hemack - Posted - 02/09/2012:  10:49:02

Just replaced strings (10-11-12-20-10) and am having trouble tuning them.

Picking the  hi & lo  "D" strings (fretted or open @12) I cannot get the needle to settle down and center on my KORG chromatic tuner.  Picking either one of   the strings the needle bounces sharp to flat, and vice versa, from 10 to 15 on either side of center.   After swinging a couple of times  the needle flies all the way to the left (off-rest position).   I'm befuddled......I can't get it to sound right just by hearing (probably tone deaf).

DD reads 92 all the way around; front of TP is 3/16 off head; same needle variations w/ reso on or off.  Bridge was reset as marked before string change.

ANY suggestions..............PLEASE

Jason Wilkerson - Posted - 02/09/2012:  11:33:49

I find that new strings tend to "bounce around" for a little while until they settle down.  You're taking a thin steel wire and stretching it to high tension.  Try this.  Either take each string and carefully pull it up, giving it a good stretch for about 5-10 second and re-tuning...or tune each string up a whole pitch, and then back down.  That will help them settle down and then your tuner needle such bounce less.  Otherwise, they'll settle on their own in time.

banjofrog - Posted - 02/09/2012:  11:35:35

Have you tried deadening all the strings except for the one you are tuning? I wonder if another string might start vibrating with the one you pick and thus throw the tuner off. Just a suggestion.

rob_jenny - Posted - 02/09/2012:  11:45:58

Maybe your strings are stretching a little, sometimes they take a while to settle. I remember seeing a device that was meant to stretch new strings when you first put them on to help them settle quickly. the other thing that could cause this problem is slipping tuners, makes sure the set screw is not too loose.

hemack - Posted - 02/09/2012:  12:28:26

rob-jenny; Jason; banjofrog:

'Preciate you input but already Stretched the strings; muted all except the one I was tuneing and tuners are tight. 

Just can't figure out why that tuner needle keeps bouncing about.  Also, I have a 'Blue' SNARK and it, too, bounces flat & sharp - not as bad as the chromatic but still won't let me get a dead-center tune........Eugene

Jason Wilkerson - Posted - 02/09/2012:  12:32:27

You wouldn't be, by chance, trying to tune in either the Bermuda Triangle or onboard a spaceship which has abducted you, would you?

gradelyduck - Posted - 02/09/2012:  13:28:15

Have you checked your batteries?  I always pick the string I'm tuning at the end of the fretboard. Try it without a pick. At the end of the day, can you tune your banjo to itself, tune your 3rd G and then tune the other strings to that one? and does it sound in tune?

Railo - Posted - 02/09/2012:  13:46:01

make sure the bridge isn't on backwards If its got a logo it usually faces the fret board. Make sure it's level and not tilted front or back. Finally did you change string guage. I have seen people change guages after using a certain guage for a long time and the new size doesn't want to sit in the slot right.

hemack - Posted - 02/09/2012:  19:53:11

TO: gradleyduck wrote.......At the end of the day, can you tune your banjo to itself, tune your 3rd G and then tune the other strings to that one? and does it sound in tune)? Nope.....as I mentioned in the original request for assistance ==== (I can't get it to sound right just by hearing (probably tone deaf) so I use harmonic tuner to tune with.


Railo............I'm positive the bridge is facing properly...it's of of Steve Davis bridges, followed his instructions to the "T". Also, the string gauges are identical to those that were replaced. In fact, everything is same as before changing them..............Eugene

mikehalloran - Posted - 02/09/2012:  22:10:02

quote:

---

Originally posted by banjofrog

Have you tried deadening all the strings except for the one you are tuning? I wonder if another string might start vibrating with the one you pick and thus throw the tuner off. Just a suggestion.

---

Harmonics on the other strings will do this. Dampen the strings you aren't tuning. That will help.

Possom - Posted - 02/10/2012:  02:06:36

My tuner only does that if its batteries are dying

If you think actually going out of tune then check the tuner screws make sure they're secure enough to hold.

