Need Tuning help with locking tuners

[Welder]

I've purchased my first Les Paul, a Standard Traditional Pro, and it has with locking tuners. The difficulty I'm having is, the strings come into tune s-o-o-o-o quickly, they are, in my opinion, quite loose. So much so that when I press a string it is very easy to take it out of tune for the given fret position. Meaning, if I want a G note, if I press it just a little too tight, I can get an A or something higher.

 

The several folks I've spoken too simply say use less pressure on the strings/frets. So, I trying to do that but I'm still making notes I'm not intending (i'm still press just a little too hard)

 

I've not had this issue every with the other two guitars I've owned.

 

I tried to SLOWLY tighten the strings further and just broke two. Suprisingly, not the E or B String!

 

With the locking tuners, I was advised to not wind the strings, just insert, tighten the lock and tune up.

 

My issues sounds pretty silly but I'm flabergasted.

 

Maybe there is a "recommended" string that I should be using.

 

Any and all help appreciated.

[SHO]

Ok, if you find the strings too loose when tuned to pitch you simply need to get heavier gauge strings. That has nothing to do with the locking tuners.

[Welder]

SHO,

 

OK, I'll try a heavier gauge.

 

Anything else?

 

Any particular make or brand?

 

Thanks for the help.

[SHO]

Brand is up to personal taste, really. Basically use what you used for your other guitars, but heavier. The only reason I can think of that would make your strings feel more loose than usual is the fact that the Les Paul, and Gibson guitars in general, use a shorter scale length than Fender and many if not most other guitar brands. That means the string length from nut to bridge is shorter, and there for the same string tuned to the same pitch will be looser than on a "normal" scale guitar.

 

Perhaps that is what you are experiencing?

[Welder]

The heavier gauge seems to be working. I'll know for sure in a few days if the strings do or don't get any stretch. I think you may be on to something with the shorter scale length.

[80LPC]

As SHO points out, if you change from a Fender to a Gibson the strings are under less tension because the Gibson scale is shorter. Another reason for sharpening notes as you fret them could be the height of the Gibson's frets. You need to be extra careful not to press too hard.

 

With lower frets, your skin meets the fretboard sooner, which limits the amount you can press on the string. Of course, if the frets are too low your skin drags on the fretboard during bending which feels unpleasant. I would always favour medium / high frets - you get used to them and the benefits when bending are clear.

[whathappened]

There may be other factors involved with your pitch problem besides just string guage and fret height. The first thing that comes to my mind is to ask if you have had the action set and the guitar intonated. If the action is on the high side, as most guitars seem to be anymore from the factory (regardless of the factory inspection), this will also cause the fretted notes to play a higher pitch than intended. If the intonation has not been set the fretted notes will also produce a different pitch than desired. Hope this may be of some help. You have bought a nice axe, just a shame after spending that kind of money you have to pay someone else to make it playable. Gibson should take note and do a better job from the factory.

[ISirius42]

I know that this is an old post, but I thought I'd reply just in case you are still having your problem. I had a Sheraton II that had what sounds like the same problem. I could not fret an open chord that didn't sound out of whack. I had it "set up" by a shop in another city. That didn't help. I took it to the local shop to see if they could adjust it and the guy there suggested, "Don't squeeze the strings so hard." It was so bad that I considered selling it many times over the last 15 years.

 

I am so glad I didn't.

 

I told my problem to a new guitar playing friend who convince me that I should get all of my guitars "professionally set up" by someone who did more than just set the string height and set the intonation. The "professional set up" he was talking about included fret leveling and dressing, truss rod adjustment, string height, pickup height, and nut slot filing and who know whatever. All of these helped, but I think the nut rework fixed the problem.

 

Short comment, if you haven't done so already, try having the nut reworked by someone who knows what they are doing. You might even consider upgrading the nut material.