bass tuning question

[acts2-38]

Is it normal for my bass to never be 100% in tune? It seems as If I am slightly over or under the mark on my tuner(a KORG). Does my bass need to be adjusted?

[jeremyr]

when you're saying not 100% in tune are you talking about a few points sharp or flat? 

I'm able to get all of my strings DEAD on with the Low B string being an acception sometimes.

How much are you turrning your pegs when you're tuning?  The slightest turn can be the difference between dead on and a few poitns off.

Try going flat and then tuning up to the note.  This method seems to work better and keep your strings from going out of tune faster too.

[ddwilkins]

I don't know how normal that is, but sometimes that happens to me sometimes only on my B string.  I get as close to being in tune as I can and I make adjustments as I play.  I've learned how to train my ear to recognize when I'm in tune or not and make adjustments on the fly.  Sometimes this is needed because strings do go out of tune during your playing.   

[MikeGee]

2 out of my 3 basses stay in tune for almost forever, the 2 tuners might get bumped in my soft gig bags. My fret-less bass tends to be very hard to tune.

[djgroovin]

sometimes it's hard to get it right using a cheaper digital tuner (that's what I use)...especially with new strings.  when you put on new strings you can try stretching the strings some before tuning.  I usually tune using harmonics...get the highest string as close as you can to the right pitch then tune the other strings to it.  Someone posted how to do this a while back.  You would use the 7th string harmonic and tune the 5th string harmonic of the lower string to it.

[ddwilkins]

sometimes it's hard to get it right using a cheaper digital tuner (that's what I use)...especially with new strings.  when you put on new strings you can try stretching the strings some before tuning.  I usually tune using harmonics...get the highest string as close as you can to the right pitch then tune the other strings to it.  Someone posted how to do this a while back.  You would use the 7th string harmonic and tune the 5th string harmonic of the lower string to it.

To me this is the easiest way to tune.  I use harmonics most of the time anyway.

[malthumb]

I don't know how normal that is, but sometimes that happens to me sometimes only on my B string.  ....   

I have found that the B string is very sensitive to HOW you play it when tuning.  I can get one reading by plucking with my index finger then another reading by strumming with my thumb.  I usually use the thumb strumming technique to tune it because it the least amount of variation (for me) when I repeat the process.  I don't get this with any other string.  Just the B string.  And its common across three different basses, three different manufacturers, two different string brands.  Just the way it is, I guess.

Peace,

James