Grateful Dead Music Forum

Hello all. I am Jonzilla. Back in January I bought a new Takamine electric acoustic (I can't recall the model number). It's a mid-grade guitar and cost about $600. Recently, I've really been having trouble with tuning the low E string. When I play it open (or fretted), I can slightly hear it changing pitch right away. It sounds like it actually changes sharp and flat by itself, ever so slightly, just enough to sound really nasty to an experience musician like myself. The tuners seem really solid and I believe they are high quality. Could this have something to do with the bridge, the nut, or truss rod maybe? Opinions?

The same thing happens with my Ovation Acoustic/Electric which cost me 700. I have a tuner on it and it shows that when i hit the string the note is a little sharp then it suddenly drops into perfect tuning. I can definitely hear the note change so its not the tuner. Any advice as i can greatly use it myself?

Sounds like the string is binding a bit in the nut slot. You can either try to file the slot a little bit yourself or take it to a local luthier.

You could try a little bit of pencil lead in the slot to lubricate the string. My other suggestion would be to try a smaller string gauge.

Bingo, Dan. Always have a mechanical pencil as you restring. Pencils write with graphite, not lead. Thereofre running it on the nut and saddle ensure smooth sliding back and forth.

Mutant dan and strummin thanks alot. Im gonna have to try that out. As for a smaller string guage it wont help cuz i got the smallest they come. .8s

Are you properly stretching out the new string(s) after putting them on?

Tigerstrat once again nice try lol but yes I always stretch out the strings. Which can be hard with an .8 guage high e lol but yes. So Im guessin I might just bring it to a luthier eventually.

Thanks for the tips, guys. I'll have to try the pencil lead I guess, since I always thoroughly stretch new strings before take-off. I've been wanting to upgrade to a bone nut and bridge anyway, so maybe that will help, too. If nothing else works... I guess I'll just trade in. Cuz its drivin me CRAZY...