What is the best way to tune a guitar?

[fep]

nakim55, the string when open E and harmonic at 12th fret E is at a certain tension and string length.
When you depress the string at the fifth or any other fret, the tension is increased. When you compare two strings tuned perfectly when open or with 12th fret harmonics, as soon as you play any fretted note on them they go slightly sharp because of the increased tension moving from the string height action to the fret (and neck relief curvature contributes as well). If you compare the open string and the fretted string there will be a slight difference.

This is why I like the method of tuning E's fretted on all strings (5th harmonic on the low E string) using the open high E string as the reference. It takes into account some of the effects of action, relief, and so some degree the difference in the way wound strings relate pitch to string width to plain strings...

Where did you get that information?

Aren't the frets set in a way so that won't happen? I can't imagine that they wouldn't be.

How do you set your intonation... so the harmonic and the fretted note at the 12ths fret will be the same. Right? That's how I do it.

There is an optimal string height for intonation, Ibanez in their manual for the guitar I have tells you how high you should set the action and the amount of relief.

[pauln]

It may be that fine guitar makers in the past and present adjust the metric for the frets to account for action, relief, and anticipated string attributes.

The vast majority of manufactured guitars are fretted using the equal temperament fret spacing as a print template from the math equation without adjustment. About a generation ago most guitar makers began compensating the distance between the nut and first fret by moving the nut very slightly closer to the first fret to mitigate the sharpness of notes played at the first fret (even classical guitars picked this up). This was probably the first well known and widely practiced attempt in a series of departures from pure mathematical fret spacing, but subsequent departures were rare and "peculiar" and specific to particular makers.

The development of the bridge end took a similar and much more visible path from "one big angled saddle" for all six strings, to compensated versions with a variable ridge (still one piece), them multi-piece drop-in segments comprising compensated bridges (classical guitar), and individual saddles for jazz and others.

After intonation, you have to ask yourself - if the nut is straight, why is the bridge angled so as the length of the high and lows E strings are clearly different... yet the frets are all straight, too? The lengths of string above and below the 12th fret can not be equal for both the low and high E strings if the saddles are not straight as well. To even approach doing it right the frets would need to be slanted like the bridge - if the nut is straight and the bridge slanted, the 12th fret would need to be half that slant, and all the other frets differentially slanted with respect to the 12th... it all gets kind of crazy.

FEP, what I mean is that if the frets were placed so there would be "no problems", that would be some crazy slant fretted guitar (and there are some)!

The thing is, putting straight frets on a string instrument on the face of it seems to provide more precision to the pitches, but with enough measurement and careful listening it is clear that an un-fretted instrument played properly will be closer to perfection. Just repositioning the straight frets slightly is not enough to compensate unless you slant them as well...

Yet, in the real world of stage performance, if the guitar has fresh strings, good settings for relief, action, and intonation there is little problem - especially if using big fat flat wounds.

I think much of the actual problems folks have with guitars comes from trying to use super light gauge strings which tend to be much more susceptible to all the mechanics leading to problems.

[fep]

Paul,

If that's all true, given you're not someone who spends most of their time playing in the first position, then wouldn't it make the most sense to tune to fretted notes in the middle of the range of where you play?

For me I'd say the sixth or seventh fret.

So if I use the sixth fret then I'll tune the 1st string to the Bb fretted at the 6th fret, the 2nd string to the F at the 6th fret etc.

[ronjazz]

Tuning with a machine is a good start. Generally, different keys require different adjustments for solo guitar using open strings. Playing jazz without open strings one can find an effective compromise that doesn't need too much retuning. Note that as you hold the guitar, your body warms it, and it goes sharp, especially the treble strings. Stage lighting will have the same effect. Playing outdoors, if the sun goes behind a cloud, you'll go flat. For those situations, a headstock tuner is a great way to avoid breaking up the flow of the show, or a tuner built into your effects pedals, if you use them.

[pauln]

FEP,
The method I recommend for tuning does incorporate using the higher frets.

I set the high E first, then match E's on the rest to it:
match the B string at the 5th
G at the 9th
D@14th
A@19th
Low E harmonic@5th

This somewhat takes into account the effects of relief, action, and the different ways thin and fat strings relate pitch to string length.

It is not perfect, but it works best for someone playing all over the neck.
For playing strictly cowboy chords, a whole different approach employing sweetened tuning is needed.

It is also one of the fastest ways to verify tuning (takes about 2 seconds on stage), takes only a couple more to adjust, and with one pitch to match it can be done even on a noisy stage with background music...

Ronjazz,
Don't get me started! So many things effect the real time tuning of a guitar. One of the biggest is the temperature variation from just sliding your fingers over the strings. Plug in a tuner and see; a guitar has to be tuned when the strings are warm (like they will be when playing it). This is another reason I blame super light gauge strings - they change pitch the most with a change in temperature.

[Andrew White]

For a group of musicians or in noisy areas it's imposible to tune your guitar by ear, it's from personal experience .
Of course it it good to develop your hearing abilities, but in some cases it is advisable to use a tuner.
Good luck

[ronjazz]

Tuning by tuner is only the first step for guitar anyway; one then needs to adjust for the general key area. Having said that, a noisy club or outdoor situation is really helped by being able to make quick, reasonably accurate adjustments using electronics.