Most of the newbie guitarists complain that: their guitars go out of tune. Dropping or getting high on the G string is a common complaint among all. As a fresh guitar player, I faced the problem a lot of the time. But it was tough for me to figure out at that time.
Over my past fifteen years of guitar playing, I detected why G string or entire six strings go out of tune regularly. In this article, I will answer why your guitar tune or G string goes out of tune always?
I hope my answer will help you to find the exact problem with a solution. So the entire next step will describe why with the solution step by step.
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Check the Nut:
So the first thing you should check is the guitar nut. Sometimes Kinks can take your G string out of tune. This does not go with only the G string. It can happen with any string. Now, what is the solution? Here is the picture; you can fix it this way by a luthier.
Aside from the kinks, there are some other reasons. For example, if your nut cannot adjust with the top part of your guitar, then the chance of going out of tune is high. In a word, the nut plays a vital role in constantly going out of tune.
Change the strings:
A set of old strings can cause a constant tune dropping. The symptom will start to show when one of your high strings goes out of tune over and over. This is the most common case I have seen.
To solve the problem, change the string set. You are all good to go. Before choosing the string, it’s better to check your guitar nut. The space between string and nut must be adjusted. Otherwise, you have to change the string over and over.
Since I am writing about changing the guitar strings, I recommend changing the guitar string trice in a year. This will keep the guitar sound good as well as guitar health.
Check the intonation:
Another primary reason for going out of tune is the intonation problem. To solve the problem, one needs to adjust the truss rod and bridge. Is it sound critical? Let me break the ice then.
Suppose you are playing E minor in an open position. The sound of an open G string is a bit dissonant. But on the other hand, if you play the same chord in Barr position, the music stays perfect.
Why are you facing this problem? Because your twelfth fret notes are not adjusted with the open notes. And this is called the intonation problem. To solve this problem, experts suggest that; change the guitar tune with your twelfth fret notes. Problem solved!!
Check the tuning pegs:
Tuning pegs play a vital role in keeping the guitar string tuned. If your G string goes out of tune always, then don’t forget to check your tuner pegs. A poor quality tuning peg can cause the dissonant.
It may result in a long term playing problem. For example, your listening skills may harm. As a result, it will be tough for you to pick a song by listening. Not only a poor tuning peg can harm you, but also a quality tuning peg can harm your skills.
How? The headstock is the sensitive part of a guitar. If you cannot take care of that wisely, then a slight push can injure the tuning peg. So, check the tuning peg if it’s damaged or not. It is better to change the tuning peg when the sound goes out of tune.
A poor quality capo:
Using a poor quality capo can be a reason for going out of tune always. Now, How do you know if you are using a poor quality capo or not? First, check the tension of your capo. Usually, a metal covered capo puts much more pressure than your finger.
Thus, the string stretches and goes out of tune. It happens most of the time in between G, B, and E (first) strings. To avoid the overpressure problem, I will suggest using the “rubber-band” type capos.
This type of capo does not put that much pressure like metal covered capo. As a result, strings stay in tune after pulling off the capo. So, if you are using a wrong capo, then it’s time to change the capo to save your G string.
Your fret adjustment has a flaw:
An electric guitar needs a bit much more care than acoustic. Swelling the fret or a lack of alignment can cause your tune to go out. In this case, my suggestion is to contact a professional. They can help you to get rid of this problem. Now, how to know if your frets are level or not? Here is the picture.
You are the reason:
I saw that most of the newbie guitar players try some advanced techniques in their guitar. Bending is one of the standard techniques. It’s common to have a fantasy to play like slash or John Petrucci. But for that, you have to have gained the skill first.
If you are trying the techniques without knowing the rules, then there is a high chance of going out of tune. Yes, whether you are applying the methods in G string or B string, there is a high chance of going out of tune.
Weather can be a reason:
Believe it or not, temperature and humidity can cause your string to go out of tune. Back in 2019, I traveled to Australia from the US for a show. The time was December, and the weather of Australia and the US had a huge difference. As a result, my Taylor acoustic and Gibson SG dropped the whole step for the temperature fluctuation. So, weather can be a factor to go out of tune.
Conclusion:
All the earlier mentioned reasons are the common factors -for going out of the guitar tune. Now, if you are facing your entire six strings, or especially G string, go out of tune; then check my mentioned factors. I hope you will get the proper direction for an excellent solution.