Mando won't stay in tune

[gdgross]

This is a kentucky 150, so pretty much the bottom of their line, but it sounds decent enough to my ears and it plays well enough.

The problem is that the stupid thing won't stay in tune! New strings, old strings, it makes no difference. I'll start in tune and by the end of a song or two some strings will defeinitely be flat OR SHARP! How can they go sharp??

So I have an idea to replace the tuners, but will that solve my problem? What other factors affect the tuning stability of a mandolin? I do plan on buying a better mando in the future, but I've got a few guitars I want to get first.

Thanks!
Geoff

Make sure the strings are not binding at the nut or bridge.

[JiminRussia]

One way to check to see if Dale is right about he nut and/or bridge binding the string is to come to the correct pitch from the same direction on all of the strings. In other words, tune each string either slightly sharp or slightly flat, it doesn't really matter which, just make sure that they are all the same, and then tune it to pitch from that direction on all of the strings. If the string is binding, the strings that go out of tune will all be in the same diretion (i.e. flat or sharp)

[steve in tampa]

I put some Grover tuning machines on a lower end mando, and it fixed that problem.

[John Flynn]

In general, you will stay in tune better if you always tune up to a note, not down. If a string is sharp, tune it flat and then tune up to pitch. This is regardless of the nut binding problem.

[elenbrandt]

You might also want to have the position of your bridge checked. Sometimes when off it will make everything fall out....just after tuning...

[gdgross]

well, I always tune a string by approaching it from the bottom. i.e, tune up, not down. Hopefully that gets rid of the slack in the tuning keys.

And I'm pretty sure my bridge is placed well. Just by comparing the 12th fret note with the 12th fret harmonic, they are very close.

Thanks again!

[Rroyd]

There have been several very recent threads dealing with intonation and tuning problems, and bridge placement. You might find some answers there; the bridge placement discussion provided some very useful information. I think most were in the builders' section.

[Tom C]

Also when you string, make sure the string going around the post goes in a down direction. String may slip up the post, and ensures pressure on the nut.

like this

not like this........

[GVD]

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

GVD

[Pete Martin]

Join the crowd. #

Mandolin.. from the Latin words LIN, or small stringed instrument (as in vioLIN), and MANDO, derived from when the Greeks would play street music, someone would throw money in the case and say "MAN, DOn't you ever tune that thing?" #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[ethanopia]

If it hasn't been set up and slotted by a luthier usually you can get that done for around 50 bucks, that would be my first step.

Then try putting graphite in the nut slots, just take a pencil and some kind of scraping tool and scrape some graphite into the nut slot when you change strings. Its like a bunch of tiny little ball bearings in the nut slot. It will help your string move more smoothly. It worked for a me a while ago on trouble some A strings.

[nystringer]

If your tuners aren't the best, the shaft (the part the string goes through and winds on)will sometimes bind against the bushing (the metal ring thats embedded in the headstock). I've found that carefully removing the tuners and putting an apropriate lube there and on the tuning gears themselves drastically improves the smoothness of the tuners and reduces the sticking that can cause the instrument to go out of tune. I hope this is of some help. Along with the other suggestions of graphiting the nut and checking the bridge it has never failed me.