hipshot not detuning reliably

[bassarama19]

I recently installed a hip shot detuner on my fender jazz and I checked the tuning after I flip the switch and it hasnt been detuning and retuning accuretley.

 

Ill tune the E perfectly drop down to D adjust the D then go back to the E then the E is out. Retune E go back to D then the D is out etc.

 

Ive done many times as I have kinda figured that maybe the detune just hasnt settled yet. It still dosent seem to tune up and down very accuratley.

[deanmass]

I have one on my Peavey Millenium American with the D tuner. It tunes to D, but back to E come in a little flat. I basically don't use it.

[jeremy c]

Try putting a drop of vaseline on the pivot point.

[musicfiend]

I use one on my warwick thumb and it works like a charm. Sometimes it takes a few times to get the e and d tuned up correctly, but one they are in I can play many sets without having to worry about anything.

[bassarama19]

Originally posted by jeremy c:

Try putting a drop of vaseline on the pivot point.

Sorry jeremy which pivot point are your talking about???

 

I was also thinking, could it be a problem with the nut? like the string catching just a wee bit on a rough spot or something.?

[gmd]

Maybe you just got a bad one. I would take it back to the store I purchased it from and exchange it for another...

[Prague]

There is so little to go wrong with these. I've had 5 over the years along with ones made for guitar. Never had a problem.

 

Your thought of the string binding somewhere in the nut is a good one.

[BenLoy]

You're skipping a step.

 

The instructions specifically say to tune the E, then flip the lever down and back up again. This will release any extra tension between the nut and the tuner.

 

The E will then be flat, so tune the E back up, and then repeat this procedure until the E stays stable within a cent or two.

 

After you do this, then you're ready to tune the D.

[jeremy c]

This was on the Hipshot website:

#3 WHEN I FLIP BACK TO "E" FROM THE LOWER NOTE I NOTICE IT COMES BACK SHARP - IS THERE SOMETHING WRONG WITH MY X-TENDER KEY?

 

No! Your x-tender key is fine, you need to follow this tuning procedure; First tune the E note. With the thumb lever in the up position (E) tune your string up to E. Always tune from flat up to pitch. Now give your thumb lever a quick flick down and up. Check your E note with your electric tuner to see if it came back sharp. If it did, see how sharp it came back. Lets say for example it came back 10 cents sharp. Drop your E string with your tuner down and then bring it back leaving it 10 cents flat of E. Again, give your thumb lever a quick flick down and up. Your E string should pop sharp 10 cents, leaving it exactly on E. Now, flick your lever to the down position and check your lower note. Lets say for example you are tuning the lower note to D. If the note is out of tune, flick the lever back up to the E position, adjust the fine tuning screw either by rotating it counter clockwise to sharpen the lower note, or clockwise to flatten the lower note. Now, flick the thumb lever to the down position and check the low D. If the low D is still out of tune, repeat the procedure by flicking the lever back to E, readjust the fine tuning screw and flick the lever down to D to recheck. When you get your low D in tune, flip the lever up to E, check your E and there you are! Here is the reason behind this tuning procedure: There is always friction between the string and the bone nut. Therefore, the fret board side of your string will be slightly looser than the peg head side of the string. When you use the x-tender key for the first time after tuning, you equalize the difference in string tension causing the note to pop sharp. You must use the x-tender key one time to equalize these tensions after tuning. That's why you leave it slightly flat when you tune your E. And that is why you must flip down to check your D after tuning with the fine tuner. If you are still confused, call me at 607-532-9404 and have your bass and electric tuner in front of you. We have the Xtender Key Tuning procedure published on our web site. You may want to check them out.

This web page tells you more and shows you where to put the drop of vaseline. (which they spell wrong )

[Tenstrum]

My Hohner's have the Steinberger Drop bridge. I tune to E and then flip it back and forth a couple of times and tune the E again. Then flip it down and use the fine tuning to get the dropped D or B. Then flip it back and forth a couple of times to make sure that all notes are in key. Takes a little bit of effort the first time after a string change, but after that, it tends to stay in key.

[Fred TBP]

This was the motivation for my learning to play 5-string. I just found it easier than trying to resolve the intonation differences using a detuner (and it was a Hipsot) not to mention having to transpose everytime I crossed between the dropped-D and A strings. Go figure.

[coyote]

You know, in ages past bass viol players used detuners. They did so because the friction-based tuning pegs available then were difficult to tune.

 

Nowadays we have reliable, easy to use mechanical tuners. If you've developed your ear and your tuning technique, detuning on the fly should pose no problem whatsoever. Devices such as the Hipshot, while clever, are superfluous.

[Prague]

I use the Hipshot in the middle of songs, which isn't superfluous.

 

I'll drop it down to give me a low D for a specific passage (such as the last chorus of Passage to Bangkok - Rush). The rest of the song I prefer to have the low E, especially the guitar solo. The voicing of the low E is preferable.

 

I sometimes use it when I haven't planned on it. Spur of the moment. Some songs I will drop it down just so I can fret a low E (by dropping to D). Sometimes I do prefer the 5 string (low B) voicing.

 

Some songs I detune to D and use the Hipshot to drop to C in the middle of the song.

 

It's a very useful tool. As with any tool, creativity is the only impediment.

 

 

Check the Hipshot with your E string loosened. Make sure that it pivots freely with no friction. The two plates shouldn't touch. The rotating shaft should be straight, too.

[jeremy c]

Check out some of Michael Manring's work.

 

He has four detuners....one on each peg.

He also has a similar device on the bridge which changes two strings at once.

 

He is constantly changing tuning while playing.

 

 

And then on the other hand, we have Victor Wooten. On many occasions in his live show, he completely detunes his E string so that it is flopping around, he plays some percussive stuff on it, and then he tunes it back up to pitch and goes back to "normal" playing.

 

He does this all by ear.

[deanmass]

Hey, I'll try the vaseline trick!

 

Thanks!

 

I never really thuoght about it too much. I only needed to drop a few times.