Could be that, could be a cracked tailpiece

Railo - Posted - 02/10/2012:  06:20:06

ok hemack, If i'm reading your posts correctly, your saying you changed the strings AND the bridge, but you left everything else the same. All bridges react differently to tail piece tension. The 3/16ths tail piece hight setting you used with your original bridge may give a different overtone on YOUR BANJO with the Davis bridge. You may need to tweek the setting of your tail piece up or down just slightly and see if that helps. If your tail piece is adjustable, I would suggest you raise it up to where it is parallel with the head and work your way down until you find the "sweet spot". Good Luck!!

hemack - Posted - 02/10/2012:  11:53:13

It's ME again..........

Had to get some rest/sleep for this OLD body so hung it up for a while.

Actually, the only thing that was changed was the strings.  The Davis bridge, Fults TP ; AMB head all the same - just like before I started to change the strings.   There was no disassembly  of the unit with the exception of changing strings, one at a time.  And, YES, I'd already put a new battery in the tuner.

So............I'll give it another GO today and see what happens...........Thanks for all the input Guys................Eugene

gospelman97 - Posted - 02/10/2012:  12:19:40

Does the note you play seem to jump around when you listen to it?  If it doesn't, it must be the tuner.  Try a new one or some new batteries.  I also wonder if you might be picking up an overtone note from somewhere that might make your tuner jump.  Is your tuner on the headstock or the pot?  I think I would put it on the headstock, cradle the metal around the pot and try it again.  Maybe it would keep your tuner from picking up a false reading.  Make sure you take a picture of you hugging the banjo for us.  Good luck!

Edited by - gospelman97 on 02/10/2012 12:22:07

faulknej - Posted - 02/10/2012:  13:12:32

Get a red or black Snark Tuner, both less than 10 bucks on Amazon. I'll bet your problem goes away.

steve davis - Posted - 02/10/2012:  14:09:56

If where you're trying to tune is half-way between,the tuner won't be able to center without recalibrating.

rob_jenny - Posted - 02/12/2012:  02:34:01

hmm would like to know the outcome of this one!!

The neck is tight to the body yeah???

JAFO - Posted - 02/12/2012:  03:56:40

Here's an oddball thought: Are you sure you are not getting string slippage? When you re-string, do you 'lock' the string in by having it wrap over itself? If you don't do this, it can make you nuts (or so I am told)

Tom

hemack - Posted - 02/17/2012:  21:10:45

Hey Fellows..............May I give an UPDATE re my tuning problem?

First off, I went back and started as if I were re-stringing again but (no changes in any of the equipment) with the addition of graphite in the Nut slots as well as rhe bridge slots.

(2) Knowing my hearing limitations I dug out an old open-back which had always held its tune good, at least I thought it did, and checked the strings tuning with the harmonic tuner.  Sure enough, the Hi & LO "D" strings caused the pointer needle of the tuner to flop all over the place from Flat to Sharp. 

(3)  So back to the original............I broke it down, replaced the AMB head with a 5-Star, torqued it down  'till I had a 96 reading with DD; replaced strings again (10-11-12-20-10); set TP at 3/8 off head; and proceeded to tune it using this as refernece  folkofthewood.com/page5516.htm and my harmonic tuner.

For some 48 hours, off & on, I checked and rechecker and was pleasantly surprised that I was able to 'dead-center' that frazzling needle with the two "D" strings.  So.................back to the work area...............I just wasn't satisfied with the outcome, soooo, this morning I broke her down again and re-used the AMB head, this time torque set at 92 and re-tuned (Yes, I used the same strings, etc.) and she centered  with just a very slight movement (F to S & vice versa).

FWIW:  I used Steve Davis'    "Coin & Stick)" method for the initial adjustment. The final result was a dime under the stick.

THANKS to all who offered advice/suggestions...................Eugene