G d a or e - which is most difficult to tune?

**scgc.om** · May-11-2007, 11:10am

Which is your most problematic string course ot get perfectly in tune (and STAY there)? I seem to have the most trouble/most of the time with A. One or both strings just seem to want to drift. I wonder if there's an empirical reason for this?

Also, I find it's most difficult to tune my mandolin when I'm at a jam - there's just something about some other players' concept of being in tune that makes my instrument sound out of tune . . . !

**bradeinhorn** · May-11-2007, 11:16am

i think it is always the A- least tension to weight ratio (or something to that effect).

**JHo** · May-11-2007, 11:20am

Interesting. Personally, I find that the wound strings (G & D) are more finicky when it comes to tuning than the unwound ones (A & E). I never have too much trouble with the unwound ones. Couldn't tell you why that is though, except perhaps that the texture of the wound strings (due to the winding) could make them bind on the bridge and/or the nut, whereas the unwound strings wouldn't. Hmm...

**tnpathfinder** · May-11-2007, 11:23am

I have the same trouble with the A string.

**bikebum** · May-11-2007, 6:48pm

I've had more problems show when I use the IMT-500 clip on tuner than either of my Korg tuners. One Korg only has a mic input and the other has a mic or wire input. I've sorta wondered if the clip on gets distracted at times by harmonics.

Jerry

**Avi Ziv** · May-11-2007, 6:51pm

It's always the A strings for me. Not only do they go out of tune, but for some reason it's hard to to set up the mandolin to intonate properly along the fretboard.

Avi

**EdLowe** · May-11-2007, 8:15pm

I've noticed the IMT-500 thing with the A strings. I was interested to see that someone else had the same problem. It seems to happen more when the strings have been on for a while.

I normally try to get the D right and tune everything else by the pitch interval and harmonics, but in a noisy room that can be hard to hear, which is exactly what I bought a tuner for!. <sigh>

**Bernie Daniel** · May-11-2007, 8:30pm

That is easy.

The second D string and the first A string.

On an F-model those protrude out the farthest and are most often bumped. #

On my A-shaped instrument it is much less of a problem.

**harrykat** · May-11-2007, 9:13pm

thank goodness someone else has this problem. without question it is the a strings, and i thought it was just me being an incompetent tuner. i can get tuned perfectly and play a couple of songs, then one of the a strings is out. what a bummer.

**G'DAE** · May-12-2007, 1:50am

I agree. bumping tuners does not help.

**bluegrassjack2** · May-12-2007, 6:30am

I know that my A string gets out of tune much more than all the other strings.

**Tennessee Jed** · May-12-2007, 7:19am

A strings are the hardest for me to keep in tune followed by D

**B. T. Walker** · May-12-2007, 7:29am

Bernie's response makes the most sense to me, as I started reading this thread thinking, "Is it the a or the d?"

**Tim2723** · May-12-2007, 7:34am

My experience has always been that the G and D courses will more likely be out of tune when mando comes out of the case (the A and D will be fine), but the A string will go out of tune while playing more than any other course.

**Timbofood** · May-12-2007, 1:57pm

I like the tension to mass ratio explanation. My "A" is always hardest to get going, I mean in tune.

**Dan Cole** · May-12-2007, 4:23pm

Last night at the Nickel Creek gig here in Boise, Chris Thile complained about not being able to keep his A string in tune all night. My thoughts are: Maybe he needs a better mando with better tuners! He sure beats the living stuffing out of that thing.

**Ivan Kelsall** · May-15-2007, 3:41am

It seems that for most of us,the A strings figure in being the most difficult to tune & keep in tune. When re-stringing,after tuning up the E strings,i have to lie down in a dark,quiet romm for a while,just to get over the trauma !,
Saska

**bradeinhorn** · May-15-2007, 10:32am

for those having trouble with tuners-make sure you pluck the string with your thumb - not a pick. the pick gives it the confusing overtones. this should solve whatever issue you have.

**hbar** · May-15-2007, 9:53pm

FWIW, I have found that the heaviest plain (non-wound) string is the hardest to really get ``perfectly'' in tune on any instrument I've played: guitars, banjos, ukuleles, or mandolins. This seems to be the case for both steel or nylon strings.

I don't have a plausible theory for it right now.

**Mikey G** · May-15-2007, 10:27pm

"A" for sure.

**Walter Newton** · May-15-2007, 10:31pm

The A strings have definitely given me the most trouble.

**Ronnie L** · May-16-2007, 2:03am

Yep 'A' Most noticable on a G chord of course! It seems to be inherent in the Mandolin to some degree. Having said that. Make sure your Bridge isnt sagging in the middle. This can cause intonation and tuning problems.

**Soupy1957** · May-16-2007, 4:51am

On guitar it was always the third string that I had trouble with. I can get it "reasonably" close, but never "right on."

With the mando, I've been pretty close on all strings but I use the PT1 most often, to verify.

-Soupy1957