I just tuned my guitar a half-step down...

Dan5290 · Post by **Dan5290** » Tue Mar 08, 2005 10:51 pm

...and it is soooooooo much easier to sing with it. So much better, in fact, that I plan to leave it tuned this way. Now, I have two questions:

1. Do any of you do this?
2. Will it hurt my guitar in any way?

Coldchillin · Post by **Coldchillin** » Tue Mar 08, 2005 10:57 pm

I do it for certain songs. I believe that the relaxed tension will cause your neck to eventually shift. You can have it adjusted so that you can always leave it a half step down of course.

freshead16 · Post by **freshead16** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 12:29 am

im down 1/2 step 99 percent of the time. the only time im not is when i play with someone i ususally dont play with. so much easier for singing with i agree with you

goodboy85 · Post by **goodboy85** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 8:11 am

do you use some special strings ?
when i tune my down the strings feel kinda strange to me..
btw i really don´t like songs for which you need to tune your guitar different

Beauford33 · Post by **Beauford33** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 8:41 am

goodboy85 wrote:do you use some special strings ?
when i tune my down the strings feel kinda strange to me..
btw i really don´t like songs for which you need to tune your guitar different

it is because they are looser......

GuitarGuy305 · Post by **GuitarGuy305** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 9:50 am

If the neck of your guitar is 24-3/4" scale, you may notice the strings feel loose, and you may even notice a little intonation problem as well. I keep my Les Paul tuned a half step to a whole step down all the time. I'm looking at buying a guitar with a slightly more extended scale, 25-1/2", which would accomodate lower tunings more.

That would be if you're talking electric. Most acoustics have a scale around 25.4(2/5)" or so I believe, at least most Martins do. I sometimes tune my D16RGT down a half step and don't really have any problems. You may try buying a string gauge that is one step thicker than the one you use now, but then you're going to have people saying you need to get the guitar set up to accomodate those thicker strings, as well as the lower tuning.

Personally I mess with tunings, string gauges and everything else all the time and I do not have any problems related to that with any of my guitars. But I don't leave any guitar in a tuning for long. They all wind up in standard again eventually. If you were to tune your guitar up 2 steps, and leave it for a long time (months) unattended, then you may have some trouble there.

417roylat · Post by **417roylat** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 7:58 pm

yea, you shouldnt have trouble when only going down 1/2 step. You can probably keep the same sting size. If you wanna go 1 1/2 - 2 steps down, then thicker strings are pretty much required if you dont want that loose, mushy sound.

tim

Rweden36 · Post by **Rweden36** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 9:37 pm

Jimi hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan played 1/2 step down most of the time.

Davy28 · Post by **Davy28** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 2:19 am

I only go a half step down for nirvana

Easy E · Post by **Easy E** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 10:28 am

Davy28 wrote:I only go down on guys who play nirvana

Davy28 · Post by **Davy28** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 2:04 pm

eze3484 wrote:
Davy28 wrote:I only go down on guys who play nirvana

You can happily go teabag yourself.

Easy E · Post by **Easy E** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 2:05 pm

it was so worth it

Davy28 · Post by **Davy28** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 11:15 pm

eze3484 wrote:it was so worth it

I'm sure it was, Marilyn.

Easy E · Post by **Easy E** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 11:27 pm

um ok, what?

Davy28 · Post by **Davy28** » Sat Mar 12, 2005 12:33 am

I meant you must be like Marilyn Manson. He had his last two ribs removed so he could suck his own dick.