Sgt. Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 Feb. 12/2013 My 2011 Studio LP doesn't want to stay in tune, mostly in hot or cold climbs. I saw a picture of Carl Perkins with the Gibson ES and it had like an 'I <3 Boobies' band above the nut on the headstock. Got to wondering what it was, I'll never know. But it triggered an idea that I want to just toss around. Weaving a leather shoe lace through the strings right above the nut would give them a bit more 'grab' and maybe stay in tune. I don't know as far as weaving the string through, what strings to lower and which to raise, for example, lifting the g string or depressing the g string? What do you think about that? I've been reading threads on tuning stability issues with the les paul guitar, not just the studio model. It's nothing to do with the 'tulip' kluson tuners if they are new they shouldn't be too loose. some attribute it to the corian nut being cut perpendicular and a 'properly' cut nut would do the guitar justice. I know basically the guitar goes out of tune with temperature changes, but any vigerous workout will pull the strings out. I can't be tuning every five minutes. I even have to catch myself, having restrung guitars over twenty or so years now to 'lock' the string properly at the tuning post (or the string could slip!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmikatt Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 guitar players use this mostly for studio work, they use like a ponytail holder, or the like, and keep it wrapped around the headstock just above the nut, and when they record, they pull it just over the nut onto the 1st fret, this is to keep strings from ringing that are not being played when they solo, this trick has been used for many years. also this is used to keep unwanted sting noise from above the nut. i stretch the hell out of my strings for a 1/2 hour before they stay in tune. could be the holes for the tuners are too big, not a snug fit.? too many wraps of the string on the post.? i find 3 works best big temp changes in the room can make a difference until the temp stabilizes. just 3 weeks ago i added new grovers to my guitar 18:1, no more tuning issues for me. old ones were just worn out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeRom Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 It could be the typical gibson tuning problem where the strings bind in the nut (never owned a gibson that didn't do this). Instead of more grab they need more 'loose' to move in the nut slot. You could try some nut sauce or what I use is pencil graphite rubbed liberally in each slot. Stretching the hell out of new strings is good advice too - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Posted February 13, 2013 Author Share Posted February 13, 2013 It could be the typical gibson tuning problem where the strings bind in the nut (never owned a gibson that didn't do this). Instead of more grab they need more 'loose' to move in the nut slot. You could try some nut sauce or what I use is pencil graphite rubbed liberally in each slot. Stretching the hell out of new strings is good advice too - yes i use nut sauce (and have used pencil graphite and vaseline but not on the gibson). yes i stretch strings a bit after changing. bugs me to hell when i stretch a string and it breaks on a new set!!!! grrrrrrrrrrrr even cheaper machine heads have screws that can tighten ... more agreeable than the kluson tulip tuners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Posted February 13, 2013 Author Share Posted February 13, 2013 guitar players use this mostly for studio work, they use like a ponytail holder, or the like, and keep it wrapped around the headstock just above the nut, and when they record, they pull it just over the nut onto the 1st fret, this is to keep stings from ringing that are not being played when they solo, this trick has been used for many years. also this is used to keep unwanted sting noise from above the nut. i stretch the hell out of my strings for a 1/2 hour before they stay in tune. could be the holes for the tuners are too big, not a snug fit.? too many wraps of the string on the post.? i find 3 works best big temp changes in the room can make a difference until the temp stabilizes. just 3 weeks ago i added new grovers to my guitar 18:1, no more tuning issues for me. old ones were just worn out. that's interesting! thanks for the insight. the shoe lace above the nut trick doesn't have anything to do with tuning stability? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmikatt Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 Nah, things wrapped around the strings do nothing to the tuning. tuning problems are, tuners, nut, loose bridge, or string stretch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjsinla Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 I used Vaseline on the nut for years on my Fenders and recently tried it on my Gibsons. It definitely helps with the G string and keeps it in tune. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Posted February 14, 2013 Author Share Posted February 14, 2013 Nah, things wrapped around the strings do nothing to the tuning. tuning problems are, tuners, nut, loose bridge, or string stretch. okay. why are we still suffering tuning instability GIBSON! Min-E tune! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eracer_Team Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 buy yourself a nut file and widen the slot a bit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badbluesplayer Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 Stretching is the most important thing. Stretch 'em until they wont stretch any more. And don't "Lock" the strings by wrapping them over themselves. Strings don't slip on modern tuners. Overwrapping just puts more slack in the strings around the post. Just my 0.02. I haven't had a string break, bind or slip for many years now - over the course of hundreds of sets of strings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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