THREE TO GET READY

Tuning aids for your gigbag

Peterson StroboStomp HD Compact £119

Peterson’s strobe tuners have long been the industry benchmark for absolute accuracy in measuring tuning and intonation.These true-bypass, stompbox sized units are relatively new for a company best known for the large ST-11 pro tuners of the 70s but still boast many advanced features such as over 100 unique‘sweetened tunings’, which compensate for subtle intonation issues inherent in some alternative tunings.

Big Bends Nut Sauce £11.99 (for 0.5cc)

String binding in the nut can be the cause of many tuning issues and one of the best-known specialised lubricants you can buy to alleviate the problem is the jauntily named Big Bends Nut Sauce. It also works on the bridge, pivot points, string guides and handily doesn’t run, meaning it stays where it’s applied and where it will do most good. Big Bends also claims reduced incidence of string breakage on guitars lubed with its‘sauce’.

Gotoh In-Tune compensated saddles £20.20

Not all Tele owners struggle with intonation, but the three-saddle design of its classic bridges has always been a slight compromise in terms of serving the intonation needs of each string properly. Compensated saddles have ridges machined into the brass barrels that correct this issue and still look pretty traditional a few paces away. Gotoh’s brass In-Tune saddles are affordable and well-liked, though more pricey titanium units are also available.