5 reasons why your guitar won’t stay in tune
You’re tuning your guitar, you play a few chords, but within minutes it sounds out of tune again. Sound familiar? A guitar that won’t stay in tune is one of the most common complaints we hear. Here are the five most common culprits, along with our tips to keep your guitar in tune as well as possible.
Reason 1. New strings that haven’t settled in yet
Brand-new strings stretch considerably during the first few days. This is especially true for nylon strings. That’s normal and not a defect – after all, the string is under tension for the very first time. You can speed up this process by gently pulling each string a few centimetres away from the fretboard and retuning it. Repeat this three to four times per string and you’ll find your new strings settle in much faster.
Reason 2. Worn or cheap tuning machines
Tuning machines with play (backlash) or worn gears let the string slip back by millimetres after you’ve tuned up. You’ll often hear and feel this as a sort of ‘click’ just past the right pitch. In our workshop we solve this by lubricating the machines with a micro-Teflon (PTFE) lubricant. Are the machines genuinely worn out? Then consider a set of locking tuners, which clamp the string in place mechanically.
Reason 3. A tight or dirty nut
Does your guitar go out of tune after using the whammy bar? Chances are the nut is the culprit. If the slots in the nut are too narrow or too rough, the string briefly ‘catches’ while playing or tuning and then jumps in pitch. The solution here is often simple: a little pencil graphite or a special lubricant in each slot. If the problem persists, the slots are probably poorly cut or filed, and recutting the slots is the right solution. Naturally, that’s something we can take care of for you.
Our tip: Big Bends Nut Sauce Lil-Luber Ultra 0,5cc
Reason 4. A tremolo or Floyd Rose bridge that’s out of balance
Does your guitar have a floating bridge? Then the tension of the strings is balanced against the springs at the back. If you change string gauge without adjusting the spring tension, the bridge’s balance point shifts. Therefore, after each string change, make sure the springs are set correctly. Three springs will usually do the job, but do make sure they’re tightened sufficiently. You can tell by looking at the position of the bridge – is it sitting more or less parallel to the body while the whammy bar still works? That’s the spot.
Reason 5. Humidity and temperature
Wood is a living material and responds to its surroundings. During winter, indoor heat causes the air in your home to dry out, causing the neck of your guitar to contract slightly. In summer, with higher humidity, the wood swells a little instead. This affects not only your instrument’s tuning, but your entire setup. String action, neck relief and even intonation are all affected. So please, don’t store your guitars near a radiator or in direct sunlight.
Our advice: aim for around 50% humidity and a consistent temperature between 18°C and 22°C.
Need some help?
Most of these common causes are problems you can identify and fix yourself. If your guitar still keeps going out of tune despite all the checks, the problem probably runs deeper. A bridge saddle that no longer sits flat, a neck that needs correcting or tuning machines that are simply worn out. Our luthiers can check it in a matter of minutes. Book an appointment at one of our nine locations via the contact form and we’ll help you out.
