Jasmine/Takamine Unable to Tune

[Junior 1]

I received a Jasmine cutaway acoustic NEX 34C guitar for Christmas and this thing won't tune! I'm not a luthier, but I can string a guitar and set it up pretty good, but even after new strings, and adjusting the truss rod, the strings were way too low, it will not stay in tune. I know it's an inexspensive guitar, but I like the neck shape. I tightened the tuners, the bridge looks fine, and I used new Martin bridge pins with new Diadario acoustic lite strings. Any ideas? Thanks.

[Caevan O’Shite]

Hmn, have you stretched the strings a little? Maybe try a little (very little) lube in the nut-slots, like rubbing a pencil's lead into each slot, or a tiny dab of clear Teflon gel lube, or that "Big Bend's Nut Sauce", etc?

 

Do the strings ever make a pinging noise when tuning, when bending a note, or just before going flat or sharp on you? If so, they very well could be catching in the nut-slots; the aforementioned lube might help, or a proper filing/dressing (without deepening them- you don't want to accidentally lower the string-height there!) by a qualified, experienced luthier, maybe somebody at the store that sold the guitar, or who does work for them? The store should give you FREE (and well done) set-up work like this, it should be part of the purchase.

 

If the strings are just too low, perhaps it needs a taller saddle; many flat-top acoustic guitars work well with two different saddles to switch between in Spring/Summer and Winter/Fall conditions, as the top- as well as the neck- can be affected by seasonal changes in humidity. That still shouldn't affect the tuning and/or intonation too drastically, though...

 

I tried out one of those cheap First Act acoustic guitars in a Wal Mart a few years ago, and no matter what I did, no matter how I tried to tune it and pull the slack out from behind the nut and saddle, it would not play in tune; I suspected that either the bridge, the fretboard, or the fret-slots were incorrectly located when manufactured. I did not bother to measure anything or investigate it further, though!

[picker]

When you say it won't stay in tune, do you mean it gets in tune and then goes out of tune when you play it, or as you go up the neck, it goes out of tune?

[Junior 1]

Thanks for the help guys. Turns out the guitar was bought at MF and they agreed to take it back. I did stretch the strings and no pings when tuning. I would almost get it in tune,strum a chord and it was gone again! Not only gone, but dead sounding! By far the most frustrating guitar I've ever worked with. They're giving me a $130 credit and I've wanted a battery powered amp to take outside, so I'll probably get a Vox DA5 or a Roland Micro Cube with the credit. Cheap amps are safer than cheap guitars! Thanks again.