Tuner Problems

[Bluesdriver]

I've done a few builds and some of them have the following problem: while you turn one of them tuners the pitch of the other strings also change, making it rather difficult to play in live performances.

Also the CBGs that have this problem are sort of difficult to keep in tune, which makes me think that these problems are related.

This it my first post, it's great to know that there is such a great community devoted to CBGs!

Reminder: the tuners were properly installed in the builds mentioned above. I will post pics as soon as I can.

[Ron "Oily" Sprague]

We-ell, looking at yer pics, the problem seems obvious: all your tuners are on the wrong side for a right hander. ;-)

Seriously, though, the other suggestions (neck bow, boxtop flex) are the first places to look. I also notice that your string wraps have space between them; this could be causing some small string slippage as well. Try wrapping the strings so that each wrap coils tightly atop the previous one. Also, tuning will be more stable if the wraps extend downward from the hole in the post; the way you have it in your pics, with the wraps above the hole, means that each string is pulling the top of the post fractionally out of alignment toward the nut. This too, will induce tuning instability. You also ideally want to have a minimum of 2-3 wraps per string on each post; any fewer, and you risk string slippage. And as others have said, nylon strings require more settling in time. My classical Contreras and my Guitalele use nylon strings, and even stretching and playing them in, with proper intonation and compensation, and properly set tuners, and tied and wrapped correctly, the strings still need about 2-3 days at a given temperature / humidity to settle down.

[Greg Potts]

No-one has asked many questions about your necks... What sort of wood? are they fretted or do they have a fretboard?

On all my early builds I used a scarf-jointed neck and I fretted the neck without a fretboard. I put 4 strings on because I like that sound. Most of these guitars play great with a slide but the neck bows to the point where they cannot be played without a slide.

On later builds I started gluing on a 1/4" fretboard: tuning stays consistent and the action is stable. Then I tried something new: losing the scarf joint in favor of a notched cutaway as Fender uses in the strat and tele... these guitars are also hard to tune but once in tune they do stay there. I think this is a result of the thinner wood in the headstock bowing between the nut and the tuners. I have since gone back to scarf joints and fretboards... it takes slightly longer to build them but they are much easier to manage and I think it makes a sturdier instrument. YMMV.