Tuning Issues ( Anybody )

[dro]

Ok so I'm not an English major. Sue me...……………….heres your F#&*%*^% period. With no apostrophe. Does that bother you too?
I just happened to be surfing Youtube the other day. Came across this guy doing 30 minutes on why you can't keep Les Paul's in tune. Just had to vent.
Cheers!

 

[ehb]

I've known players to sell their Lester because of tuning issues...

They were primarily Skrat or Tele players....

10s and technique would have alleviated most of their issues....

 

[six-string]

i probably bought some of my LPs from those guys....LOL.

 

[Mini Forklift Ⓥ]

I thought this was an interesting watch

 

[Mark V Guitars]

Fortunately, I am not among those who are irritated to frustration over a guitar that is not perfectly in tune.

You and I both. Bigger fish to deal with in my microcosm of existence.

 

[CB91710]

I've been playing for 46 years...for whatever that's worth. My LPs don't stay in tune as well as my Tele or my ES135. I've always contributed that to the difference between maple and mahogany. It's worse down here in high humidity than it was in Denver. It's never been an issue for me though...it's a minor thing.

Blessed here in my part of SoCal.
I can (and do) go years without so much as touching the truss rod unless I change string gauges. Some of you poor saps have to adjust 2-4 times a year.
My acoustics can get away without case humidifiers... or dryers. My D'Angelico has nothing, the Taylor has 3 Humidipaks:

 

[Uncle Vinnie]

All in the set-up and making sure there is no slop in the hardware. Fancy string locking/wrapping techniques are totally un-necessary.

What about stop bar height? I've heard all the way down as a rule, but I usually raise mine high enough so that I can slip a piece of paper under both E strings on the backside of the bridge so it doesn't act as a fulcrum.. Wrong?

 

[CB91710]

What about stop bar height? I've heard all the way down as a rule, but I usually raise mine high enough so that I can slip a piece of paper under both E strings on the backside of the bridge so it doesn't act as a fulcrum.. Wrong?

The strings should not contact anything other than the tuners, nut, saddles, and tailstop.
Unless you have a jazz box style trapeze tailpiece, there is not enough string between the saddles and stop bar to have a significant impact on overall tension during normal playing unless you have a saddle with a bur that is really grabbing the string.
The D and G have the greatest length between the nut and tuners and are the most prone to having issues during normal playing if the nut is not cut properly.

All the way down on the stop bar is supposedly best for sustain, but the difference really is minimal, and it should be high enough so the strings clear the bridge frame.. otherwise, consider top-wrapping.

 

[SteveC]

You and I both. Bigger fish to deal with in my microcosm of existence.

I think, after years of playing out, I learned that almost every band is pretty much "in tune". We are not the NY Philharmonic Orchestra, so yea... a cent, or so either way, meh. I'm not obsessing with any niggles in my tuning.

Grossly out fo tune is another matter. But, come on... If it's out, I tune it. But, I'm not makign a fucking science project out of it.

 

[Zungle]

I guess you're all much more awesome than I.........

I've had tuning problems with every Gibson LP or SG I've ever owned......

Some worse than others.....but all have had issues.

Fixes....??

1. Re-tune after each song.

2. Have a new nut cut.

3. And my favorite,....add a locking nut and a TP6...done it twice.

4. Play guitars w/original Floyd Rose....only own 1 right now.

5. Play my SVK Tele......magically stays tuned reasonably well.

 

[SteveC]

.. otherwise, consider top-wrapping.

SHUT YOUR MOUTH!

 

[northernguitarguy]

I do the overlap on wound strings. With the overlap, the string damn sure ain't gonna pull. Little to gain with the loopback tuck....

I like the loopback tuck for plains.... Everybody should have a dental pick set on the guitar bench.

I use the 3M Synthetic 0000 Steel Wool (it's plastic) to buff frets at string change. When I get ready to string, I lay one on the board for slack. Half around, thru, loopback and tuck. Move the pad, hold string taught with fingers, and crank up... That sting is never gonna slip, I think tunes up post stretch quicker. Closest thing to locking tuners for stability in my opinion...

Lot of folks don't like the loopback tuck because it can be a pain in the ass when you change strings....

I use an all metal dental pick to pull the string after loosening. Makes it quick and easy.

To each his own....

Plus with the overlap technique, the string gets sandwiched in between wraps tighter as you wind. It's basically a string locking technique.