A story:

In a band I played in, the other guitarist (Ralph) played a really nice Fender American Strat. I played a 69 Gibson SG.

We would both tune up with a conn strobe tuner before each set. By the 3rd song or there abouts, Ralph would be out of tune and checking his tuning quickly between songs with his tuner. My Gibson was rock solid and would seldom get out of tune unless a string broke.

So, one night Ralph suggested that we swap guitars for a set. He wanted to see if his guitar was the problem. So we swapped and played the next set.

Starting with 2 perfectly in tune guitars, by the 3rd song or there abouts, Ralph was out of tune with my SG, and the strat was still rocking it's original tuning. In that case, it turned out to be Ralph's heavy handed playing style. Once he knew what the problem was, he was able to work on modifying his playing style. He had played that way for years thinking that he just had the misfortune to buy guitars which would not hold a proper tuning.

All that to say, your technique may also be at the root of the tuning issue. The pressure you apply, how you pull or push the strings, all play a factor in how well the guitar will hold it's tune.

Does the guitar hold tune perfectly if you tune it up and then immediately set it aside and leave it untouched for a day or two? Assuming no major humidity or temp changes in the room.

I can tune the SG and play it during a recording session, put it away in the case and the next day it's still in tune.

Last edited by Guitarhacker; 05/22/14 06:25 AM.
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