keeping in tune

[mandolinbill]

Good Morning everyone! I have a question that I'm sure has been asked many times. I did a search and found nothing so here goes. I 've been having a hard time keeping my mando in tune. After a few tunes or a couple minute of jamming, it goes out. I have a Kentucky. Anyone else have this problem? Is it normal? I dont think that I'm a hard player. Thank you all in advance!
Bill

[Adare_Steve]

Bill,

You probably know the basics about intonation already, but just in case you don't:

New strings will go out of tune very quickly, until fully stretched.

Weather conditions - or going from hot to cold, can also affect tuning.

Defects in construction - warped neck, etc, will also affect tuning.

That's my 2 cents!

Steve

[steve in tampa]

Cheap tuners will do that also. Upgrade for around $50.00. Great investment.

[Adare_Steve]

Cheap tuners will do that also. Upgrade for around $50.00. Great investment.
Steve: Are you talking about machine heads?

Bill: In my previous post, I should have mentioned that incorrect fittings of the strings on the machine head posts will also affect tuning (i.e. if the strings is slipping).

Also the intonation will be affected by the position of the bridge if it's a 'floating' one. But, it shouldn't cause the tuning to go in and out quickly. Just to go out when you go up the fret board.

That's my tuning knowlege exhausted!

Steve

[mandolinbill]

Adare_Steve-Thats interesting. I have the strings wraped around the post between 4 and 6 times. So I dont think that it would slip. Would it? I'll bet that its just cheap tuners. Is that a common problem with asian made instruments? I'll bet it is!

[pdlstl]

Inexpensive tuners on pac-rim instruments:

It certainly can be.

[neal]

Strings don't need to be wrapped that much, # but the do need to be secured, here's (http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Musician/Mandolin/MandoString/mandostring1.html) an article about stringing, #check out the whole site, Frank Ford knows his stuff.

[Adare_Steve]

I know of some very cheap Chinese made Mando's that have really tight machine heads. So, it might not always be the case that they are loose and slip. Check the stringing first - and make sure you're not using too light a gauge, and that you've let them stretch in enough, before you go to expense of changing the tuners.

Steve

[grsnovi]

If your six wraps wrap over each of the preceeding wraps you'll have trouble. I shoot for three clean wraps on the post.

Your strings will stretch when they're new, but that should stop after a day or so. So, if you are going out of tune after that, it has to be something else. The tuning machines could be the problem but even cheap tuning machines usually hold due to the mechanical advantage of the worm/gear set-up.

I would look really closely at how your strings are attached (at the tail AND to the tuning posts) and I would make sure the nut is cut correctly.

Is it possible that your bridge is moving?

Has the mandolin EVER stayed in tune? Is it just recently that you noticed this? Have you changed string guage? type?

[grandmainger]

New strings will go out of tune very quickly, until fully stretched.
Yup, and old strings just won't stay in tune either!