below zero outside and I've been away for 12-18 hours. If my guitar isn't hanging out, I always take it out of the case and let it warm up with the house. I tune it when I start playing, and have to re-tune as the house warms up. I have an expensive, Jake Robinson Luthier built, Old Growth Brazilian/Bearclaw Sitka lacquer coated SJ that has never been damaged by this temperature variable, as well as 90-100 degrees temps in the summer with no air conditioning. I do keep it in the case with a dehumidifier during spurts of high humidity. My less expensive pro series Takamine acts the same way.

[Steadfastly]

Originally Posted by printer2

What about the neck and body?

The neck and body change a little but not as much as metal. What affects the wood parts of the guitar is humidity or lack of it. It also takes a lot longer for wood to be affected than the metal (strings).