Alt Tuning and Neck Tension

George · Post by **George** » Thu Jul 12, 2012 2:40 pm

I go between EADGBE and EGDGBD fairly often on the same Strat, and all my guitars in fact.

I have the thing setup as hard tail as hard tail can be (5 springs, screws fully turned). Yet the other strings still go sharp a bit when I drop the A and top E a tone. THAT FUCKING TREM, methinks. So I looked into a DIY trem block and followed this guy's instructions

[youtube][/youtube]

If you can sweep aside the 18-going-on-40 humour and 'rock dude' affectations there are instructions for blocking a trem in there. So I tried it, same fluctuations. Tried it with screws tightened all the way, same fluctuations. Well bugger this, I thought.

Turns out it does it on all of my guitars, though to a lesser extent, including a Dano 12 string and Tele. Is this to do with neck tension? I'm using 9s at the moment and wondering if heavier guage strings work better?

ekwatts · Post by **ekwatts** » Thu Jul 12, 2012 4:42 pm

Isn't he one of the pricks on the Andertons videos? I didn't watch it in case he was so I didn't punch my monitor to death.

But yeah, it's the trem. Block that shit off. It's not so bad if you're dropping the E to D, but start going crazy and you're going to be all over the place.

But neck tension can have alot to do with it. Depends on how much push and pull there is going on. I went back up to 10s for regular E-E tunings a while back but stuck with a low 56 E which adds some tension back in. I can use a fair few hairy tunings here and there without having to do any truss rod adjustments, but I'd say don't shy away from them. People get all sorts of paranoid when it comes to messing about with the truss rod but it's just another (highly effective) tool to help you get the best out of your guitar, particularly if you're messing with alternate tunings. Just don't go Tom and Jerry on it and you'll be fine.

But get heavier strings. Not massively heavier. But heavier.

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Thu Jul 12, 2012 9:43 pm

That guy is like a hybrid of cleverer Muppets.

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Thu Jul 12, 2012 11:52 pm

BAN GEORGE. FFS, ITS MONKEY CHAPMAN

George · Post by **George** » Fri Jul 13, 2012 12:26 am

"Chappers" is annoying and has that weird confrontational attitude offset by awkward humour (like so many middle class metallers that were bullied in secondary school have), but he'll never be as bad as Toneking.

NickD · Post by **NickD** » Fri Jul 13, 2012 6:59 am

I can go between different tunings without tuning issues, although I use custom gauges that suit the tuning, and I use 10-52 anyway on standard tuned guitars, so a fair bit heavier than 9s.

The custom sets do leave me with a lot of 10 high E strings though...

ekwatts · Post by **ekwatts** » Fri Jul 13, 2012 7:24 am

He also looks like my sisters boyfriend. But my sisters boyfriend trying to look cool. Which makes my sisters boyfriend even more annoying.

Noirie. · Post by **Noirie.** » Fri Jul 13, 2012 8:38 am

I'd happily spit in his face.

stewart · Post by **stewart** » Fri Jul 13, 2012 11:09 am

ekwatts wrote:He also looks like my sisters boyfriend. But my sisters boyfriend trying to look cool. Which makes my sisters boyfriend even more annoying.

I'M your sister's boyfriend. She just doesn't know it yet.

ekwatts · Post by **ekwatts** » Fri Jul 13, 2012 12:27 pm

stewart wrote:
ekwatts wrote:He also looks like my sisters boyfriend. But my sisters boyfriend trying to look cool. Which makes my sisters boyfriend even more annoying.
I'M your sister's boyfriend. She just doesn't know it yet.

You did notice the trademark Watts' sneer when you met her, right?

taylornutt · Post by **taylornutt** » Fri Jul 13, 2012 4:00 pm

Have you considered having one guitar in standard tuning and another dedicated guitar in the other tuning?

Seems a lot easier than constantly retuning.

George · Post by **George** » Fri Jul 13, 2012 4:18 pm

taylornutt wrote:Have you considered having one guitar in standard tuning and another dedicated guitar in the other tuning?

Seems a lot easier than constantly retuning.

It's really easy to drop in and out of the two. I didn't really clarify but the guitar is still more or less in tune, just a minute difference that is slightly annoying meaning the higher registers aren't quite in tune.