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Massive issues with keeping DF in tune.


EvilElfBoy

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I've read the manual to a T. Done all the usual suspects and i can't get this guitar to stay in tune. I will play it for 5 minutes and then have to retune it again. Is anyone else experiencing this? I am contemplating sending it out to Gibson so they can take a look at it. I've seated and pulled the strings properly. This just has me in a loop. I have stayed with the factory strings the .10 gauge set. I am having no luck. Any info would be appreciated.

 

Best,

 

-Evil

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I've read the manual to a T. Done all the usual suspects...

 

You may have checked these with "all the usual suspects", but how about checking:

- your strumming is too 'aggressive'.

- your strings ends seating properly in the end-stop.

- your strings wound properly on the peg heads with no slack or overlaps.

- your stings binding at the nut or bridge saddles - nut sauce will loosen up that kind of binding.

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Do you know how to "lock" your strings around the peg head when you string your guitar. Old trick a lot of guitar players wont share. Put the end of the string thru the peg head hole, wrap it counter-clockwise around the peg head, bring it under the string where you just went thru the peg head and pull it up and over that string. Now when you wind your string the first wrap around the peg "locks" or presses down on the loose end which has gone under the first wrap. The pressure of this " locking" will greatly reduce tuning issues as the string will not slip back thru the peg head. I tune my bass about 1 time a year, and my guitar a 1/8th of a turn every week or two. ( this works for your G-B-E side of the headstock, E-A-D thru the peg head wrap clockwise.)

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BigKahune gives good advice. Especially, if you thrash your guitar to hell, it won't stay in tune for long (none will, and I'm not suggesting you're doing this). The rest of his advice is good also; check it out. But, let's look beyond this...

 

phzabriskie is correct for most guitars, but the DF has locking tuners. If you use this technique with DF, or any guitar with lockers, it will probably go out of tune as well. When stringing your DF, you need to tension the string with a straight *tight* pull and then lock the tuner with a *firm* clockwise twist of the tuner lock knob, then tune. If done properly, you will end up with less than a full twist on your tuner. My guess is that your tuner locks loosened during shipping or whatever. Solution: slack your strings, line up your tuner holes with the neck (pointing toward the bridge), pull the strings taught (very), lock the tuners, then let DF bring your strings up to pitch. I'll bet you'll have no more problems!

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BigKahune gives good advice. Especially, if you thrash your guitar to hell, it won't stay in tune for long (none will, and I'm *not* suggesting you're doing this). The rest of his advice is good also; check it out. But, let's look beyond this...

 

phzabriskie is correct for most guitars (I do the same for many of mine), but the DF has locking tuners. If you use this technique with DF, or any guitar with lockers, it will probably go out of tune quickly. When stringing your DF, you need to tension the string with a straight *tight* pull and then lock the tuner with a *firm* (fingers only) clockwise twist of the tuner lock knob, then tune. If done properly, you will end up with less than a full twist on your tuner. My guess is that your tuner locks loosened during shipping or whatever. Solution: slack your strings, line up your tuner holes with the neck (pointing toward the bridge), pull the strings taught (very), lock the tuners, then let DF bring your strings up to pitch. I'll bet you'll have no more problems!

 

EDIT: You may need to install new strings, since it's possible the cores of the old ones slipped through the windings. Awww hell...try 'em first.

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Thanks for all the advice. :- I am using the locking tuners, pulling the strings finger tight and then locking them down. I work them in making sure everything is seated proper, and properly stretched. I do the double lock trick on my other guitars, and those are fine, but I know we aren't supposed to do that with the DF. I don't have to play aggressive at all for it to slip out. I can just run scales and play chords, sitting down and playing, nothing hard. This is all with just standard tuning. It's really weird.

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Hmmm...it sounds like you're doing everything right. At this point, the only thing I can suggest is to start with new strings, perhaps a different brand. It's possible the cores of the old strings slipped through the windings; if so, it'll never stay in tune.

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Hmmm...it sounds like you're doing everything right. At this point' date=' the only thing I can suggest is to start with new strings, perhaps a different brand. It's possible the cores of the old strings slipped through the windings; if so, it'll never stay in tune.[/quote']

 

What he says. I found the stock strings to be pretty bad.

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This is my second set on them' date=' they are d'addarios. I will take recommendations on a .10 set if anyone has been having good experiences with them. :-#[/quote']

 

I use D'Addarios .010 - .046, alternate between tunings to break them in some and after a day or two they shouldn't slip at all, ever so often my G string stays red when tuning the guitar and requires a couple extra strums to get in tune while all the other strings go green and in tune when switching to other tunings immediately. Over all they have lasted quite a while as I tend to jump between different tunings a lot, the G string issue aside they work great.

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In our reference section, Elantric says:

Strings

I recommend the superior Fender Super Bullets (10-46, 3250R, Regular) -

for their superior ultra stable Bullet ends. Unlike normal Ball end strings, the

Bullets stay in tune better and are polished" and do not "stick" in the nut like

normal round wound strings. While working with Larry Carlton at Valley Arts

we tried every brand of strings in exhaustive testing and the Super Bullets

were the the clear winners due to every aspect of their design.

http://www.zzounds.com/item--DAVF3250R

 

My personal preference is Elixir Nanoweb .010-.046, #12052. They sound great, are smooth to play on, and last a long time. I have yet to try the Super Bullets.

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I will try the super bullets and see if it improves. I also had the "g" string problem as well. seems like you would have to strum that particular string to get it in tune for a bit, but then it vanished. Very odd.

 

I'll post back to how the super bullets fair. :D

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4 hour gigs. Constantly going from open E to D to open G and standard. Typical stretching and relaxing of strings. A second, 'touchup' tune seems to work, ---done immediately after the first, ---seems to be a good idea. The strings always adjust.

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  • 2 weeks later...
I've read the manual to a T. Done all the usual suspects and i can't get this guitar to stay in tune. I will play it for 5 minutes and then have to retune it again. Is anyone else experiencing this? I am contemplating sending it out to Gibson so they can take a look at it. I've seated and pulled the strings properly. This just has me in a loop. I have stayed with the factory strings the .10 gauge set. I am having no luck. Any info would be appreciated.

 

Best' date='

 

-Evil[/quote']

 

did you end up fixing your issue?

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