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G-400: Is Anyone Else Having This Problem???


ally_rose56

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Last month I bought an Epiphone G-400 Silverburst and it's great except that I'm having real trouble keeping it in tune. It seems to go out after playing only one song and I haven't been playing very hard either. I'm just using the strings it came with. Are the strings the problem or is it something bigger? Is this a typical problem with the G-400s or do just have a defective instrument? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you.

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No, that is not typical of the G400. I have an '06, and it stays in tune better than most of my other guitars.

Is your's new, or did you buy it used?

Have you set the intonation?

And I would definately change the strings. Just because I like to use Erni Ball Regular Slinkys on mine. And you don't know how long those have been on there, or who has used them.

If the strings are fairly new, than that could be the problem. New strings take a while to stretch out. So you may be in tune to start. But a few minutes later the strings will stretch and you won't be in tune.

Is a string, or strings, getting pinched in the nut. This could also be the problem.

There are a lot of reasons why the guitar could be going out of tune. But it's probably not the guitar itself.

Have you set the guitar up yourself. If not, take it to someone to get a "setup" done on it. That might do the trick.

Anway, you have a fine guitar. Hope I have helped somewhat.

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Ditto on the setup, take it to a qualified tech with a good reputation... (ask around - somebody knows "the guy"), Have a set-up done including intonation, neck relief, have him to install the new strings and check the nut and saddles for binding problems. If the action seems high to you: get this addressed while you're at it. I do this with any new-to-me decent guitar I plan to have around for a while. Without have a good baseline from which to start, it is much more difficult to realize when something is amiss. You will probably notice a problem with the G string as an ongoing occurance but this is considered normal due to the job it performs, really the G in most string sets is a compromise to work for many playing styles and is prone to be the squeeky wheel. You'll adapt quickly and just accept it, but sometimes it drives us all a bit nuts and some folks mistakenly think there is something wrong when in fact it's just the way thangs is. Good luck with your new G-400, they're pretty much all I own and while they have their own little differences it's rare to find one that can't be made into a workable instrument.

 

Wedgie

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Probably just string stretch. Bend them all up a couple of notes several times and re-tune. They should be stretched in after that. New guitars almost always need new strings. They sit on the rack and begin to rust and go dead over time. I usually ask for a free set of strings when I buy a guitar from a dealer. They are always glad to sell the guitar and a set of strings costs them 2 or 3 bucks and makes the customer feel like they got something for free. Ask your dealer for a new set.

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I own a G-400 and the 1st thing I did when I got it was to change the strings and to do a setup. Once I did that, I had no tuning problems whatsoever! I've had mine for almost 3 months now, it's slowly becoming my favorite guitar, even surpassing my beloved Fender Strat.

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Last month I bought an Epiphone G-400 Silverburst and it's great except that I'm having real trouble keeping it in tune. It seems to go out after playing only one song and I haven't been playing very hard either. I'm just using the strings it came with. Are the strings the problem or is it something bigger? Is this a typical problem with the G-400s or do just have a defective instrument? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you.

 

Not to insult you, but the first thing everyone overlooks is tuning technique. So before you spend extra money on having a professional tech setup your guitar, (which of course never hurts) consider this:

 

always tune a string by increasing tension never decreasing tension. Start with a "flat" pitch and increase the string tension until you are in tune. If you go past the proper pitch (sharp) decrease the tension until the pitch is flat and do it again. The machine heads on tuners are mechanical gears and gears have backlash (slop). The gears will not hold unless the backlash is removed.

 

Also bear in mind SG's are extremely flexible guitars. They are very easy to flex out of tune while you are playing them. What I am implying is that you may be exerting excessive pressure against the body with your right forearm and bending your guitar around your torso and stretching the strings out of tune.

