Do D-Tunas work well?

[Speeddemon]

D-Tuna's work great when set up properly. All of that has been covered above. The only thing that has not been said is this:

If you tune your guitar to E flat, then the traditional .042 low e string will not work. You tune it to Db and then engage the D-Tuna to raise to Eb. However, the Eb is flat. You have to install a .046 as the low e string to overcome this, or remove part of the D-Tuna itself to get to proper pitch at Eb. I've done both, but now only go with a slightly higher string guage to solve this. If you go the route of removing part of the D-Tuna, you will need to file down the flat part of the D-Tuna that rides against the fine tuner on the floyd. I struggled with this for years and finally talked with Adam at Floyd Upgrades and this is what he told me. BTW, on my guitars tuned to E standard, the D-Tuna works flawlessly with 9-42 strings.

I run 9-42 at Eb and it works but it is a little finicky. Maybe that's what causes the finickiness I was talking about.

Guess that's why I never ran into big tuning issues with the D-Tuna; I play 10-46 anyway, tuned in Eb.
I may consider going to the Hybrid Slinkys, 9-46 on that Charvel with the D-Tuna.

 

[GreatRedDragon]

D-Tuna's work great when set up properly. All of that has been covered above. The only thing that has not been said is this:

If you tune your guitar to E flat, then the traditional .042 low e string will not work. You tune it to Db and then engage the D-Tuna to raise to Eb. However, the Eb is flat. You have to install a .046 as the low e string to overcome this, or remove part of the D-Tuna itself to get to proper pitch at Eb. I've done both, but now only go with a slightly higher string guage to solve this. If you go the route of removing part of the D-Tuna, you will need to file down the flat part of the D-Tuna that rides against the fine tuner on the floyd. I struggled with this for years and finally talked with Adam at Floyd Upgrades and this is what he told me. BTW, on my guitars tuned to E standard, the D-Tuna works flawlessly with 9-42 strings.

I run 9-42 at Eb and it works but it is a little finicky. Maybe that's what causes the finickiness I was talking about.

Guess that's why I never ran into big tuning issues with the D-Tuna; I play 10-46 anyway, tuned in Eb.
I may consider going to the Hybrid Slinkys, 9-46 on that Charvel with the D-Tuna.

That was my usual set for years, but when I built my Charvel I found 9s to sound better on the wound strings, they tightened up a very bassy bridge pickup. I'd actually love a 10-42 set but it's always heavy bottom, light top.

 

[Speeddemon]

That was my usual set for years, but when I built my Charvel I found 9s to sound better on the wound strings, they tightened up a very bassy bridge pickup. I'd actually love a 10-42 set but it's always heavy bottom, light top.

Maybe a far stretch, but would you consider changing your pickup? I read 'bassy' as maybe even flubby, too big, unbalanced...
I *had* the stock ToneZone in that Charvel, which I found a bit too loose in the low-end and after a few swaps, I ended up with the DiMarzio Norton. Nothing wooly, woofy, muddy about that pickup. And it's not like its clinically tight, sterile, characterless either.
To me, it's almost the pickup that the JB aspires to be; oozing harmonics, tight, punchy low-end, enough alnico character and no screechy highs. Also, while medium/high output, it's not TOO hot and its split tone is one of the best useable tones from a humbucker (coming from some one who has coil-splits on 8 of 11 elec guitars).
Only if a guitar is kinda thin sounding by itself even with 10's or 11's, I would consider swapping to a more bassy pickup. I put that ToneZone in my Ibanez S540FM, and I'm still looking to beef up that guitar a smidge; considering a brass trem block.

By the way, I just found out Dunlop has a 9.5-44 set. Maybe that works for you as an intermediate sweet spot?
https://www.jimdunlop.com/dunlop-electr ... gs-9-5-44/

Elixir's OptiWeb (the ones that feel the most like regular strings) series has a Custom Light 9-46 set too. Highly recommend those as well, after years of steering clear of Elixirs, because of subpar experiences with the old Polyweb series (that would unravel from pick slides).

