PRs climbing sharper (OT)

kam544@gbronline.com kam544@gbronline.com
Wed, 30 Oct 2002 21:42:45 -0600


>...my lil' old classical guitar and found that it will rise in
>pitch 5 cents or more within 10 minutes of being tuned--apparently just from
>the heat and humidity of my body as I hold and play it...
>Alan Barnard

Just some comments on your observations:

Having personally owned and repaired as necessary 25 guitars or more 
(classical, acoustic & solid body), if that guitar of yours changes 5 
cents or more within ten minutes by just holding and playing it, what 
you have is a guitar that won't hold a tune, whether it be the actual 
stability of the instrument, the ability to set the tuning pegs, the 
tuning pegs are worn out, the strings are too old, the height of the 
strings in relation to the frets on the neck is too high and/or your 
style of playing is extremely aggressive.

At least, this is what I've discovered over the last 3 decades of 
experiencing guitars.

Some guitars just haven't got what it takes to stay or sound in tune 
regardless of effort applied, economics being an obvious deciding 
factor. And then there are some that do stay and sound in tune for a 
very long time. What a joy it is to come across those.

Keith McGavern

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