Hair trigger on B string tuning

[Damani311]

I am finding it really hard to tune to a solid B on my five string with the tuner on my pedal board..........it only takes the TINIEST turn to make the note go from sharp to flat, or flat to sharp, and after a few minutes getting it just right it's already slightly flat or sharp again thirty minutes later...any advice? Does it not really matter if it's DEAD on, or do tunings always have to be SUPER precise?

[bassbrock]

What tuner are you using?

[XylemBassGuitar]

Check what tuner you are using like bassbrock says.

A lot of tuners that are either cheap or not designed for basses will have a really hard time properly tuning a low B.

You should spend at least $20 on the tuner. I'm not sure about price vs. quality on pedal tuners, though certain ones do not work very well (I have had a lot of trouble in the past with the "Tuna" and the Boss pedal tuner and I know the Boss is closer to $80).

Also, you might want to make sure that the slot in your nut for the B-string is the right size. If it is too narrow, the string can bind and cause sensitive tuning issues like you are describing. If the string "clicks/pops" sharply every once in awhile during tuning, that indicates a too-narrow nut slot.

Sometimes a bass's B-string is just especially cantankerous too.

Let us know what you find...good luck taking care of the problem.

[JustOpenYourMind]

Use your ear, you don't have to spend 10 minutes tuning one string so that it is dead on, especially with cheaper tuners that are not that accurate. If it sounds in tune then it's ok.

It could also be that some tuners are not really made to track low bass notes, if it's the cas of your tuner, you could always try tuning using the 12th fret harmonic, it's one octave higher and it's the exact same note as the open string.

[Frederickbass]

Originally Posted by JustOpenYourMind

Use your ear, you don't have to spend 10 minutes tuning one string so that it is dead on, especially with cheaper tuners that are not that accurate. If it sounds in tune then it's ok.

It could also be that some tuners are not really made to track low bass notes, if it's the cas of your tuner, you could always try tuning using the 12th fret harmonic, it's one octave higher and it's the exact same note as the open string.

Sold my boss tuner cause it wouldnt tune my 5th string but Like he said, use the 12th fret. Korg are amazing tuners and are affordable

[awakefie]

I just fret at 5 and the tuner thinks it's an E.

Close enough for rock 'n roll.

[AustinxHxC]

You could tune at 5 or 12, but if the intonation is off you're screwed.

[Nick Kay]

Originally Posted by AustinxHxC

You could tune at 5 or 12, but if the intonation is off you're screwed.

Which is precisely why you tune using the 12th fret harmonic.

[rarisgod]

Can't you also use the harmonics on the 5th fret of the B string and the 7th fret of the string below it? Or is this less accurate than the methods previously described?

[lightbulbjim]

Originally Posted by rarisgod

Can't you also use the harmonics on the 5th fret of the B string and the 7th fret of the string below it? Or is this less accurate than the methods previously described?

It's probably accurate enough to compete with a cheap tuner, but it's not perfect.

There's a really interesting article about tuning here, and the section titled "MORE MATH: THERE WILL BE A QUIZ IN THE MORNING" talks about tuning to harmonics and why it doesn't work.

[CapnSev]

Originally Posted by Nick Kay

Which is precisely why you tune using the 12th fret harmonic.

That will tune the open string alright, but you had better check your intonation as well. The harmonic will generally on, but when you fret something it could go to pot.

I fought with my B string intonation for like an hour last night

[J.D.B.]

You could also back the tone out and slightly reduce the volume. It also helps to let the note "settle" a couple secs or so after plucking the string. This was advice I tried from the directions that came with my tuner. Workin' fer me.
Josh

[SGD Lutherie]

With some tuners I have to play the harmonic at the 12th fret to get a good reading on the low B.

[Damani311]

Thanks for all the great advice guys.

It's the tuner on my Boss ME-8B, so I think it should do the trick.

Not sure if my intonation problem is stemming from the fact that I don't have the string fully seated in the nut in the bridge, as the string is too wide for the nut and the place here wants $80 to file it for me.

Soo...........

[J.D.B.]

You can handle that. I like those "diamond" files(the cheap ones). Doesn't take but a few licks, usually. Go slow and check often.
Josh

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by Damani311

Thanks for all the great advice guys.

It's the tuner on my Boss ME-8B, so I think it should do the trick.

Not sure if my intonation problem is stemming from the fact that I don't have the string fully seated in the nut in the bridge, as the string is too wide for the nut and the place here wants $80 to file it for me.

Soo...........

If the string is too high at the nut, that will throw off your intonation, and the bridge can't adjust that. Your fretted notes will be sharp down by the nut.

$80 is way too much to file one nut slot! I make whole new nuts for not more than that.

That shouldn't be more than $20 - $30 (which is often the minimum shop charge).

Also if you went to much heavier strings, your truss rod will likely need adjusting, as well as the intonation at the bridge. So you need a proper setup done... but you can learn to do that yourself.

[XylemBassGuitar]

Originally Posted by SGD Lutherie

If the string is too high at the nut, that will throw off your intonation, and the bridge can't adjust that. Your fretted notes will be sharp down by the nut.

$80 is way too much to file one nut slot! I make whole new nuts for not more than that.

That shouldn't be more than $20 - $30 (which is often the minimum shop charge).

Also if you went to much heavier strings, your truss rod will likely need adjusting, as well as the intonation at the bridge. So you need a proper setup done... but you can learn to do that yourself.

I agree completely, especially about the cost of filing the nut. $80 is waaaaay too much to just file a nut, even if they are going to file every slot for you!

[JustOpenYourMind]

Originally Posted by Damani311

Thanks for all the great advice guys.

It's the tuner on my Boss ME-8B, so I think it should do the trick.

Not sure if my intonation problem is stemming from the fact that I don't have the string fully seated in the nut in the bridge, as the string is too wide for the nut and the place here wants $80 to file it for me.

Soo...........

You might be using the wrong terminology here, the nut is not at the bridge, it's at the headstock, just where the string leave the fretboard.

If your string is not correctly seated at the nut, you should file it or get it filed ASAP, nut material is not very robust and the pressure might make it break.

The piece of metal at the bridge where the string rests is called a saddle. If the string is not well seated there, it's not as dramatic as far as damages to the bass go but it could throw your intonation off.

If you don't want to get your saddle filed, you could always get a taperwound B-string. it will fit your bridge.

[PilbaraBass]

Originally Posted by AustinxHxC

You could tune at 5 or 12, but if the intonation is off you're screwed.

if your intonation is on at the 12th (check THIS vs the harmonic), then you can tune to the 5th fret with confidence...

[PilbaraBass]

Originally Posted by SGD Lutherie

If the string is too high at the nut, that will throw off your intonation, and the bridge can't adjust that. Your fretted notes will be sharp down by the nut.

$80 is way too much to file one nut slot! I make whole new nuts for not more than that.

That shouldn't be more than $20 - $30 (which is often the minimum shop charge).

Also if you went to much heavier strings, your truss rod will likely need adjusting, as well as the intonation at the bridge. So you need a proper setup done... but you can learn to do that yourself.

+100

Filing nuts is not rocket science...

I built one once from scratch in about 2 hours (and I had woeful files)...

filing one slot would take all of about 15 mins.