Question:
I have a half size acoustic and I can't figure out how to tune
it. By the
time it sounds in tune, the strings are really loose. The
problem I am
having is I have a tuner for my full size guitar and it works great for
that,
but my daughters 1/2 size guitar apparently needs to be tuned at a
higher pitch
than a full size and I do not know what that pitch is. When I
tune her
guitar to say the low E, the string is way to loose. I guess
what I am
asking is what is the correct tune for each string, i.e. E sharp, G
flat. I
do not know what the strings are supposed to sound like. I
hope you can
help me out. I want to learn how to tune her guitar so I can
maintain it
for her.
Thank you, Adam
Answer:
Some small guitars like the Baby Taylor and the Big Baby Taylor are
tuned the
same as a large guitar, E A D G B E. Some small guitars like
the Tacoma Papoose are supposed to be tuned
higher. It is tuned to A. That means, it sounds
like a regular
guitar with the capo on the 5th fret.
If the strings are so light that regular tuning
cannot be done, the guitar probably needs to be tuned higher.
To make
absolutely sure, I would check with the manufacturer if possible or go
to a good
music store or luthier for advice.
Bob, Gman ( o )==#
Dear Gman,
Thanks a lot. The information you gave me was
perfect. I tuned the
guitar in G and it sounds great.
Again thank you very much, I know the tip will help other confused
people like
me.
Adam
Caught your site by accident and browsed.
Here's an extra tip that works very well! My learners who use
small guitars - usually nylon
- fit a high tension string set - the smaller the guitar, the
higher the tension - and this makes the standard E-A-D-G-B-E
tuning feel like a full size instrument and sounding rich in
tone.
We use Hannabach Flamenco strings on 24"
scale and higher tension ones on the even
shorter scales. This puts younger learners in the real world
of
the guitar, not something that has to be relearned later on.
Warren
I had a smaller guitar once, and I had to work out what to tune it to, as E
tuning was too low for it. So I measured the length from the saddle to the
nut, and then measured out the same length from the saddle on a full size
guitar, making note of which fret I landed on. I ended up on the 3rd fret,
so I tuned the small guitar to G, as if it were a full size guitar with a
capo on 3rd fret, and it sounded great!
Brendan