Strings wont stay in tune.

[MapleLeaf97]

Help!

Heres the situation:
About a week ago, I put in a new SD pickup. In my total stupidness, I accidentally put in the Tune-O-Matic bridge (or at least the piece between the stopbar and the pickup) on backwards. (the screws were toward the stopbar)

When I noticed, what I did was loosen the strings, put them off to the side, and flip the bridge back around. After I had put the strings back, I couldn't even play 2 notes before any of the strings would drop out of tune by a half step or more.

At first, I thought it would have been the strings, but they were new as of 2 days before (when I had changed the pickup).

Please help, this is really pissing me off.

[jomo]

Had you already cut the strings before you loosened them up to flip the bridge? Sounds like the same exact thing I have done before. I bet your strings are slipping on the tuners. I hate to tell you but if that's the case it's easier to just put new ones on. I just called it a $10 lesson. Good luck.

[Splattle101]

You've probably done this, but just in case: get the instrument in tune. Then grab each string at the 12th fret, and gently - but firmly - pull up to stretch it. Go from low to high E and back. Re-tune. Repeat. Re-tune. Repeat.

If it's not stable at the end of this process, you may need new strings.

cheers,
Splat

[Joeydego]

Originally Posted by jomo

I just called it a $10 lesson.

10 bucks for strings Jomo? Where do you live, Vietnam lol!! Often overlooked is how to properly string a Lester, and most people wrongly blame the guitar after it wont stay in tune. Also, I cant rave enough about the graphite on the nut. A must do to stop any pinging.

[MapleLeaf97]

Originally Posted by jomo

Had you already cut the strings before you loosened them up to flip the bridge? Sounds like the same exact thing I have done before. I bet your strings are slipping on the tuners. I hate to tell you but if that's the case it's easier to just put new ones on. I just called it a $10 lesson. Good luck.

Well, its not like i cut it down to the tuner head.
Ive always left maybe an inch on the ends of every string.

[jomo]

I don't mean that you cut them too short, but once you cut them, it's very hard to rewind a short string.
Joey, they were Elixers. I think I'm over the Elixer craze though. I'm currently trying out different strings.

[MapleLeaf97]

Originally Posted by Splattle101

You've probably done this, but just in case: get the instrument in tune. Then grab each string at the 12th fret, and gently - but firmly - pull up to stretch it. Go from low to high E and back. Re-tune. Repeat. Re-tune. Repeat.

If it's not stable at the end of this process, you may need new strings.

cheers,
Splat

Ive been doing that this morning. Seems to be helping
Thanks!

[Joeydego]

Originally Posted by jomo

Joey, they were Elixers. I think I'm over the Elixer craze though. I'm currently trying out different strings.

I put Elixers once on an acoustic, and they took all the sparkle out of the guitar for twice the money. Its a shame they market them as lasting twice as long. I wanted them on the guitar for half the time!

[Joeydego]

Also, wound strings must make at least 1 complete wrap around the post, and unwound at least 3.

[kevinT]

It may just be the guitar.

I have had a total of 3 guitars out of about 50 in my lifetime that wouldn't stay in tune no matter what i did. I tried every trick in the book to keep them in tune....drove me freakin' crazy...

and guess what?....I sold all 3.

1.The first one was an 82 Fender Strat

2.The second one was a Jackson Randy Rhoad I (USA) with a Kahler tremelo (which was the problem in the first place)

3. and the 3rd one was a Hamer double cutaway (can't think of the model) with p90s (import)

You may just need to get another guitar

[monroe]

I think when you loosened them enough to remove the bridge and flip it 'round, it allowed the part of the string that is wound around the tuning peg to go slack. If the stretching doesn't cure your problem, you might want to try loosening one string at a time and rewind it while keeping tension on it so the wrap on the tuner is tight and even.