Morgan1980 Posted July 2 Share Posted July 2 (edited) Played guitar since 1978. Own multiple Gibsons including a USA Casino, figured ES-335, ES-335 studio, SG Special, Les Paul and an Epiphone DG-335. But I do not have the guitar I want and I think Gibson is missing a big opportunity. I rarely play them except the Casino and the DG-335. The SG is my fav but it won't stay in tune*. Why? It is designed not to stay in tune. BUT also designed to have excellent tone. I want both and a new take on what having a Gibson means. My request is for Gibson to make a line of guitars which feature Les Paul, SG and ES-335 bodies with Gibson Vegas or non reverse Firebird headstocks, available with 50s or 60s necks and with PAFs or P90s. I look at the Mod Shop daily, sometimes more than once a day, hoping to see a guitar with something more than a somewhat interesting paint job. And PLEASE do not make the requested line of guitars a limited run. I would like to see a new line of guitars with less emphasis on vintage styling or weird paint and stingers or goofy colors and more on solid but innovative design. The Lizzy Explorer is getting close. If that were any other Gibson body style besides an Explorer or Flying V I would own one. My dream would be a Les Paul and an SG with a satin finish and a Vegas or non reverse Firebird headstock in a cool but not crazy color. Thanks for listening. *I know there are ways to mitigate the tuning issues on Gibsons. I know. Tried them all with mixed success. Edited July 2 by Morgan1980 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted July 2 Share Posted July 2 I have found that most tuning issues have to do with the nut, and not stretching out the strings. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan1980 Posted July 2 Author Share Posted July 2 Nut material, nut cut angle, nut cut depth, bridge stability, bridge cuts, tuners, but the fact that the open book headstocks are by design anti-tuning stability is my issue. Been through all the others. And not just tuning issues, its about design and the mod shop. If this was Ford, it would mean they are still making Model Ts, but with really cool paint jobs. Remember, this is the company that came up with the G-Force tuning system fiasco. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobalu Posted July 2 Share Posted July 2 You should move over to Fender if you want tuning stability! 😆 I have a Trini Lopez that is dead on tuning all the time. They were on to something there.... My other Gibsons (including an SG) are fine, after having some minor nut slot and saddle filing and shaping. No complaints. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted July 2 Share Posted July 2 1 hour ago, bobalu said: You should move over to Fender if you want tuning stability! 😆 HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...... My '77 Tele has been in tune twice in the past 47 years, both times by accident. 1 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinch Posted July 2 Share Posted July 2 I've never had tuning issues with a Gibson. Proper string stretching (YouTube it) when you change strings, and you'll be fine. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eracer_Team Posted July 3 Share Posted July 3 typically the nut slot isn't wide enough (not deep, Wide) never had tuning issues with my Les Paul 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanHenry Posted July 3 Share Posted July 3 I also have never had tuning problems with Gibsons, in fact, I've recently arrived home from three weeks away and was surprised to find my Gibsons, all the ones that I've played still in tune. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted July 3 Share Posted July 3 15 hours ago, ksdaddy said: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...... My '77 Tele has been in tune twice in the past 47 years, both times by accident. My Hofner Guitars make my three Fenders tuning stability king of stability.... lol. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan1980 Posted July 3 Author Share Posted July 3 I have 4 Warmoth partscaster. Two of them are my main guitars since my SG is bleh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted July 3 Share Posted July 3 (edited) Jimi Hendrix didn’t need to be in tune. And Gibson didn’t make that awful tuning system. I think a German company did, they just used it on their guitars. Edited July 3 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted July 4 Share Posted July 4 I originally came here to ask about strings (ok then G) binding in the nut. But tuning issues? None so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
10PoundLester Posted July 11 Share Posted July 11 Not one of my guitars has tuning issues. Gibsons, Fenders, G&L, Gretsch, Martin - none. I must be lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted July 12 Share Posted July 12 "Tuning issues" are always in the eye of the beholder. rct 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub-T-123 Posted July 13 Share Posted July 13 The guy has been playing guitar for 46 years and hasn’t figured out how to tune properly. If this guy is for real, he’s a lost cause Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieDog Posted July 13 Share Posted July 13 I just picked up a Gibson I haven’t played for about three-four months. Just had to tweak the low E and B up a whisker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted July 13 Share Posted July 13 2 hours ago, Dub-T-123 said: The guy has been playing guitar for 46 years and hasn’t figured out how to tune properly. If this guy is for real, he’s a lost cause They make headstock and pedal tuners now so . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gdecantoo Posted July 14 Share Posted July 14 When I leave a few out on hangers they always go out of tune after a while. All strings equally. Climate change is real!😝 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsongs Posted July 15 Share Posted July 15 I don’t know a definite answer. I have about 20 Gibsons & Epiphone’s. The majority are USA & are higher end. All were carefully selected. All have been well Set up by the same Luthier. All are well cared for. They are different ages, some bought new & some were used but that doesn’t seem to make a difference. Some of them hold tune extremely well. Some better than others. All stay very close & some stay right on. A little adjustment if needed & all is well. All are a pleasure to own & play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheepdog1969 Posted July 30 Share Posted July 30 I also thought my '87 SG Special had tuning stability issues. The guitar was intonated, the strings were stretched, every screw was tightened to spec., and my Luthier confirmed the nut was not the issue. I even made sure to "lube" the nut and other contact points to make sure nothing was binding Yet, when playing certain chords, it sounded slightly out. For a long while, I avoided playing it. Guess what? The "tuning issue" had nothing to do with the guitar. It did have everything to do with how I was fretting it. Due to some arthritis issues, and my sausage fingers, I was applying to much pressure to certain strings when fretting certain chords. I was also not consistent with where I was placing my fingers behind the frets. These fretting failures were producing uneven string pressure across the fretboard, causing some fretted strings to go sharp, while others remained in tune. I began to notice some strings were actually bending a bit from my poor fretting technique combined with applying to much pressure. I especially noticed this with new/unfamiliar complex chord fingering/fretting where my anxiety relating to getting the chord "right", translated into "white knuckled" finger pressure, improper/inconsistent finger alignment per string regarding perpendicular down pressure, and inconsistent fretting location behind the fret, per each fretted string in a chord. Now, when I play, if I hear these "tuning issues", I immediately focus on my technique and apply less pressure to the strings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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