I usually tune my guitar to E flat, but will occasionally retune to standard tuning. I then began to wonder whether this changes the guitar set up enough so that I need to do a new set up each time I change the tuning. I could see that the intonation might change a bit, but does the truss rod really see that much difference? Does the tremolo bridge tension also change by just this half step in tune?

Maybe I'm making too much out of this, but I'm curious what the experts would say.

Have you tried it yet?

That will show you how long it takes to get all of the strings retuned and what it will do to your bridge's float and intonation.

That half-step probably won't require a truss rod adjustment each time, but only you can say if you can live with the intonation effects.

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Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

Hi ashstrat: I'm not much of a one for alternate tunings, but there's people that seem to tune differently for almost every number and get away with it OK. Often on acoustic guitars, where there's little you can do about intonation without carving a new bridge saddle.

Of course, when you switch the intonation will change a little, so have it set right to the tuning you use most of the time. For a visual guide to how much the setup is changing with different tunings, take a look at where the back of the trem plate is in relation to the face of the body while you have the guitar in E flat. Now tune to standard pitch and watch how that trem comes up away from the body as the string tension increases.

You can answer the question further for yourself by trying the intonation at the 12th fret in each of the tunings and see how much it changes. Only your own ears can decide how much that bothers you. If you play mostly near the nut then the answer is probably not much. If it does worry you, then switching guitars for different tunings is the only realistic answer.

Good luck - C

I keep one guitar setup and tuned 1/2 step down (Eb) all the time.
Going from E to Eb, or from Eb to E will not require a truss rod adjustment. Bridge height, string height, and intonation will change slightly. It is tolerable.

Try it out and see if you like it.

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Chet Feathers

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I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

Sort of what I thought. I would think the changes in string tension would be negligible on the truss rod, but might bring up the tremolo bridge a nudge. I could probably live with the slight change in intonation as well.

Seems as long as you keep the same strings ( I use D'Adarrio 115's 11-49) things shouldn't be too out of sorts. I'll recheck my set up in E flat then check the 12th fret in standard tuning to see if I can hear the difference.

Thanks for all the excellent advice.

I only wish I could afford to have a different guitar for different tunings.

Personally I would setup the guitar for E, then try the Eb tuning and see what I think.

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Chet Feathers

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I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

Interesting. Is this because there is more tension on the strings in E tuning? I guess I was thinking there would be less chance of the strings being too low if I started out with a set up in Eb then tune up to E, ie. the string tension would increase and raise the strings slightly. I assumed with a set up in E tuning, going down to Eb might lower the string tension too much and cause vibration against the fretboard.

Now I'm curiuous. Could you explain?

Setting the guitar up for E tuning then changing the tuning to Eb will lower the back of the bridge slightly which will actually raise the action some. So you should not get any vibration (fret buzz).

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Chet Feathers

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I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

I got it! Thanks for the enlightenment.

Let us know what you think when you try it.

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Chet Feathers

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I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

have you tried using a capo at the first fret to go from Eb to E standard?