Les Paul Tuning Problems

[Tiki love god]

I have a Les Paul Standard that does not seem to stau in tune for long. It had a neck break at some point that has been fixed. I recently had a new nut fitted (by a reputiable luthier) but it just does not seem to stay in tune.
Is it possible that there is some movement in the neck caused by the break? A couple of the tuners also feel pretty slack but not sure if that is anything to do with it. (I have gently tried to flex the headstock to see if the break opens or moved but it does not budge.

Any thoughts greatly apprecated..

 

[NashvilleCat]

Couple of questions...
Did you have the nut replaced because of the problem? What does the luthier say about the problem? Is the intonation stable? I'm no luthier, but it seems to me if there's any neck instabilty that it would show up in intonation.
You're doing all the regular stuff like seating your strings etc when you change them?

Just my personal preference but I would never acquire a guitar that had the neck broken and repaired unless it was dirt cheap, like pennies on the dollar cheap. I don't care how good the luthier is or how good the repair job was.

 

[River]

Please define "for long".

 

[bobarino]

did it stay in tune before the new nut was fitted?

 

[jcsk8]

Lub nut slots and saddle slots. String the guitar correctly around the peghole and this will work. If after that you still have problems them must be someone else.
A good repaired neck will be no problem at all for a guitar.

 

[jcsk8]

Check this:





Since I´ve did this my tuning problems are gone.

 

[Marshall & Moonshine]

Don't listen to these guys....
Just call it an "alternate tuning" and keep right on rocking.
Not everyone's music is truly appreciated until their untimely death.
You don't smoke drugs, do you??

 

[LOSTVENTURE]

It's the nut 99% of the time. The slot angles have to be perfectly sized, inclined and lubricated. Even when the nut is perfect, the problem is going to be at the nut.
This is what you get when the headstock is set at the traditional angle of 17 degrees.

 

[AngryHatter]

 

[Latearrival]

A couple of the tuners also feel pretty slack but not sure if that is anything to do with it.

That could have everything to do with it! It depends how "slack" they are! A loose tuning head can easily unwind slightly, causing tuning problems. As far as I know, there isn't a way to tighten them up (at least not on the Kluson types I have on my Trad)

Having said all that, I agree that the nut is often the cause of tuning problems. Assuming the nut is correctly cut for the guage of strings you are using, a spot of lube at the nut and the saddles may help.

Finally, the LP probably does not represent the ultimate in guitar tuning stability! It seems to be more affected by changes in temperature and humidity that most other guitars I own. But once "acclimitised" to the environment you are playing in, it should stay in tune for the duration of a gig, for example...

 

[chrisuk]

1. fit strings properly
2. lube the nut and saddles
3. only ever tune up to pitch

even the sloppiest of tuners don't actually unwind it just makes it harder to hit the note.

 

[River]

But once "acclimitised" to the environment you are playing in, it should stay in tune for the duration of a gig, for example...

I wouldn't expect that out of any of my guitars, not the way I flail away on them.

My question still stands, as I've seen these threads go for pages, only to find out that "for long" means it won't stay in tune for a week.

 

[chrisuk]

River is right - I've never a seen a pro with a guitar that stays in tune for a whole gig. More like a couple of numbers - three or four at the most.

I expect to tune the guitar every time I pick it up.

 

[RichBrew]

I pick up any of my guitars at home, tune it, and play. Once body heat gets into it I retune after 15 minutes or so as is slightly out. A gig situation needs constant retuning.

RichBrew

 

[Latearrival]

River is right - I've never a seen a pro with a guitar that stays in tune for a whole gig. More like a couple of numbers - three or four at the most.

I expect to tune the guitar every time I pick it up.

My Heavy Metal Strats (my bread and butter Guitar for 20 years!) Have the most amazing tuning stability! once in tune, they stay in tune. I have even left one in a case for 3 weeks, opened it and found the Guitar to be bang-on in tune! none of my other guitars can match this! - least of all the LP!

DSC_9834 by lightspeed3, on Flickr

 

[lespaul89]

My Heavy Metal Strats (my bread and butter Guitar for 20 years!) Have the most amazing tuning stability! once in tune, they stay in tune. I have even left one in a case for 3 weeks, opened it and found the Guitar to be bang-on in tune! none of my other guitars can match this! - least of all the LP!

DSC_9834 by lightspeed3, on Flickr

the floyd rose is surely a major factor in that, my sambora signature strat is the same

 

[jwlespaul]

Go to YouTube and search "Bill Baker". The video is called something like "proper way to restring....." and follow his instructions. Your tuning will be ROCK SOLID! He used to tech for ace frehley. Ever since I started using his method I've had no problems with tuning.

 

[Bountyhunter]

Like, River, I'm wondering how long is long? My buddy tunes his damn guitar every song. I tune once and then play for an hour or more and and don't touch the tuners, unless I hear that it out of tune, which it usually never is. Of course you always have the guy who buys a guitar, tunes it, then doesn't tune it again until the strings rust completely off and he changes them.

 

[Latearrival]

the floyd rose is surely a major factor in that, my sambora signature strat is the same

I'm sure that is the case...No friction points = super stability!

 

[jwlespaul]

Go to YouTube and search "Bill Baker". The video is called something like "proper way to restring....." and follow his instructions. Your tuning will be ROCK SOLID! He used to tech for ace frehley. Ever since I started using his method I've had no problems with tuning.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tg6A832N24k&feature=related[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYvmfYVaBvk&feature=related[/ame]

Appropriate guitar!