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I too always put new strings on a new guitar,I have a G400 Custom Les Paul and never had tuning problems (D'Addario 8-38).When putting on new strings I stretch them manually as I tune,I just pinch the string between my thumb and forefinger and pull it away from the fretboard,do this a few times on each string and you should be good to go.String binding in the nut could be the culprit as mentioned before that can be remedied by using graphite or one of the "Nut Sauce" lubes available.Also too many winds around the string post can be a real problem,2 or 3 winds at the most is plenty.

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+ what everyone here said about strings. I bet that's AT LEAST half the problem. Epiphone doesn't exactly use quality strings when they ship guitars...I think they just put something on to keep tension on the neck. When I got my Les Paul, after playing about 5 minutes on the stock strings, decided they sucked, and put some good strings on, same with both Gibsons I had...the stock strings were garbage. Neither of the three guitars needed a setup, apart from a string change.

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I was going to say that it's probably the way you string and tune your guitar, rather than the guitar itself, but it seems I've been beaten to it. You shouldn't have any issues with the stock Grover tuners on the G400. They are, in my opinion, some of the best non locking tuners you can get, smooth operation, and hold tune excellently.

 

And I will echo the sentiments that stock strings are rubbish. Get some decent ones on there. I reccommend you try some DR Pure Blues on your G400. Not sure what gauge you like, but the G400 comes with 10-46 as stock I believe, so that's a good starting point, and personally my favourite gauge. The DRs are fantastic, stay in tune forever, and when you first fit them, you don't need to stretch them. Just wind them on, tune to pitch, and maybe re-tune after playing for a while. They bend easy, offer increased sustain, and are just generally brilliant.

 

You may not necessarily need to have your guitar set up by a pro, but having had this done to my G400 recently, it certainly helps. If the neck is straight then it's fairly easy to set the action, and the intonation is something you can do yourself as well. Of course I am assuming you're fairly apt with a screwdriver, and know what all these things are.

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One thing that has not been mentioned yet is string winds on the tuning post.

Don't put too many wraps on the post, and make sure you end up near the bottom of the post.

This keeps a good angle over the nut.

Too many winds also have a habit of unwinding and de-tuning the string.

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Hi Gord:I mentioned the string winds as a problem a few posts back in this topic.

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You're correct Bonzoboy' date=' my apologies.[/b']

I've never owned a guitar that would not stay in tune. I always use

locking tuners to avoid the string wrap issue.

If we look at the guitar as a whole, the only way a string can become untuned is:

 

a. A string stretches and becomes flat. Common with new strings, but once stretched out this should

be no problem.

 

b. The string unwinds on the post. This can be caused by string bending, or a tremolo, or

having too many wraps.

 

c. the string binds on either the nut, or very uncommonly, the bridge. Once bent, or otherwise

detuned, the string will not return because of the binding.

 

d. A bad string. Usually it will go flat all the time. On a guitar with a tremolo one bad string

can cause all the strings to go out. Luckily bad strings are also very uncommon.

 

e. If you put too much pressure on the guitar, bending the neck against the body, this will

also cause detuning. If any of the above conditions exist you may have a problem.

 

f. Very, very seldom will a tuner turn backward by itself. You can increase the tension

on a tuner by tightening the screw that hold the tuning peg on. Be careful,

you can overtighten them. Conversely you can also free up a seemingly seized tuner by loosening

the screw.

Hopefully this info helps.

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Gord - Article F: can you specify which screw you are refering to? the one on the adjustment knob, the locational one off of the tuner body on the back of the headstock, or the nut itself on the tuning peg shaft - (face of headstock)? does this adjustment work with any tuner or just those of a locking type?

 

Article B: unwinds on post ... too many wraps. What's tooo many?

 

just curious,

 

 

Wedgie

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I believe Gord is referring to the tuner that holds the button to the shaft, that is, the thing you turn to tune your guitar. They have a screw that you can tighten, which prevents them from slipping, and makes them more difficult to turn. You can do this on any tuner, not just locking ones. Though, of course, sone tuners don't have a screw holding the button on, such as Kluson tuners with the plastic buttons, they are glued onto the shaft I believe. I also ensure the nut holding the tuner in its hole is firm, unless of course it has a press in bushing, and the anchor screw in the back too.

