So my daily strummer, my favorite guitar that I play daily is my Fender Montara. Nice comfortable guitar but a smaller body so the bass tones are a bit lacking.

Anyway, I struggled for quite awhile looking for an easy way to tune down 1/2 step, looser strings deepened the tone a little, and made singing much easier. I did it by tuning my A string properly, than using the 6th fret on that to tune the E down. Once I fumbled with that than I used the E as a basis to tune the other 5 strings down, very difficult and time consuming, things just took forever to lock down.

So I thought there had to be a better way so I resorted to the web. Found the suggestion to put the capo on the first fret, tune the guitar using the onboard to standard and than remove the capo, Wa-La, it worked. Much easier and more accurate.

So has anyone else done this and I'm the only one that hadn't thought of it? I know the saying "there's no such thing as a stupid question" but just didn't want to come off as too much of a stoop by asking it here.

Rock on, have a good weekend!

I've used the method you described several times (electrics as well as acoustics).

While I'm not into the down-tuning nu-metal jackassery, it's a great way to fill out a song...

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Good Vibes To Y'all!



Screamin' Armadillos
Texas Roadhouse Music
Guitar/Slide Guitar/Harp/Vocals

A tuner is much easier than fumbling with a capo. If you use a tuner, then you have more time to play.

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---> "The amp should be SWITCHED OFF AND UNPLUGGED before you do this!" <---

Por favor, disculpe mi español, no se llega a la práctica con mucha frecuencia.

I.... I just use a tuner.....

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Favorite bands:

Melvins
The Jesus Lizard
Cows
Big Business
R***man
Minutemen
Flight
Minor Threat
Big Black
Shellac
Karp
Scratch Acid
Wipers
Pixies

Back in the days of analog tuners I pretty much did the same thing, I just fingered the 1st fret and tuned it to standard.

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Tune Low, Play Hard & Floor it!

Um, yeah, but my onboard tuner is gonna show me sharp/flat and when I'm dead on. How would I accurately use that to tune down 1/2 step?

I guess instead of putting myself out there as simple for not knowing better I should have just asked if anyone else has done it this way. Since my acoustic friends and I play and sing alot of John Prine stuff we have capos handy at any time so they're no big deal to me.

Well, when mine tells me I'm playing an E flat I know I'm in business..... Guess we're just using very different tuners?

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Favorite bands:

Melvins
The Jesus Lizard
Cows
Big Business
R***man
Minutemen
Flight
Minor Threat
Big Black
Shellac
Karp
Scratch Acid
Wipers
Pixies

We must be, mine doesn't say Eflat.....one red light that blinks when you're flat and one that blinks when you're sharp, green in the middle means you're on target.

WI KISSfan, were have you been Bro? no matter as its good to see your post. at least you remembered that questions here aren't stupidly taken. sounds like you have a Boss tuner so when there are 2 red lights behind the central green you should be a full step down. if it doesn't work that way for you, blame it on me Bro:)

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you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

I'm using the onboard tuner on my Montara. I discussed that on the acoustic forum here but the original preamp went bad, so I found a Dean preamp that fit with very little cutting needed. Don't remember the number off-hand but it must be similar to a boss, one red LED for flat and one for sharp, green in between when you're on.

I've been here on/off, it's all good.