jonberry Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Hi all, I've just got my first Gibson, a LP Traditional Pro II, and have had it professionally set up. Intonation, tone etc are all as they should be, and it plays like a dream. The only issue is that the tuning is unstable, even after playing it in for a few weeks. Is this usual? Can anyone suggest a fix? Many thanks for any advice you can give. Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Is it your first guitar? What does unstable mean? rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonberry Posted January 6, 2014 Author Share Posted January 6, 2014 No, not my first guitar. Have played Strats and Teles for about thirty years but fancied a LP. By unstable, I mean that it doesn't stay in tune very long - the B and top E go slightly sharp while the G drops a little. This happens after just a few minutes of playing and is very slight, but enough to make a difference over the course of a gig. My Fenders seem to hold their tuning for longer. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 I believe that thing has decent machines on it, so I'd say the nut is the culprit. rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deeman Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Get some graphite and grease up that nut!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 +1 for the nut. Unwound strings are binding in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazarusvt84 Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Hi all, I've just got my first Gibson, a LP Traditional Pro II, and have had it professionally set up. Intonation, tone etc are all as they should be, and it plays like a dream. The only issue is that the tuning is unstable, even after playing it in for a few weeks. Is this usual? Can anyone suggest a fix? Many thanks for any advice you can give. Jon I always change strings whenever I get a new guitar...old/cheap strings are hard to keep in tune. Nut Sauce helps too with binding at the nut. I always suspect the simple things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonberry Posted January 7, 2014 Author Share Posted January 7, 2014 Thanks all - really useful replies. The answer seems to be in the nut, as suggested. Much appreciated. Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in MD Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 Hey - it sounds like you identified the nut as the issue. I highly, HIGHLY recommend having a bone nut installed. those plastic jobs from Gibson are brutal. They're not cut right, and they snag too much, dont bother messing with them. Should be around 80-100 for a bone nut install and you'll never look back. Everybody is always amazed at how mine stay in tune compared to theirs. Juat my .02 Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deeman Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 I wouldn't say the stock nuts are brutal but there is a definite breaking in period as documented by many threads on this very forum. I hear bone nuts are very nice but you should do just fine with the stock nut once properly lubricated and broken in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonberry Posted January 9, 2014 Author Share Posted January 9, 2014 Spent a bit of time on the nut with some Nut Sauce last night, and all seems to be well. I'm reluctant to change the nut and will give the original some time to bed in before thinking about replacing it; once again, many thanks for the advice. cheers Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badbluesplayer Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Yeah - the nuts that Gibson uses are great, IMO. Sometimes some of the slots might need to be opened up a hair. You might take it back to the guy who set it up and tell him about it so he can finish getting the thing tweaked just right. He deserves to have the chance to get it right. It's a process and it might take a couple of times to get everything right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in MD Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 If you have locking Grovers give the string a few wraps instead of just pulling it tight and clamping it. This solved my issues with those machine heads on both my Les Pauls. A couple wraps before putting it through? Hmmm. I might try that, the tuner on my low E is acting funky, it doesn't want to grip it. Wrapping it may not solve that, but i like to think of options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitarzan13 Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Hey - it sounds like you identified the nut as the issue. I highly, HIGHLY recommend having a bone nut installed. those plastic jobs from Gibson are brutal. They're not cut right, and they snag too much, dont bother messing with them. Should be around 80-100 for a bone nut install and you'll never look back. Everybody is always amazed at how mine stay in tune compared to theirs. Juat my .02 Chris Wow 80-100 for a nut!!!! That should be more in the 40-50 range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 I can't seem to get along, with Corian nuts, myself. I've changed ALL my Gibson's to Bone nuts! I've never regretted it. In fact, my dealer now does that change, as soon as I write the check, for any new Gibson I've purchased, as well. But, to each his/her own. CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 I prefer Bamboo nuts, brings out my inner Customs dodger. rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender 4 Life Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 I prefer Bamboo nuts, brings out my inner Customs dodger. rct but I bet they ITCH like crazy if you.....oh......nevermind..... on new guitars I clean up the top & bottom edges of each slot & bevel them ever so slightly w/Swiss needle files....then a dab (using a toothpick) of Teflon Grease (American Scientific Products) in each slot under new strings.....it's an uber-rare occasion that I hear, "ping"....or have any tuning issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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