 

I personally wrap two or three times for the bass strings E, A, D, and three to five times for the treble strings G, B, E. I'm not sure there is too many, but if the wraps aren't tight, neat, and even, then they overlap each other and can slip. I don't have any problems with that number of wraps or my stringing technique. I haven't tuned my Casino for a good couple of weeks, and it gets played every day. Tuned it today, and it was barely out at all. Strat is a different story as it has a trem. I have the tuner button screws done up a bit more firmly on that, and don't have any issues.

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Gord - Article F: can you specify which screw you are refering to? the one on the adjustment knob' date=' the locational one off of the tuner body on the back of the headstock, or the nut itself on the tuning peg shaft - (face of headstock)? does this adjustment work with any tuner or just those of a locking type?

 

Article B: unwinds on post ... too many wraps. What's tooo many?

 

just curious,

 

 

Wedgie[/quote']

 

 

The screw on the end of the button. The one that looks as though it's only purpose is

to hold the button on the end of the shaft that you turn to tune. Almost all newer tuners

have this feature. If you look closely at the tuner on your guitar you will most likely see

a small plastic washer near the tuner body. This is what you are tightening against when you turn the screw

thus setting tension.

And Swoop is correct. Some tuners have glued/melted on plastic knobs with no screw.

 

The number of winds you should use depends on what kind of headstock and tuners you use.

Fender style headstock = headstock on the same plane as the fingerboard.

Gibson style headstock = angled back headstock

 

Fender style: 2-3 wraps starting at the string hole and working downwards toward the base of the post,

not enough that you begin to come back up.

This helps give a good angle over the nut for the E, A, + maybe the D, + G strings.

If the headstock has 1 or 2 string trees, you may use only 2 wraps on those strings.

 

Gibson style: no more than 3 wraps are needed. The recommended method is 1-3 wraps.

 

This is directly out of a book by Dan Erliwine called "Make Your Electric Guitar Play great".

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Yeah' date=' I had a feeling it would just be the strings but I just wanted a second opinion to make sure everything was as it should be since I only had a limited time to return it if something was wrong.

 

Thank you all.[/quote']

 

Welcome to the forum! If you still need with it, shoot me an email...

 

www.avampshop.com

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I was going to say that it's probably the way you string and tune your guitar' date=' rather than the guitar itself, but it seems I've been beaten to it. You shouldn't have any issues with the stock Grover tuners on the G400. They are, in my opinion, some of the best non locking tuners you can get, smooth operation, and hold tune excellently.

 

And I will echo the sentiments that stock strings are rubbish. Get some decent ones on there. [b']I reccommend you try some DR Pure Blues on your G400.[/b] Not sure what gauge you like, but the G400 comes with 10-46 as stock I believe, so that's a good starting point, and personally my favourite gauge. The DRs are fantastic, stay in tune forever, and when you first fit them, you don't need to stretch them. Just wind them on, tune to pitch, and maybe re-tune after playing for a while. They bend easy, offer increased sustain, and are just generally brilliant.

 

You may not necessarily need to have your guitar set up by a pro, but having had this done to my G400 recently, it certainly helps. If the neck is straight then it's fairly easy to set the action, and the intonation is something you can do yourself as well. Of course I am assuming you're fairly apt with a screwdriver, and know what all these things are.

 

Ok, got a set of DRs and I'm already noticing a significant difference. Putting the two side by side I could see that the old strings were pretty dull and worn looking. Thanks to everyone for all the help!

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Great stuff. They really are an excellent string, the most stable I've ever used. Pretty sure I said already, but they require no stretching, just put 'em on, tune 'em up, play for a bit, re tune, and other than a normal tune up every now and then, you won't have to keep tuning and tuning, they're very stable and last a long time. I use D'Addario Half Rounds on my Strat and Casino, because they give it that nice twang, but they're definitely not as long lasting, stable, or easy to tune as the DRs. The D'Addario round wounds are even worse. Go DRs!

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