 

[GreatRedDragon]

That was my usual set for years, but when I built my Charvel I found 9s to sound better on the wound strings, they tightened up a very bassy bridge pickup. I'd actually love a 10-42 set but it's always heavy bottom, light top.

Maybe a far stretch, but would you consider changing your pickup? I read 'bassy' as maybe even flubby, too big, unbalanced...
I *had* the stock ToneZone in that Charvel, which I found a bit too loose in the low-end and after a few swaps, I ended up with the DiMarzio Norton. Nothing wooly, woofy, muddy about that pickup. And it's not like its clinically tight, sterile, characterless either.
To me, it's almost the pickup that the JB aspires to be; oozing harmonics, tight, punchy low-end, enough alnico character and no screechy highs. Also, while medium/high output, it's not TOO hot and its split tone is one of the best useable tones from a humbucker (coming from some one who has coil-splits on 8 of 11 elec guitars).
Only if a guitar is kinda thin sounding by itself even with 10's or 11's, I would consider swapping to a more bassy pickup. I put that ToneZone in my Ibanez S540FM, and I'm still looking to beef up that guitar a smidge; considering a brass trem block.

By the way, I just found out Dunlop has a 9.5-44 set. Maybe that works for you as an intermediate sweet spot?
https://www.jimdunlop.com/dunlop-electr ... gs-9-5-44/

Elixir's OptiWeb (the ones that feel the most like regular strings) series has a Custom Light 9-46 set too. Highly recommend those as well, after years of steering clear of Elixirs, because of subpar experiences with the old Polyweb series (that would unravel from pick slides).

I really like the pickup overall (Vineham Granite with an Alnico 2), it isn't so much flubby as it is just huge in the bottom end and lower mids. I was considering swapping the A2 magnet for an A8 before I switched to 9s.

The Norton seems like a really badass pickup though. For my next build I was planning to use a Super Distortion, but your description of the Norton has me reconsidering.

 

[Speeddemon]

The Norton seems like a really badass pickup though. For my next build I was planning to use a Super Distortion, but your description of the Norton has me reconsidering.

I actually had the Super Distortion in that same Charvel, I still have it in one of my Les Paul Customs and in the Flying V.
For the Les Paul, my reasoning was simple; Ace effin' Frehley.
For the Flying V, I wanted to add heft.

Now in the Charvel, it was a tad much; it rocked, sure, but I'm always looking for a certain versatility.
Overall, the Super D has a bit bigger bottom end than the Norton, but its clean tones are so-so. The Norton has more sparkle and clarity, without any icepick. Harmonics seriously rock from that thing; I had it in a Les Paul Standard (where now there's an AT-1 inside) and I could get close to early EVH tones with that combo.
Also, one of my main gripes with the Super D is its split tone. Very, very anemic. But the Norton's split tone is one of the best out there.

 

[Philhouse]

I cannot get mine to fit/work properly on my EBMM EVH. I've tried everyway I can, and read the instructions even
Just will not work for me, is there some secret to getting it work on all guitars, or is it normal that it doesn't fit certain guitars?, (which I find ironic because its a darn EVH model guitar). I must be doing something wrong.
Anyway, if anyone has the secret I'd love to know.

Cheers.

For sure something ain’t right. I have two on my EBMM EVH guitars and they work perfectly. What is not working for you?

I had another go today and tried to install the D-tuna again..for at least an hour... an hour of frustration and futility and it was lucky I didn't throw it off a bridge.
It will NOT work. Either I got a dud unit or something is seriously wrong elsewhere. I've watched every YouTube clip I can and read all the online help... nup.
I got it from a legit shop on eBay for the standard price, so there should be nothing dodgy about it.

