tuning new jem...

[Devon8822]

got a jem, from 1990... I noticed that I must tune it several times before it stays in place... it stays in tune well, but when i do tune it if its a bit out, i have to tune it ... than tune it again... and again until they stay in place, because they keep going back once i tune them all. Why is this? is it normal?

[moebius]

Are you using the trem to cause it to go out of tune, or just playing it causes it to go out of tune?

[Wild_Child]

If you mean once you've put new strings on, then yes, that's normal. The strings need to stretch out after you first put them on and will go flat. It's particularly bad with a floating trem guitar because the tension is spread across all the strings, rather than individually. So if one string goes a bit out, they all will.

If you stretch them out properly and tune before locking the nut back up, you should only need to use the micro tuners until the next time you change strings.

[Devon8822]

nope nope nope. I am not using the trem to cause it to go out of tune and no playing is not causing it to go out of tune. Tuning it is causing it to go out of tune.

No its not the strings, these are quite used + stretched.

I will explain more thoroughly... ok, so my axe is slightly out of tune, I pick it up to play... I fine tune the high e, than the g, than the b, than the d, than the a, than the low e, ok... I would expect to be done... I play the high e again and its flat like it was when I first picked up the guitar... so now I tune them all again... same thing... I dont it about 6 times, and they are all eventually perfect tuning... This is really frustrating me because will all my other guitars I only have to tune it once and its tuned... help!

[Wild_Child]

Yeah that is normal. As I said with a floating trem, the tension of each individual string is reliant on all the other strings, as it's their combined pull against the springs that keeps the trem level.

So, if you lose some tension in, say, the E string, the tension is increased on the remaining strings since the pull of the springs remains constant, while the string tension has weakened. When you're tuning, youre narrowing down the relative tensions of the strings until they are all at the tension you want them at, so it takes a few tries.

You shouldnt need to be using the tuning pegs regularly though. How much does it go out by and do you use the micro tuners to correct it?

[andy7jem]

It's the wonderful world of floating bridges

[Rich]

Guitars change with the climate. When colder they go flat. Adjust the claw first, then the fine tuners. Then have fun adjusting as it warms while you play it

[Devon8822]

mmm i never expected it to be that bad^... I mean with my strats... at thew most I would have to tune twice... at the most (with floating strat trems).

and it doesnt go out more than 5 hz.