Tuning a Guitar that has Buzz Feiten Tuning System

[guitartec]

They only allow me 500 characters in one shot to respond, so in short, I'll just say I have no problem whatsoever with the BFTS, except maybe the cost. The Earvana compensated nut seems to make more sense money-wise, and it requires no special method of tuning. This is simply my opinion. I'm honestly not attacking the BFTS. It's that viewers now think some special tuning method is required for it. This is unnecessary.

[guitartec]

I wish I had something (anything) constructive to say about this. I'll be quiet.

[DarrenForbes]

@guitartec Clearly you disapprove of something. Please share your criticism. On a quality guitar, BFTS works. Anyone with ears can hear the improvement. As a guitar tech I am sure you can elaborate on your perspective.

[Jst0911]

Do people turn the peg with their right hand? lol

[DarrenForbes]

@Jst0911 I explained why I do that in the video. :-)

[Jst0911]

@DarrenForbes my comment was dumb. but your video helps. thanks

[PennylandMusic]

Great concept - but two issues:

The idea is to compensate for the fact that at frets near the nut suffer an "end effect" whereby the tension of the string is increased disproportionately for the first couple of frets. But intonation error is a function of the action (string height) at the first fret. Higher the action = greater error. No mention of this.

Second issue:the error is also a function of string gauge. Lighter gauge = lower tension = greater error. I'm not convinced. Anyone disagree?

[wolfsinister]

hi darren, thanks for all the info!

- i've just got a washburn with the factory set-up but i tune the top 2 strings to C and F so i've tried the tuning with a high fretted F on the A-string, and the higher F on the E-string, ie 1 octave down.

do you think its ok to tune across different octaves like that?

and does tuning the top 2 strings a semi higher to C and F knock the intonation out?

[ciman18]

Thanks for the video!!

Let me ask you something: I have a Washburn with the BFTS and many problems to tune it properly. I think everything's OK, because I tune it following your instructions but when i play in the first three frets (chords like F or D) it sounds awful, i think the big mistake is in the G string. Can you give me any advise?

[DarrenForbes]

@ciman18 if you have tuned as described it might be another issue. Make sure you keep with a similar string gauge.Make sure you have not altered the bridge height. Make sure the neck relief is correct. If it is not you might need a truss rod adjustment. If your guitar is not in good "health" than it won't tune no matter what method you use. The neck might not have the correct neck angle as well but that is a more complicated fix that requires a neck reset by a luthier.

[ciman18]

@DarrenForbes Thanks for the advice! I'll take the guitar to a luthier because everything seems fine right now.

[greyfoxzero]

So many people who have a buzz feiten equipped instrument (typically factory installed like Washburn) don't tune it right. Get a Peterson or a Korg with the BFTS offsets and make sure you setup and intonate with it. Then whenever you tune use the open setting on the tuner for the BFTS. Thats it. If you have a BFTS equipped guitar and your not using it your not getting the best sound out of your instrument. I also strongly recommend it for bass.

[DarrenForbes]

@greyfoxzero You are right. The Korg DT-7 is not available through Korg in Canada it seems but I prefer the Peterson. You can use the Peterson StroboClip which is more expensive than your standard tuner but it is a really handy tuner. I have an old Garrison clip-on chromatic tuner (Garrison G series had the BFTS) and I simply use the tuner to tune all strings to E as described.

[DTM1864]

Darren, I own 3 electric guitars with the Buzz Feiten system but I'm wondering if I've been tuning them wrong. They sound great but is it possible they could sound better? I set up offsets on my Petersons Virtual Strobe Tuner to tune the open strings. I also have different offsets set up to do the intonation. I don't want to give away any trade secrets from what I know but I would like answers to a few questions. Should the 12th fret be intonated to match the open string or different?

[DarrenForbes]

@DTM1864 On an electric the intonation is easier because you can easily manipulate the bridge. For the BFTS the 12th fret note is not matched exactly to open....that's part of the system. BFTS only gives the customer the means to tune the guitar not correct the intonation. With a Peterson you can do it. I have never had to do it but I think if a customer came to me wanting BFTS intonation checked on their electric and it was my work...I would do it for them...no charge. 

[DarrenForbes]

@DTM1864 As long as you have not made any changes to the saddle distances or changed your string gauge significantly you should be OK to tune as the BFTS suggests even with your Peterson. Essentially if you are using the proper intonation offsets then the 12th should be in with the open.

[fiscorbrook]

Great vid...wondering if the intonation procedure on an electric is the same for this tuning system..?? |if not, can u give a brief explanation on how its different.

thanks

[DarrenForbes]

@fiscorbrook well the intonating process is essentially the same but you do not have the make any special modifications to the bridge like in an acoustic. Each contact point at the bridge of an electric can be moved independently so the only mod to an electric retrofit would be at the nut with the compensated shelf nut. If you are referring to tuning the guitar then the procedure for it is the same. Hope this helps.

[azfryguy]

couldn you just tune it all with the tuner?

[DarrenForbes]

@azfryguy You could use a tuner. You just tune all strings to E. You do it like follows:

1st E Open

2nd B 5th fret

3rd G 9th fret

4th D 14th fret

5th A 7th fret

6th E Open, 5th fret Harmonic

[azfryguy]

@DarrenForbes yeah but couldn you just do that with a normal nut?

[DarrenForbes]

@azfryguy you could do that technically but you would not be getting the benefit of the BFTS. With standard methods of intonating a guitar you still are slightly out of pitch as you move up the scale of the neck. You tune BFTS this way because the there are modifications to the scale at the first interval (if it comes built with BFTS) or a modified nut is used on retrofits. Also the angle of the saddle offset is different and intonated to pitch offsets not used in standard intonating.

[DarrenForbes]

@azfryguy so basically, without having your guitar/bass/mandolin/banjo whatever with BFTS that method of tuning is of no real benefit.

[azfryguy]

@DarrenForbes thanks for explaing sir! i was so confused

[DarrenForbes]

@azfryguy No Problem! Keep Slappin' Da Bass!

[DarthKazi]

@azfryguy You want the guitar tuned to itself. The notes may be not "exact" to a strobe tuner, but the effect is notes that ring together without "beats". I've never tuned a "regular" guitar (no matter how expensive) to a tuner that allows you to play open chords AND barre chords up the neck without some out-of-tune beating. If you tune it to itself, including checking the octave harmonics, the problem isn't as pronounced.

[DarrenForbes]

@DarthKazi that's why I prefer to tune all the strings to the 1st E by ear. This way I can ensure the beat frequency is unnoticed.

[Sephy7777]

You look like Silent Bob

[DarrenForbes]

@Sephy7777 ha ha...well you look like...Tim Roth

[ColtonPhillips]

I heard you busting out science on this video. Woo!

[DarrenForbes]

@ColtonPhillips you liked that!

[ColtonPhillips]

Yah man. I owned waves in physics last year.