I do all the steps but when I push it in it will only go barely back up to Eb, tightening the set tiny screw wont even take it to E, and the I screw it in all the way it goes so far in the tuna hits the guitar body and bottoms out, and even well before it hits the body its at such angle its almost impossible to pull out unless you used pliers. It should go up close to E by just pushing it in and then a small fine tune... nup not on my piece of **** D-tuna.

I get it all tuned to D with it out as per the instructions, lock the nut, push it in, it only just gets to Eb, and have to adjust the setscrew and fine tuner like below and it still wont get up to E, and you can see there is no way to even pull it out again.

D-tuna's are DEAD to me.

 

[firejack]

Is your fine tuner for the E string backed out all the way. It's difficult to tell conclusively, but it looks like it's still screwed in close to halfway (or at least level with the other fine tuners). The fine tuner needs to be set just before it unscrews out of the hole. And you can't use it with the D-Tuna in place. Well that's how I remember it when I was using D-Tunas. I hate that it takes away your fine tuning on the E String. I ditched all my D-Tuna's and just set the guitar up in Drop D with the dropped D String fine tuner almost all the way out, but with just enough play to still lower the dropped D String's tuning a tad. Then if I want to go to E Standard, just tune the dropped D string up to E with the fine tuner.

 

[zuel69]

They work really well with German Floyds.

 

[Philhouse]

Is your fine tuner for the E string backed out all the way. It's difficult to tell conclusively, but it looks like it's still screwed in close to halfway (or at least level with the other fine tuners). The fine tuner needs to be set just before it unscrews out of the hole. And you can't use it with the D-Tuna in place. Well that's how I remember it when I was using D-Tunas. I hate that it takes away your fine tuning on the E String. I ditched all my D-Tuna's and just set the guitar up in Drop D with the dropped D String fine tuner almost all the way out, but with just enough play to still lower the dropped D String's tuning a tad. Then if I want to go to E Standard, just tune the dropped D string up to E with the fine tuner.

Yeah, it should be. I backed out all the way before the end of the threads. I also tried the method of screwing the fine tuner back down until it just touches the lock screw as per the manual, still no dice. The fine tuners on this bridge also have a tiny circlip to prevent it coming all the way out totally.

http://www.dtuna.com/setup.php

I get halfway through step 3 and when I push the D-tuna in it only takes the low string pitch barely up to Eb. If I adjust tiny setscrew, or try the bridge fine tuner to get it (almost) to E it ends up in the position above and is unusable. I've tried both the long and short clamp screws. Can't solve it. If it was a straight lip floyd like many of the originals are, I think it would work better. The angle of this bridge rear end just don't work for me, I'm sure many others can get it to work fine on these bridges, I'm just cursed.

I just can't get to work for me so I go back to the standard setup and enjoy playing it. I might try your method with just the fine tuner, does it mess with the balance and tuning of the rest of your strings when you change back and forth?

Cheers for the help.

 

[skullfxr]

Honestly my d-tunas were removed ASAP on my Wolfgangs. Never could get them to function properly without a setback.

 

[guitarnerdswe]

Is your fine tuner for the E string backed out all the way. It's difficult to tell conclusively, but it looks like it's still screwed in close to halfway (or at least level with the other fine tuners). The fine tuner needs to be set just before it unscrews out of the hole. And you can't use it with the D-Tuna in place. Well that's how I remember it when I was using D-Tunas. I hate that it takes away your fine tuning on the E String. I ditched all my D-Tuna's and just set the guitar up in Drop D with the dropped D String fine tuner almost all the way out, but with just enough play to still lower the dropped D String's tuning a tad. Then if I want to go to E Standard, just tune the dropped D string up to E with the fine tuner.

