Question How do you tune a floating-bridge guitar?

[Buck_weat]

Hello everyone! I know this is a super-basic question, but I am having trouble tuning my guitar. I have never had one with a floating bridge before this one. When I tune it, I start on the low E string and go to the high E string. But when I go back to the low E and check those lower strings are flat. I keep chasing this back and forth. I know there has to be a better way. Is there a certain string order I need to follow? Thanks in advance for your help!

Here is a pic of the guitar - I also posted it in the picture section.

 

[BdaGolfer]

Go to YouTube, find the Thomann music store channel and look for the tutorial that Maddie (Petrucci's guitar tech) did on this topic. Watch and follow.

 

[DrKev]

Hello everyone! I know this is a super-basic question, but I am having trouble tuning my guitar. I have never had one with a floating bridge before this one. When I tune it, I start on the low E string and go to the high E string. But when I go back to the low E and check those lower strings are flat. I keep chasing this back and forth. I know there has to be a better way. Is there a certain string order I need to follow? Thanks in advance for your help!

Dude that is a GORGEOUS guitar!

It's part of the deal with any guitar with a floating bridge because the bridge is free to move in response to every change to tension of the strings. You tune one string, and it's in tune *at that bridge position*. But when you tune the other strings the bridge moves a little in response to those changes too and everything changes a little bit. It's the same thing that happens when we bend a string and the others go temporarily flat, just that it's happening at smaller level. So tuning with floating bridge can be an iterative process, you get close and closer each time. Good news? Yes! There is are string orders that helps.

Start at the highest string (high E) and tune moving successively down in pitch through to the low E string. e, B, G, D, A, low E. Why? Because strings at higher tension are less sensitive to changes in tuning caused by the bridge movement. So the strings that will stay in tune best are done first and most sensitive strings are done last. Depending on how much the tuning has shifted since you played the day before, the first time you sit down to play each day you may still have to retune two or three times, but then you're good for the playing session with only minor retunign required from time to time.

Technically, the best order would be high E, D, B, A, G, low E, But that could be annoying to get used to and take longer to do. Another alternative order would be high E, B, D, A, G, low E.

Oddly, this stuff is never discussed so I guess (if my Long Covid fatigue ever allows me ) it would a great video to do for YT.

 

[ruger9]

The answer seems simple, just keep tuning it until it's in tune, but I'm always interested in "better mousetraps" (even after 35 years of playing), so I'm following this one...

 

[Vito Porkleone]

I find I have to chase it less starting with the G string. Get GDB where you need them and keep working out from there saving low E for last. That works best for me. YMMV.

 

[Ted]

Carl Verheyen is one of my favorite players and teachers. He has a great little video on setting up a floating bridge.

watch

 

[Buck_weat]

Dude that is a GORGEOUS guitar!

It's part of the deal with any guitar with a floating bridge because the bridge is free to move in response to every change to tension of the strings. You tune one string, and it's in tune *at that bridge position*. But when you tune the other strings the bridge moves a little in response to those changes too and everything changes a little bit. It's the same thing that happens when we bend a string and the others go temporarily flat, just that it's happening at smaller level. So tuning with floating bridge can be an iterative process, you get close and closer each time. Good news? Yes! There is are string orders that helps.

Start at the highest string (high E) and tune moving successively down in pitch through to the low E string. e, B, G, D, A, low E. Why? Because strings at higher tension are less sensitive to changes in tuning caused by the bridge movement. So the strings that will stay in tune best are done first and most sensitive strings are done last. Depending on how much the tuning has shifted since you played the day before, the first time you sit down to play each day you may still have to retune two or three times, but then you're good for the playing session with only minor retunign required from time to time.

Technically, the best order would be high E, D, B, A, G, low E, But that could be annoying to get used to and take longer to do. Another alternative order would be high E, B, D, A, G, low E.

Oddly, this stuff is never discussed so I guess (if my Long Covid fatigue ever allows me ) it would a great video to do for YT.

Thanks for the detailed information. I will give these these a go for sure! And I would love to see a YouTube video on this. Mostly everything I saw was for Floyd Rose tremolos and such.