Official Luthiers Forum!

I have been playing guitar for alot of years.  One thing that I have noticed, is that to my ears, tuning 1/2 step lower sounds "right" to me.  I play 2 Franklin guitars I commisioned from Nick in the '80s, and a number of older OS Stella guitars.

If I am playing the Franklin's and tune to "normal", by the time i put the guitar down, it will be 1/2 step low (adjusting the tuners as I go). 

My question is:  Is it the guitar that "likes" to be 1/2 step low, or is it my ears?

Thx!!

Glenn

I think as you drop tune, the strings actually react differently - they produce increased amplitude in the lower partials, and less higher partials, thus making the guitar sound darker and fuller, warmer. My 2 cents Cdn.

_________________
Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

May be something there... after all, A wasn't 440 Hz originally... in baroque times it was the equivalent of 415 Hz. :-)

tony,

your 2 cents canadian is worth a full 2 cents u.s. these days - which makes it a perfect time for you to buy more wood!!

glenn, i'm with you on this. there is something intoxicating about tuning a little lower. i was going to start a thread a while ago asking the same thing - wondering if this is unique to my instruments or if everyone's guitars sound a lot fatter and sweeter with a little less tension.

i've even noticed this with my old yamaha. it's got a highlander under the saddle that sounds really good - but again, even sweeter and smoother with a little less tension.

phil

I was wondering if anyone would catch the 2 cents Cdn part !!! Actually it closed higher than the US buck - woohoo ...

_________________
Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"