Guitar setup

    I have owned many different guitars over the years. From cheap $300 to $3000+. ESP, ESP Ltd and Schecter guitars were very stable and did not need to be setup often. This was more of when I was a 7 string metal guitarist.


    Now I'm getting older and appreciating hard rock and 6 strings a lot more. I find myself constantly needing to adjust my Les Paul. Is it that the lower gain I am becoming more aware of how a guitar should sound? Or is it Gibson's constantly need to be setup? The G string drives me absolutely insane with tuning. Adjusting the truss rod and the next day it's completely different.


    Everyone seems to know a lot more than me here and I am humble enough to admit it. How are you guys setting up your guitars and how often? Is there a trick to truss rod adjustments?

    I've had several LPs since 1976 and at present have an first generation LP Axcess hardtail (2008). I do all my own setups and touch wood don't have any trouble with my current LP.


    If you think about the reason a string would go out of tune, it is because it's stretched causing it to go flat or when we do a bend it doesn't go back to it's original position causing it to stay sharp.


    If you've done some good pre-stretching when changing the string you can minimise a potential cause of the first issue, of course you may bend the G string more than any other depending on your playing style and preference.


    Also having too many windings on the tuning peg meaning the string continues to move (slacken) during playing. You should also ensure the strings can't move on the pegs my "trapping" the end of the string on the peg. There are loads of videos on youtube showing how this should be done.
    you may find this video helpful https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvTFtHLOQvk sorry if you already know this stuff.


    The second issue is usually caused by the string binding at the nut or catching around the bridge area, minimised by a good lubricant.
    Some people also wrap their strings on the tailpiece to reduce the break angle over the bridge. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CrCCiLQN64


    I'm not sure how adjusting the truss rod would improve or worsen a string going out of tune unless the neck is moving somehow maybe changing in humidity could cause this.


    I suggest the first thing to identify is wether the string is going sharp or flat.






    Hope this helps point you in the right direction.


    P.

    Edited 3 times, last by P3t3rB ().

    Like 1

    I have many Les Paul's , they are notorious for needing the nut widened on the g-string.


    I keep all my guitars humidity controlled, but with seasonal changes you might need to adjust the truss rod slightly (at least until the guitar settles in, which can take a few years on a new instrument).


    Try some pencil lead on the nut slots to lubricate and see if that helps.

    Out of tune while playing or after setting overnight? My Standard stays in tune well while playing but always seems to be flat a bit the next day. More so during the winter than summer months if that makes sense. And yes I need to fix the nut at the G string someday.

    Take it to your local guitar tech and ask for a setup and for them to let you know if there are any real underlying issues. After that, baby it for a bit (temp control, keep it tuned, etc.)

    I Dont know. I have a PRS Tremonti and have not had to tune a single string in literally weeks; which I find amazing because that was never the case with any of my other guitars, not even close. I have had Jacksons, Ibanez, and taylors. They all required daily tuning. My PRS holds it together like a champ though. This has also helped me ears a lot too.

    Quote from Elido Jimenez

    I Dont know. I have a PRS Tremonti and have not had to tune a single string in literally weeks; which I find amazing because that was never the case with any of my other guitars, not even close. I have had Jacksons, Ibanez, and taylors. They all required daily tuning. My PRS holds it together like a champ though. This has also helped me ears a lot too.

    I have four Fender Strats, a Tele, an LP, a Duesenberg Starplayer and a Musicman Axis Supersport, non of which have any tuning issues. Immediately after changing strings they will go a little flat overnight for a couple of days. The Strat Deluxe that has a roller nut is set up for serious whammy bar work with only two springs and stays in tune just fine.


    Of course they occasionally need tuning but not to the extent it's an issue.


    I wouldn't get rid of a guitar if it had tuning problems I'd enjoy the challenge of sorting it out. But I understand people may not want to take that approach.


    Taking the guitar to a good guitar tech is good advice.


    P.

    Agreed. Can't go wrong with taking it to a reputable tech.

    my LP never gets out of tune when resting on its stay in room but always gets out of tune when sleeping in its hard case. winter times are worse, and G string is worse than worse.


    didn't know about the nut trick. how'd you do that?
    what about new lockers e.g. schallers?

    If you have a "nut problem", which can be identifiied by when you bend a string, you sometimes hear a little ring/Ping at the nut, heres a little trick that works great:


    Use a pencil to get Carbon in every slot of your nut.
    (The more modern pencils with a very thin Carbon rod inside work best, easier to get it in)


    Carbon is a great lubcricant and polish substance...solved it for me every time.

    Quote from schreckmusic

    The G string drives me absolutely insane with tuning. Adjusting the truss rod and the next day it's completely different.

    The G-string is a culprit on many models. Also intonation-wise.


    In my second band there was a guitar player with an all american Les Paul Gold Top (or something). The most expensive thingie I ever faced at that time. My former american Fender strat looked really cheapo compared to that one. But: he had strings breaking on each and every rehersal. And that beast never stayed in tune. Week for week he slowly became the sadest guy I knew. And he finally traded it to a collector. This guitar meant to hang on a living room wall. Sad but true. Guess what: I never owned any Gibson. Not just, I know. But true. So no more experience with that brand.


    My current range from $300 to $3000 is generally stable, though. From quite stable to extremly stable in the order of cost. For me: I got what I paid for. Take the nut-tips serious. The nut width *must* fit your particular string gauge. I fine-tuned each and every model I own. And the carbon dust lubrication trick does really work in case everything else seems to be correct.


    On the other hand: if I move a guitar from my living room downstairs into the window-less, air-conditioned rehearsal room I will get problems for the very first hour or so. Different temperature and humidity, I guess. I got one Gretsch steel body acoustic resonator with wooden neck. Thats the exception. It stays in tune over a very wide range of temp and humidity. So I assume its in fact mostly the wooden body and less the neck (which is counter-intuitive to me, but who cares).

    Ne travaillez jamais.

    The advantage of locking tuners is there are no windings on the tuner to stretch (or come loose with whammy bar use).


    They won't fix a sticky nut of problems in the bridge area.


    Having said that I really like them and have them on all of my strats, and my Axis supersport, but not on my LP as I have no issues there and it doesn't have a whammy bar.


    P.

    Quote from schreckmusic

    @drog a few years???? Seriously?
    What brand model?

    I have Gibson, Fender , Martin and Ibanez guitars, solid body, semi-hollow, hollow, acoustic, covering prices from $1000 -$10,000. They all need to season/acclimate/dry out , especially where I live that has extremes in weather and humidity. I find new guitars these days have wood that is not as seasoned, seem to move around more than what I recall thirty years ago. I keep all my instruments humidity controlled to avoid these issues, it helps with tuning stability. You won't have to adjust your truss rod as much;if any ,once the guitar settles to a constant state (45-50% humidity).
    I have had hundreds of guitars over the years and have found it takes a few years for instruments to really settle in. Acoustics can take a little longer.


    Just my .02