Members DarkHorseJ27 Posted April 29, 2012 Members Share Posted April 29, 2012 Some time ago I had a Washburn acoustic that had the Buzz Feiten tuning system (BFTS). One of the things I loved about it was how the chords sounded more in-tune compared to other guitars. Unfortunately, the neck warped and while Washburn replaced it very quickly under warranty, the the replacement didn't have the tone the first one did. What the BFTS does is adds a shelf nut or (if guitar was made new with the system) moves the nut closer to the first fret. This helps with the intonation as the reading I've done on the subject suggests that on many guitars the space between the nut and first fret is often to big. It makes me wonder whether guitars with zero frets suffer from this or not. The BFTS also has tuning offsets to also help the guitar to sound more in-tune. After some reading on the subject I don't think the BFTS is some miraculous breakthrough. Luthiers have been playing around with these sort of things for well over a century, just Buzz Feiten was smart enough to figure out some good offsets for a variety of different guitars, patent it, and do an excellent job marketing it. With the Earvana nut each individual string breaks over the nut in a different spot, in an attempt to get better intonation. A big problem with the BFTS is it costs $300 to retrofit an acoustic. A problem I have with the Earvana is for an acoustic guitar you have to get the nut and their saddle, which are made out of a "tusq-like material". I think plastic sounds better one my acoustics than tusq. My question is, how close does just a temper tuning get to the results the BFTS and/or earvana give? For a fingerstyle player sounding more in-tune in the first few positions is very nice . Also, does playing with someone that isn't using a temper tuning make you sound significantly out of tune with them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted April 29, 2012 Members Share Posted April 29, 2012 I've never noticed any clash between my BF electric and my brother's acoustics, but we're very fussy about tuning and intonation. BF is basically the same as a piano as far as I can gather and tempered guitars sound fine with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Seorie Posted April 29, 2012 Members Share Posted April 29, 2012 hi J27, you ask "Temper tuning vs. buzz feiten/earvana" BF tunings system is 'Tempered tuning', it's just more so but some people go a little further there's enough information on the Web to compensate your own nut and saddle, get a 'cheap' guitar and go to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted April 29, 2012 Members Share Posted April 29, 2012 Compensated frets! What key is that guitar in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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