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Joined:
July 2006
Posts: 2
Location: Mobile, AL | Got an Ovation Celebrity Deluxe CS257 and this thing will not stay in tune for anything. I think if I get some locking tuners it will help. I love the tone of the guitar, but it is a turd as staying in tune. Does anyone out there know what tuners would fit and be a good replacement for the stock ones on the guitar.
Thanks for the Help,
Jeff |
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November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | try these |
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February 2004
Posts: 1634
Location: Warren,Pa. | Jeff, Every Ovation and some Adammi come with Ping tuners nowadays. These aren't locking tuners and I don't hear anyone on this board complaining about difficulty keeping in tune. I'm thinking you have a bum set of tuners or, maybe, another problem.
Then again, "in tune" can be a relative thing. I touch-up my tuning several times during a 1 hour worship time on Sunday morning because the slightest bit off bothers me. The other guy plays a Taylor (which I KNOW doesn't hold tune like my Ovation), and he doesn't bother cause it doesn't bother him.
Anyway...the expense of locking tuners wouldn't be my first plan of attack. IMHO, John <>{ |
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Posts: 629
Location: Houston, Texas | Usually when a guitar will not stay in tune, the first thing suspected is the tuners. But most of the time it is usually the strings sticking in the nut. This is unusual for Ovations because there is not much string angle at the nut, but can always be a problem with Gibsons and other guitars with that type of peghead. The worst string is usually the G string.
If you are using larger than normal gauge strings you might want to see about having the slots in the nut slightly widened. In either case, you might try using a small amount of graphite in the nut slots.
Also proper tuning technique is very important. You should always tune to pitch while tightening. If you go past it, you should loosen and approach by tightening again, until you are there.
Ovations are known for their ability to stay in tune, so if you are or have done the above it might be possible that you have bad tuners but my instinct tells me its more likely to be the nut. |
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Location: Mobile, AL | here is what is happening. I am actually using lighter gauge strings (.11s) than the fat .12s that came on it from the factory, so i don't think they are getting stuck on the nut. I have tried some graphite on the nut anyways and it really didn't do anything in the way of help. what happens is that I will tune it up and play as usual, having to tune along the way every 30minutes or so. As a test, I have been tuning to pitch upwards when i finish playing and coming back the next day, without any play, it has gone flat. EVERY string is flat. I mean everyone. Without fail. I am in the process of marking the key positions after tune-up and see if they move, i doubt they will show any movement. I am also going to put a small piece of painters tape on the strings after the nut and mark their positions after tuning and see if i can tell if they move any overnight. If the strings and/or the keys move, will anyone agree that it is the tuners or do i need to go another route???
thanks,
Jeff |
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Joined:
March 2004
Posts: 629
Location: Houston, Texas | Is this a new guitar? When you changed the strings did you stretch the new ones properly? After you tune to pitch for the first time, grab each string one at a time near the middle of the string and pull up away from the fretboard about an inch. Repeat this about five or six times for each string and then retune to pitch. This will seat the ball ends and the windings on the posts properly.
I don't think you will see any movement of the keys or especially the strings, but if the keys do move, yeah, they're probably bad. Keep in mind that new guitars take a while to settle in and that even small room temperature changes will cause strings to go flat or sharp overnight. That will affect all of the strings as you've stated, and is not unusual at all.
If you're having serious trouble with it staying in tune while you are playing, keep these things in mind. 1. Any temperature change will change the tension in the string, so when you pick up a cold guitar and start playing, your fingers will warm the strings a little and cause a slight change. 2. Any change in mass of the string will change it's pitch and even if your hands are clean some dead skin and sweat will be left on the strings as you play. If you notice a build up on the bottom of the strings, clean this off before you retune. You may just notice that after you clean them, you won't need to retune.
But these are issues affecting all guitars and depending on how long you've been playing you probably already know this. Problems with the strings sticking in the nut is the most common tuning problem with guitars and usually causes the biggest and most noticable change in pitch.
I'm not saying that your tuners can't be bad, but I hate to see anyone spend $60 or $70 on tuners and still have the same problems. |
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February 2004
Posts: 1634
Location: Warren,Pa. | You can get a set of gold Pings from the factory for maybe $40. Schallers would be probably double that and IMHO are worth it BUT...if you're losing patience and want to try new tuners $40 is probably enough to spend on the experiment.
If it does turn out that your tuners are bad, the Pings will fix it. If you install the new tuners and you find you still have the problem, you'll be glad you didn't spend more on tuners.
How's my logic? John <>{ |
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February 2006
Posts: 140
| Not every Ovation has ping tuners.Mine has schallers. |
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need tuning key replacements!!!
