bubbahotep2k3
New member
I have been unable to really enjoy my epiphone les paul standard plus because the dang thing will not stay in tune. If I start doing some string bending on the G or b string, they go out of tune.
First I thought it was my tuners, even though they were grovers. So I replaced them with Planet waves locking tuners:
http://www.planet-waves.com/Ptoolsdetails.aspx?ID=5
But the problem persisted.
Then I read that sometimes the string will get caught ("binds") in the Nut and thus after the bend the string is out of trune. My epiphone les paul came with a cheap plasic nut. So to test this hypothesis I put oil lubrication in each of the 6 string slots of the plastic nut to make them more slippery. And it worked!!!
But I wanted a more permanet solution so I decided to have a pro install a new nut. I chose the "self-lubricating" trem-nut from graph tech because its 5 times more slippery than graphite.
http://www.graphtech.com/product_display.asp?SearchType=brand&brand=Trem-Nut
However, even though I went to a reputable place it seems the guy did not install the new nut correctly: (1) The A string buzz when picked open, which leads me to believe the nut is too low, and (2) it seems he made the D string slot too wide because he filled it in with powder and glue to compensate--thus hampering the trem-nut's self lubricating power.
Now I am really frustrated because the guitar stays in tune better but the A string buzzes all the time--even on the other frets.
I know a great repair guy (unfornately he usually takes 6 months to complete jobs, which I hate) and I have two options:
(1) Have him remove the trem-nut and make me a new nut out of slipstone--even more slippery than trem-nut, or
(2) Have him rip out the nut and retrofit a floyd rose locking nut. Schaller makes one for les pauls, the "R3"
http://www.schaller-guitarparts.de/1224.htm
DO YOU THINK IT IS CRAZY TO PUT A FLOYD ROSE LOCKING NUT ON A LES PAUL TYPE GUITAR? WILL IT KEEP THE STRINGS IN TUNE MORE EFFECTIVELY?
Maybe I am losing my mind--but I just want this dang guitar to stay in tune after I do string bends....
Finally, I figure if I put the locking nut on I will need to change the tailpiece so that it will have fine-tuners (otherwise I will have to keep undoing the locking nut to make small tuning adjustments). So I found this cool tuning tailipiece at stew mac:
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bridges..._tailpieces/Schaller_Fine-tune_Tailpiece.html
Any help as to what I should do is greatly appreciated. I am starting to go crazy... Have any of your ever player or seen a les paul with a locking nut? I imagine some of you les paul owners have strugged with this type of tuning problem too..
Sincerely,
Bubba
First I thought it was my tuners, even though they were grovers. So I replaced them with Planet waves locking tuners:
http://www.planet-waves.com/Ptoolsdetails.aspx?ID=5
But the problem persisted.
Then I read that sometimes the string will get caught ("binds") in the Nut and thus after the bend the string is out of trune. My epiphone les paul came with a cheap plasic nut. So to test this hypothesis I put oil lubrication in each of the 6 string slots of the plastic nut to make them more slippery. And it worked!!!
But I wanted a more permanet solution so I decided to have a pro install a new nut. I chose the "self-lubricating" trem-nut from graph tech because its 5 times more slippery than graphite.
http://www.graphtech.com/product_display.asp?SearchType=brand&brand=Trem-Nut
However, even though I went to a reputable place it seems the guy did not install the new nut correctly: (1) The A string buzz when picked open, which leads me to believe the nut is too low, and (2) it seems he made the D string slot too wide because he filled it in with powder and glue to compensate--thus hampering the trem-nut's self lubricating power.
Now I am really frustrated because the guitar stays in tune better but the A string buzzes all the time--even on the other frets.
I know a great repair guy (unfornately he usually takes 6 months to complete jobs, which I hate) and I have two options:
(1) Have him remove the trem-nut and make me a new nut out of slipstone--even more slippery than trem-nut, or
(2) Have him rip out the nut and retrofit a floyd rose locking nut. Schaller makes one for les pauls, the "R3"
http://www.schaller-guitarparts.de/1224.htm
DO YOU THINK IT IS CRAZY TO PUT A FLOYD ROSE LOCKING NUT ON A LES PAUL TYPE GUITAR? WILL IT KEEP THE STRINGS IN TUNE MORE EFFECTIVELY?
Maybe I am losing my mind--but I just want this dang guitar to stay in tune after I do string bends....
Finally, I figure if I put the locking nut on I will need to change the tailpiece so that it will have fine-tuners (otherwise I will have to keep undoing the locking nut to make small tuning adjustments). So I found this cool tuning tailipiece at stew mac:
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bridges..._tailpieces/Schaller_Fine-tune_Tailpiece.html
Any help as to what I should do is greatly appreciated. I am starting to go crazy... Have any of your ever player or seen a les paul with a locking nut? I imagine some of you les paul owners have strugged with this type of tuning problem too..
Sincerely,
Bubba
