Articles from the Guitar Repair Bench

Buzz Feiten's Method of Tuning

We asked Buzz if we could include this article - as it is an excellent method of tuning a guitar that has the Buzz Feiten System installed. we've installed many of these, here at the shop. If you are interested, visit this link for more information.

Buzz's Tuning Tips

The following tuning methods were specifically developed for guitars with the Buzz Feiten Tuning System®.

Note that you can tune manually by ear, or with any electronic tuner. However you prefer. For speed and ease of use, the Korg DT-7 is great to use.

Tuning With an Electronic Tuner

Electric Guitars

1.) Tune slowly and carefully. A little more time now will mean more playing enjoyment later.

2.) Korg DT-7
When using the Korg DT-7 tuner, make sure it's set the sliding switch at the top of the unit to 'BFTS. Then set the LED's at the bottom of the front panel to 'Electric' and 'Open' by pushing the left and right arrow buttons at the bottom of the unit. This is the setting for tuning an electric guitar.

Use a medium attack with your picking hand, center the green "in tune" light for approximately 1.5 seconds, then it should drift slowly flat (to the left). DO NOT TUNE SHARP AND WAIT FOR LED TO "SETTLE" TO PITCH ! If you use this method, when you play hard with other instruments, your guitar will sound sharp. (Be especially alert to the G string... that string has a tendency to "spike" sharper than the other strings, because it has lower tension.)

The Korg DT-7 automatically senses the string you are playing, allowing you to accurately tune to the precise pitch for each string.

The Korg DT-7 is the fastest, most accurate and most reliable way to tune your guitar, and, because of its exclusive BFTS intonation mode, allows you to check intonation on your Feitenized guitar.

3.) Other Tuners
If you use a tuner other than the Korg DT-7, you can simply tune to all "E's":
1st E - Open
2nd B - 5th fret
3rd G - 9th fret
4th D - 14th fret
5th A - 7th fret
6th E - Open, or 5th fret Harmonic

Acoustic Guitars

If you use a Korg DT-7, set the switch to "Acoustic" and follow the same guidelines described above. If you use a different tuner, you can also tune using the "All E's" method described above.

Tuning by Ear

Electrics Gutars

1st - E - Tune open string to pitch

2nd - B - Tune open B string (2nd) to open E string (1st), until they are "beatless"

3rd - G - press the 2nd fret A, and tune that note to the open E string (1st) "beatless"

4th - D - press the 14th fret E, and tune that note to the open E string (1st) "beatless"

* 5th - A - play the 7th fret harmonic, and tune that unison to the open E string (1st) "beatless"

* 6th - E - play the 5th fret harmonic, and tune that unison to the open E string (1st) "beatless"

* Once you've tuned the A and low E string (6th) using harmonics, check the A by playing a 2nd fret B note and check that octave with the open B string (2nd)

Check the low E string (6th) by playing the 7th fret B note and check that octave with the open string B string (2nd).

Acoustic Guitars

1st - E - tune open string to pitch

2nd - B - tune open string to open E string (1st) "beatless"

3rd - G - press the 9th fret E and tune to open E string (1st) "beatless"

* 4th - D - press the 9th fret B, and tune to the open B string (2nd) "beatless"

5th - A - play the 7th fret harmonic, and tune to the open E string (1st)

* 6th - E - play the 5th fret harmonic, and tune to the open E string (1st)

* Once you're tuned the D string using the fretted B note, check the 2nd fret E against the High E string (1st) octave.

* Once you're tuned the low E string (6th) using the 5th fret harmonic, check the open low E string (6th) against the 2nd fret E note on the D string.

If you are close to being in tune, sometimes it's hard to tell if a fretted note is sharp or flat. Try bending the note slightly. If it gets worse, (more beating) it's a little sharp, if it gets better it's a little flat.

DO NOT USE THE OLD METHOD OF COMPARING THE FRETTED A, D and G with the open A,D and G. It is not as reliable and it is more difficult to hear. Also, stay away from harmonics except as described above; they are also unreliable.

12 Strings

1.) Tune the 2nd string of each "pair" of strings using the methods described above.

2.) To tune the 1st string of each pair (the octave string), use the following methods

a) Using an electronic tuner: Tune normally.

b) Using a Korg D-T-7: Set the rear slider switch to "Chromatic", and tune normally.

c) Tuning by ear: Tune the 1st string of each "pair" to the lower octave, "beatless". Tune the 1ist E and B strings (unisons) to the 2nd E and B strings "beatless".

Sometimes filthy rags are our lot in life... Back to top

Some times a customer will see an additional (unexpected) charge on their bill. Generally if a service is going to run a chunk of change higher than already estimated, we'll call the customer for approval before proceeding. Now and then, though, the front desk will check something in for which a 'special' fee just has to be charged. An example is a 'cleaning' fee. You wouldn't believe the amount of human filth one encounters in this line of work. When was the last time YOU cleaned all your sweat off of the fret board? I thought so... So, now and again, we'll charge an additional $10 for a cleaning fee.

Am I being Setup? Back to top

Definition: Making the basic adjustments to a stringed instrument, to make it play as intended by the manufacturer. These include the Neck (truss rod), the Action (Saddle Height), the Nut (open position playability), and Intonation (Saddle length).

Most guitars and basses are made of wood. Wood (of course) is from previously living tissue – and retains some of the quirks associated with things that grow. Even with the best finishes applied, wood behaves according to the amount of temperature and humidity to which it is exposed. Wood moves. This is the primary reason to periodically have a stringed instrument setup.

Changing other environmental variables will also make a setup mandatory. Changing string gauges (or even brand) can cause an entirely different amount of stress on the instrument’s innards.

Look at a guitar setup as being the “Front End Alignment” for your car.