Yeah, it should be. I backed out all the way before the end of the threads. I also tried the method of screwing the fine tuner back down until it just touches the lock screw as per the manual, still no dice. The fine tuners on this bridge also have a tiny circlip to prevent it coming all the way out totally.

http://www.dtuna.com/setup.php

I get halfway through step 3 and when I push the D-tuna in it only takes the low string pitch barely up to Eb. If I adjust tiny setscrew, or try the bridge fine tuner to get it (almost) to E it ends up in the position above and is unusable. I've tried both the long and short clamp screws. Can't solve it. If it was a straight lip floyd like many of the originals are, I think it would work better. The angle of this bridge rear end just don't work for me, I'm sure many others can get it to work fine on these bridges, I'm just cursed.

I just can't get to work for me so I go back to the standard setup and enjoy playing it. I might try your method with just the fine tuner, does it mess with the balance and tuning of the rest of your strings when you change back and forth?

Cheers for the help.

Depending on how old you EBMM is, you either have a Gotoh or their Gotoh knock off on that guitar. Regardless, none of them will work a D-tuna. Different design and geometry compared to a FR.

 

[firejack]

I might try your method with just the fine tuner, does it mess with the balance and tuning of the rest of your strings when you change back and forth?

Cheers for the help.

No worries mate. It doesn't mess with my tuning as I always block my Floyd guitars. Do you have your trem blocked? I've never tried it without the trem blocked, so I can't say how much it will mess with the tuning. But since you'll be tuning a whole tone up, I'm sure it will affect the tuning of the other strings to some extent without the trem blocked.

 

[XSSIVE]

You have to back the fine tuner screw all the way out so that the d-tuna touches the bottom edge of the bridge below the fine tuner and it sits level with the body on the Gotoh and EBMM Floyd versions. In your pics the fine tuner screw is still pushing down on the d-tuna, which it shouldn't be. The d-tuna should be touching the bottom corner of the bridge, not the screw. In some cases the fine tuner screw will bind and won't let you turn it out all the way (they crimp the threads on purpose so the fine tuners can't fall out) if that's the case you need to either grab the fine tuner with a cloth to get more grip or use plastic jaw pliers or pliers wrapped in electrical tape to get a grip on the fine tuner and carefully back it out past that binding point so the d-tuna will be level. If you move the fine tuner in and out a few times, gently, past the point where it sees a lot of friction it will typically clean up the threads so you can move it with your fingers like normal the full range. Then it will set up and work properly. On that style Floyd where the fine tuner area bends back down if the d-tuna can't lay level with the body and touch the bottom of the bridge it won't work.

 

[blackie13]

I cannot get mine to fit/work properly on my EBMM EVH. I've tried everyway I can, and read the instructions even
Just will not work for me, is there some secret to getting it work on all guitars, or is it normal that it doesn't fit certain guitars?, (which I find ironic because its a darn EVH model guitar). I must be doing something wrong.
Anyway, if anyone has the secret I'd love to know.

Cheers.

For sure something ain’t right. I have two on my EBMM EVH guitars and they work perfectly. What is not working for you?

I had another go today and tried to install the D-tuna again..for at least an hour... an hour of frustration and futility and it was lucky I didn't throw it off a bridge.
It will NOT work. Either I got a dud unit or something is seriously wrong elsewhere. I've watched every YouTube clip I can and read all the online help... nup.
I got it from a legit shop on eBay for the standard price, so there should be nothing dodgy about it.

I do all the steps but when I push it in it will only go barely back up to Eb, tightening the set tiny screw wont even take it to E, and the I screw it in all the way it goes so far in the tuna hits the guitar body and bottoms out, and even well before it hits the body its at such angle its almost impossible to pull out unless you used pliers. It should go up close to E by just pushing it in and then a small fine tune... nup not on my piece of **** D-tuna.

I get it all tuned to D with it out as per the instructions, lock the nut, push it in, it only just gets to Eb, and have to adjust the setscrew and fine tuner like below and it still wont get up to E, and you can see there is no way to even pull it out again.

D-tuna's are DEAD to me.

use the big screw...

