Buzz Feiten Tuning System

ajm · Post by **ajm** » 30 Nov 2004 6:35 pm

"My understanding is that an adjustable bridge already compensated for this phenomenon."

Apparently it doesn't (at least to some people). My understanding is that the system compensates for the extra pressure that it takes to push a string down at the first fret as opposed to a higher fret. I get the impression that the fret positions relative to each other don't change, but that the nut is moved a couple of millimeters closer to the bridge.

Greg, I see that you are in LA. Mesa Boogie Hollywood has Tom Anderson guitars that have this system. I tried a couple there one time and did notice a difference in the "playing in tune" department. You can go try a couple and report back to us. I know if I won the lottery tomorrow I'd buy a TA.

I think that anyone in the audience, even other musicians, isn't likely to notice a difference over the roar of a band in a bar. However, the guy playing the guitar may notice a slight difference.

On the other hand, I also agree with the other post about how our heroes seem to have gotten along just fine without it. If Buck, Chet, Jimi, etc. survived without it then we should be able to also. If you haven't got a good song, then playing in tune won't help anyway.

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Artie McEwan

Greg Vincent · Post by **Greg Vincent** » 1 Dec 2004 7:51 am

Yeah Artie I should go over to Boogie and try out one of those Tom Andersons.

I'm not disputing that the BF tuning systems works, I've just never heard a good explanation of how it works. Maybe they need to keep it a trade secret, I dunno.

I do know that the misinformation generated by their site is worrisome to me. A piano's stretched tuning and the octave's temperament are separate issues. Even if you tuned a piano in un-tempered JI for the key of C, you would still need to stretch the upper and lower octaves for the thing to sound in tune with itself due to the way those big piano strings vibrate and create overtones.
This is a problem that is particular to the piano and not really an issue with guitars. Why does the BF site bother to mention it? -GV[This message was edited by Greg Vincent on 01 December 2004 at 07:52 AM.][This message was edited by Greg Vincent on 01 December 2004 at 07:54 AM.]

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 1 Dec 2004 8:20 am

A piano's stretched tuning and the octave's temperament are separate issues.

Correct.
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Even if you tuned a piano in un-tempered JI for the key of C, you would still need to stretch the upper and lower octaves for the thing to sound in tune with itself due to the way those big piano strings vibrate and create overtones.
This is a problem that is particular to the piano and not really an issue with guitars.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Not correct actually.
In fact there is more inharmonicity on a short string (guitar) than on a long string (piano). That is why people spend the big bucks to get a 9 foot long piano, instead of a cheap little spinet where the bass strings have so much inharmonicity that you can't even identify the notes by ear.
The main reason that stretch tuning is used more on a piano than on a (steel) guitar is that the range of the piano is so much greater. You don't need nearly so much stretching over the 1.5 octave (E9) or 2.5 octave (C6) range of a steel guitar.
And of course if you use harmonics to tune the octave intervals on the steel (i.e. 4th and 8th string on E9) then you are stretch tuning that octave.

Greg Vincent · Post by **Greg Vincent** » 1 Dec 2004 9:09 am

Thanks EB. So the range of a piano creates more of a problem than the large string diameters.

My point is that stretched tuning is a piano issue rather than a guitar issue. -GV[This message was edited by Greg Vincent on 01 December 2004 at 09:16 AM.][This message was edited by Greg Vincent on 01 December 2004 at 09:21 AM.][This message was edited by Greg Vincent on 01 December 2004 at 09:23 AM.][This message was edited by Greg Vincent on 01 December 2004 at 09:34 AM.]

Thomas Bancroft · Post by **Thomas Bancroft** » 1 Dec 2004 9:57 am

Most of the benefit of the BF or Earvana systems is evident in the first three frets when playing open chords. Check these notes with your meter. They are almost always way sharp and don't sound in tune with open strings. I have a new 62 RI Tele that is horrible in that respect. Shortening the length from the nut to the first fret makes the fretted notes less sharp all the way up the neck as fretting/pitch is about string length division rather than string length designation above the fret. I haven't installed my Earvana compensated nut on the Tele yet but I will in the near future. Earvana.com has a great explanation on their website as well as tech instructions on installation which are interesting.

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Mullen D-10, Melobar Rattler, Nashville 1000, Alesis Midiverb, Too Many Guitars!