Is it possible to get a guitar in tune?

[Geir]

I know some of you must know the answer to this. I'm pretty sure that it's not. And my argument is this:

To tune a piano, you have to compromise! The reason is that the natural tones (that is the tones you get by dividing a string in 2, 3 , 5 ...... will give you one scale (you have to transpose the overtones down to get a continuous scale) BUT if you then start with, let's say the fith in that scale and do the same, some of the tones that should match, will differ slightly from the first scale.

Now the guitar has 6 strings (5 different notes in standard tuning), so if you try to match to tones on different strings, chances are they will differ slightly.

Ever noticed how hard it is to get a G chord and a E chord to both be in tune?

I have heard there should be guitars that's built to address this issue, I just don't see how it's possible.


Anyone ?

[Saijinn Maas]

It is something that is inherent to stringed instruments, especially ones like guitars where you "cut off" the length of the string to achieve your tones.

I have only heard of one thing that supposedly gets rid of this problem and is ALWAYS in tune. It's called True Temperament fretboard.

[StevieM]

Damn, that's clever.  I think it'll be little while before I make a neck with THOSE on though, especially the 56 fret version!!!
Takes me long enough to do a normal 24 straight fret one .

[Bro]

If pianos, basses and all other note-instruments aren't in tune, why should a guitar? I mean we flattend out the musical scale for all instruments to be comprehensive, if we have the technology to really make instruments that tunes 100% than it should be a standard thing in the future.

[Saijinn Maas]

I can only imagine that the big name guitar companies do not want the extra cost that would go along with having to make their fretboards in this manner. Until they see a bigger demand for it I suppose.

I can't find the story now, might have been in a mag, but I thought that the fretboard alone cost Steve Vai* around $750. And that didn't include removing the old one and installing the new one.




*Note: Mr. Vai's name should always be in bold whenever referring to him

[SteveG]

Never sounds in tune with me playing it anyway

[Geir]

It is something that is inherent to stringed instruments, especially ones like guitars where you "cut off" the length of the string to achieve your tones.

I have only heard of one thing that supposedly gets rid of this problem and is ALWAYS in tune. It's called True Temperment fretboard.

Yep, I buy that! That'll do it. At least it's "Well-tempered" like the piano.

I do expect the stringbending is a bit affected tho (even if the link says it doesn't)

Cool looking fretboard tho !!!


and I'm not surprised mr Vai  got that guitar made

I can only imagine that the big name guitar companies do not want the extra cost that would go along with having to make their fretboards in this manner. Until they see a bigger demand for it I suppose.

I can't find the story now, might have been in a mag, but I thought that the fretboard alone cost Steve Vai* around $750. And that didn't include removing the old one and installing the new one.




*Note: Mr. Vai's name should always be in bold whenever referring to him

750   not for us mortals then ... would love to have one tho. Especially on an acoustic.

*re:note ... I thought that was Satriani .... 

[Saijinn Maas]

*re:note ... I thought that was Satriani .... 

Him too!! Joe's name should always be bolded too! (I call him Joe 'cause we are on a first name basis... yep!)     

Hell, the list of all the guitarists whose names should be bold is way too long I think.

[Geir]

Come to think of it both Steve and Joe should be Italic, but is Steve really ...

[Ted]

Part of Eddie Van Halen's signature sound is his tuning of the B string, to somewhat compensate for the impossibility of perfectly tuning a straight-fretted guitar.

I have only heard of one thing that supposedly gets rid of this problem and is ALWAYS in tune. It's called True Temperament fretboard.

And I thought fanned frets were weird.