glennc Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 Hello, Trying to refute or confirm a GC luthier on a new Epi LP Jr guitar. Will not stay in tune. Everytime you pick it up you have to tune it. Often several times a playing. Lithium greased the nut. Tech/Luthier said the nut was fine and that the guitar just needed to be set up which basically he described as setting the intonation. It does need that. $48.00 plus a set of string and this is supposed to cure the problem. Does this sound feasible? I reaffirmed that it would not stay in tune and he had told me it didn't need a tusq nut previously, and that he would look at the nut. This does not feel right... Glenn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluemans335 Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 If the intonation is off, it stays off and doesn't drift in and out of tune. Most tuning problems are strings binding in the nut slots and too much slack in the strings wrapped around the tuner posts. I think Epi LP Jr's use some pretty cheap tuners though. If it was me, I'd return the guitar and get a set-neck Epi LP of some sort, which come with (much better) Grover tuners and better parts overall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glennc Posted March 13, 2013 Author Share Posted March 13, 2013 If the intonation is off, it stays off and doesn't drift in and out of tune. Most tuning problems are strings binding in the nut slots and too much slack in the strings wrapped around the tuner posts. I think Epi LP Jr's use some pretty cheap tuners though. If it was me, I'd return the guitar and get a set-neck Epi LP of some sort, which come with (much better) Grover tuners and better parts overall. Hello Sir! I am having fun with it and it is a project guitar. Just got $10 more dollars off as they are selling for $99. Already put CTS Pots, GFS Mean 90 and a Sprague Orange cap in it. Sound good..... in tune. If the setup/nutwork fails, well I am considering selling it and getting an Agile Goldtop with p90s. It is a fun guitar though! Thanks for your opinion! Glenn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianh Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 Glenc, I have several bolt-neck Epi Jrs., and they all have had the tuners swapped out for GFS, Klusons, or Grovers. The tuners on the $99 bolt-necks (not the set-neck '57 Reissues) are pressed-metal garbage and should come off first thing. That will solve your tuning problems assuming the strings are not binding at the nut. By the way, with a wraparound bridge, setting the intonation is child's play. Set the high and low E and Bob's your uncle. Setting the action and neck relief is a little more complicated, but not much. Spend the $48 on some new tuners and Dan Erlewine's book. http://www.stewmac.c...CFdFT4AodxTYAOw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glennc Posted March 13, 2013 Author Share Posted March 13, 2013 Glenc, I have several bolt-neck Epi Jrs., and they all have had the tuners swapped out for GFS, Klusons, or Grovers. The tuners on the $99 bolt-necks (not the set-neck '57 Reissues) are pressed-metal garbage and should come off first thing. That will solve your tuning problems assuming the strings are not binding at the nut. By the way, with a wraparound bridge, setting the intonation is child's play. Set the high and low E and Bob's your uncle. Setting the action and neck relief is a little more complicated, but not much. Spend the $48 on some new tuners and Dan Erlewine's book. http://www.stewmac.c...CFdFT4AodxTYAOw Howdy brianh, Thanks for the time and info. I know the tuners are garbage but didn't want to spend the money for grovers. Guitar fetish has what appear to be medium level tuners by PING for like $30. Thanks also for the intonation tips. Will give this guy a chance, as I have been searching for a good tech, fingers crossed for over a year, in my area. If he does good it will be worth it, if not well Bob still won't be my uncle! Cheers Glenn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianh Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 GFS tuners are fine too. I have them on this one, no complaints: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glennc Posted March 13, 2013 Author Share Posted March 13, 2013 GFS tuners are fine too. I have them on this one, no complaints: Wow brianh, that is a real good looking Junior. All I could find was the sunburst and black. I was looking into intonatable bridges previously but have lost the memory, but that would help the intonation and the string spacing from bending. But I think I'd prefer to put the money into a conceivably better guitar. Are the tuners difficult to do yourself without a drill press? Glenn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amx05462 Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 +1 on the advice to get dan erlewines book.. thats the best investment any guitar player can make. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianh Posted March 14, 2013 Share Posted March 14, 2013 Wow brianh, that is a real good looking Junior. All I could find was the sunburst and black. I was looking into intonatable bridges previously but have lost the memory, but that would help the intonation and the string spacing from bending. But I think I'd prefer to put the money into a conceivably better guitar. Are the tuners difficult to do yourself without a drill press? Glenn Glenn, I don't recommend drill presses for enlarging holes on guitars - too likely to splinter the wood. All you need is a $5 tapered hand reamer, like this: http://www.amazon.co...rds=hand+reamer You might also like this thread: LP Jr. makeover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glennc Posted March 14, 2013 Author Share Posted March 14, 2013 Glenn, I don't recommend drill presses for enlarging holes on guitars - too likely to splinter the wood. All you need is a $5 tapered hand reamer, like this: http://www.amazon.co...rds=hand+reamer You might also like this thread: LP Jr. makeover Hey there brianh, that is great news. Used one of those to put the CTS Pots in mine. Will look into that link. Thanks again! Glenn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluemans335 Posted March 14, 2013 Share Posted March 14, 2013 The tuners on the $99 bolt-necks (not the set-neck '57 Reissues) are pressed-metal garbage and should come off first thing. That will solve your tuning problems assuming the strings are not binding at the nut... Spend the $48 on some new tuners and Dan Erlewine's book. +1. Excellent advice. And that LP Special of yours is gorgeous. Is that a limited edition or did you do the upgrades? Did you change the PU? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianh Posted March 14, 2013 Share Posted March 14, 2013 +1. Excellent advice. And that LP Special of yours is gorgeous. Is that a limited edition or did you do the upgrades? Did you change the PU? I don't own any Specials at the moment. Did you mean the red Junior? Here's the thread on that one: http://forum.gibson.com/index.php?/topic/56623-speaking-of-juniors-upgrades-complete/page__p__764945__hl__redhead__fromsearch__1#entry764945 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluemans335 Posted March 14, 2013 Share Posted March 14, 2013 I don't own any Specials at the moment. Did you mean the red Junior? Yeah, I got carried away. I meant Jr. It is nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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