 

[Riggins1966]

I cannot get mine to fit/work properly on my EBMM EVH. I've tried everyway I can, and read the instructions even
Just will not work for me, is there some secret to getting it work on all guitars, or is it normal that it doesn't fit certain guitars?, (which I find ironic because its a darn EVH model guitar). I must be doing something wrong.
Anyway, if anyone has the secret I'd love to know.

Cheers.

For sure something ain’t right. I have two on my EBMM EVH guitars and they work perfectly. What is not working for you?

I had another go today and tried to install the D-tuna again..for at least an hour... an hour of frustration and futility and it was lucky I didn't throw it off a bridge.
It will NOT work. Either I got a dud unit or something is seriously wrong elsewhere. I've watched every YouTube clip I can and read all the online help... nup.
I got it from a legit shop on eBay for the standard price, so there should be nothing dodgy about it.

I do all the steps but when I push it in it will only go barely back up to Eb, tightening the set tiny screw wont even take it to E, and the I screw it in all the way it goes so far in the tuna hits the guitar body and bottoms out, and even well before it hits the body its at such angle its almost impossible to pull out unless you used pliers. It should go up close to E by just pushing it in and then a small fine tune... nup not on my piece of **** D-tuna.

I get it all tuned to D with it out as per the instructions, lock the nut, push it in, it only just gets to Eb, and have to adjust the setscrew and fine tuner like below and it still wont get up to E, and you can see there is no way to even pull it out again.

D-tuna's are DEAD to me.

I can tell by the pic that there's something not right with how it's installed. Hard to say what without it in front of me, though.

 

[Riggins1966]

I cannot get mine to fit/work properly on my EBMM EVH. I've tried everyway I can, and read the instructions even
Just will not work for me, is there some secret to getting it work on all guitars, or is it normal that it doesn't fit certain guitars?, (which I find ironic because its a darn EVH model guitar). I must be doing something wrong.
Anyway, if anyone has the secret I'd love to know.

Cheers.

For sure something ain’t right. I have two on my EBMM EVH guitars and they work perfectly. What is not working for you?

I had another go today and tried to install the D-tuna again..for at least an hour... an hour of frustration and futility and it was lucky I didn't throw it off a bridge.
It will NOT work. Either I got a dud unit or something is seriously wrong elsewhere. I've watched every YouTube clip I can and read all the online help... nup.
I got it from a legit shop on eBay for the standard price, so there should be nothing dodgy about it.

I do all the steps but when I push it in it will only go barely back up to Eb, tightening the set tiny screw wont even take it to E, and the I screw it in all the way it goes so far in the tuna hits the guitar body and bottoms out, and even well before it hits the body its at such angle its almost impossible to pull out unless you used pliers. It should go up close to E by just pushing it in and then a small fine tune... nup not on my piece of **** D-tuna.

I get it all tuned to D with it out as per the instructions, lock the nut, push it in, it only just gets to Eb, and have to adjust the setscrew and fine tuner like below and it still wont get up to E, and you can see there is no way to even pull it out again.

D-tuna's are DEAD to me.

use the big screw...

That's what I was wondering.

@Philhouse: Did you try both screws that came with it?

 

[Philhouse]

Thanks for the help guys, much appreciated!!

Yes sir, I tried both screws and in the pic its the long one. I had the bridge fine tuner all the backed out until it was almost losing is grip in the bridge thread hole, but I'll see if I can get it further out without it falling out.
The weird angle in the pics is the resulting position it ends up by the time I've had to screw the set screw in to its full limit, at which it still doesn't achieve full E pitch and is a few cents lower than Eb and the set screw into its full range to get it up almost into pitch.
If I just undo that screw and push the d-tuna in it will stay flat to the body as it should, but then the pitch is barely half a step higher at Eb and its not even close to getting me pitching fine tuning set screw range of E.

I'll find the D-tuna from the bottom of the fiery pit of hell I cast it yesterday to give it another try and will take some more pics to demonstrate.

Thanks again!, and I'll be back with "How to Fit a D-TUNA for a Dummy" chapter 2.

 

[blackie13]

Thanks for the help guys, much appreciated!!

Yes sir, I tried both screws and in the pic its the long one. I had the bridge fine tuner all the backed out until it was almost losing is grip in the bridge thread hole, but I'll see if I can get it further out without it falling out.
The weird angle in the pics is the resulting position it ends up by the time I've had to screw the set screw in to its full limit, at which it still doesn't achieve full E pitch and is a few cents lower than Eb and the set screw into its full range to get it up almost into pitch.
If I just undo that screw and push the d-tuna in it will stay flat to the body as it should, but then the pitch is barely half a step higher at Eb and its not even close to getting me pitching fine tuning set screw range of E.

I'll find the D-tuna from the bottom of the fiery pit of hell I cast it yesterday to give it another try and will take some more pics to demonstrate.

Thanks again!, and I'll be back with "How to Fit a D-TUNA for a Dummy" chapter 2.

I have a detuna in a OFR tremolo and works wonders...
I just bought a new Black detuna for my gotoh floyd rose bridge...let's see if I can make it work...

I just got the new Dtuna and I have the same problems with Phil with the gotoh...
The d-tuna does not seem to be able to do the whole move and go up a whole step...
I will take it to my tech but I don't think that it can work...

 

[Guitar G]

Philhouse

I see a couple of things going on with your setup. First -- the fine tuner for the low E is too far in. Bring it all the way up, and then turn it in one turn. That will provide some fine tuning. Second, the "E tuning set screw" is too far in (the allen screw in the barrel of the D-Tuna). I know you have it like this trying to raise the pitch of the E note when the D-Tuna is engaged. All of mine, including one on an EVH EBMM with the Gotoh Floyd like in your post, have this set screw barely pushing on the string lock bolt. They actually stick up a bit on the D-Tuna barrel.

My previous post way above here got into an issue I was having where the E note would be sharp with the D-Tuna engaged to E. I originally wrote FLAT, but since edited the post to read SHARP. Not certain it applies to your situation. Its copied below. Curiously, what brand/guage strings are you using? What tuning? I have found the only issues with the D-Tuna end up being string/tuning related.

(from previous post
If you tune your guitar to E flat, then the traditional .042 low e string will not work. You tune it to Db and then engage the D-Tuna to raise to Eb. However, the Eb is sharp. You have to install a .046 as the low e string to overcome this, or remove part of the D-Tuna itself to get to proper pitch at Eb. I've done both, but now only go with a slightly higher string guage to solve this. If you go the route of removing part of the D-Tuna, you will need to file down the flat part of the D-Tuna that rides against the fine tuner on the floyd. I struggled with this for years and finally talked with Adam at Floyd Upgrades and this is what he told me. BTW, on my guitars tuned to E standard, the D-Tuna works flawlessly with 9-42 strings.

 

[Philhouse]

Thanks for the replies, really appreciate the help again.

This is the package, looks fully legit?

The bridge

This is with the E Fine tuner backed all the way out. The A string is down a bit which kinda looks like the E, but it's not.

Bridge screw removed

Tuna installed on the long screw and fully out and tuned to D, also the set screw is fully out.

Tuna pushed in. It only raises pitch to above D

Tuna set screw all the way in. Angle is quite acute and is almost impossible to get back out until the set screw is backed out fully again.

This is as high as the pitch will go to at the pic above. I can't raise pitch anymore at the set screw is bottomed out and using bridge fine tuner to push it further would just make the Tuna hit the body as per my previous post pics.

Tried both long and short screws, and even tried to install with the original bridge screw just for full fault finding experiments.

Strings are 9-46 Ernie Balls tuned to E standard. Trem is blocked hard against the body and can't raise in pitch.

I reset it all back to normal and tried Firejacks method of just going from D-E by using the fine tuner method and it seems to work fine.

I might have to throw in the towel on the Tuna and accept it wont work on my guitar.

Appreciate the help from you guys!