How to help les Paul stay in tune

[Audioholic]

Really its just the G String that is the Major Culprit. Will have to get some nut sauce, always sounds a tad dirty saying that.

 

[Gainfreak]

I'm learning real quick that when it comes to LP's you need to pay attention to the Nut and how you string it and I can also tell you from experience that some LP's just hold tune better then others. If you are lucky enough to get one, hold on to it lol

Mine took some work to get it right but my Friend Adam has 2 LP Customs that you can beat the shit out of and they hold tune perfectly.

Mine, not so much.

I can also tell you that a pencil works just as good as the Nut sauce. Id save your money but that's just my 0.02

The video posted is pretty spot on to how I set my strings now and it DEFINITELY makes all the difference IMHO

 

[Audioholic]

i was having the same, then tried a new stringing method from youtube and it holds tune a million times better

very cool. I want that winding tool he has!!!!

 

[Helldunkel]

What have you done to your les Paul to help it hold time better? Love my guitar but it def doesn't hold tune as well as others. In particulairly the g string. Better tuners? If so what works well?

Yep, bring it to a qualified guitar tech (not just a friend that you know about and who fiddles arround with guitars, I am talking here about a professional, somebody with a qualification and experience), have him check the instrument and see what he has to say, pretty sure that the nut slot(s) is/are not cut very well and accurate and this is possibly what is causing your issues...

 

[Audioholic]

What have you done to your les Paul to help it hold time better? Love my guitar but it def doesn't hold tune as well as others. In particulairly the g string. Better tuners? If so what works well?

Yep, bring it to a qualified guitar tech (not just a friend that you know about and who fiddles arround with guitars, I am talking here about a professional, somebody with a qualification and experience), have him check the instrument and see what he has to say, pretty sure that the nut slot(s) is/are not cut very well and accurate and this is possibly what is causing your issues...

Oh that is usually the first thing I do. When I lived in Florida I knew a GREAT place that did the best setup I have ever played. Somewhat new to this area, and took it to a guy based on recomendations, and even told him about the issue, and well I don't think he fixed it, for more money then what I paid for in Florida. ugh.

 

[MARIU5]

Second the heavier strings suggestion, it works. Guys who can play a whole set with a Les Paul in tune are Jedis in my book.

 

[BYTOR]

Oh that is usually the first thing I do. When I lived in Florida I knew a GREAT place that did the best setup I have ever played. Somewhat new to this area, and took it to a guy based on recomendations, and even told him about the issue, and well I don't think he fixed it, for more money then what I paid for in Florida. ugh.

What place in Florida did you take your guitars??

 

[moltenmetalburn]

Unless your tuners are absolute crap, locking tuners shouldn't really make any difference. Locking tuners can help prevent improper stringing methods, though. That's why a lot of people think they improve stability.

In my professional experience as a touring guitar tech I can attest that locking tuners do increase tuning stability. No wind on the post means no wind to slip or move, they work.

Even when tying strings in a "knot" they can shift and slip secondary to the windings on the post.

 

[Code001]

I did this test awhile back with three of my own personal guitars. On those guitars, I noticed zero difference between non-locking tuners vs locking ones with tune-o-matic style bridges. Instead, the problem was due to the nut binding. Cleaning the sluts up a touch and lubing them with big bends cured all problems that I experienced. I actually do local repairs for friends around here for free. Every time they complain about tuning stability issues, it was either due to A) the nut or B) improper string winding technique. There was one time where I noticed it was an actual tuner issue, but that was on a cheap Squier with a ridiculously loose post. I think the part was jacked from the factory. I've yet to come across a guitar experiencing tuning stability issues that can be directly cured by locking tuners, assuming the guitar has quality tuners to begin with. I find Hipshots to be the best, followed by Gotoh. The HAPs are pretty amazing. If you've experienced it, and locking tuners fixed your issue, then great. I've just never seen a need for them when it comes to curing tuning issues. Instead, I prefer them for faster string changes. That's where the magic of locking tuners comes into play, IMO.

 

[Audioholic]

Oh that is usually the first thing I do. When I lived in Florida I knew a GREAT place that did the best setup I have ever played. Somewhat new to this area, and took it to a guy based on recomendations, and even told him about the issue, and well I don't think he fixed it, for more money then what I paid for in Florida. ugh.

What place in Florida did you take your guitars??

lyrical lumber in Winter Park. not sure if its still there or if the owner is the same guy, but he did a phenominal setup job for all of my guitars. played like butter, took the time to really address each guitar. this was a few years ago. slightly older fella

 

[moltenmetalburn]

I did this test awhile back with three of my own personal guitars. On those guitars, I noticed zero difference between non-locking tuners vs locking ones with tune-o-matic style bridges. Instead, the problem was due to the nut binding. Cleaning the sluts up a touch and lubing them with big bends cured all problems that I experienced. I actually do local repairs for friends around here for free. Every time they complain about tuning stability issues, it was either due to A) the nut or B) improper string winding technique. There was one time where I noticed it was an actual tuner issue, but that was on a cheap Squier with a ridiculously loose post. I think the part was jacked from the factory. I've yet to come across a guitar experiencing tuning stability issues that can be directly cured by locking tuners, assuming the guitar has quality tuners to begin with. I find Hipshots to be the best, followed by Gotoh. The HAPs are pretty amazing. If you've experienced it, and locking tuners fixed your issue, then great. I've just never seen a need for them when it comes to curing tuning issues. Instead, I prefer them for faster string changes. That's where the magic of locking tuners comes into play, IMO.

Agreed, locking tuners wont fix other problems with the instrument.

I have personally experienced it over the last decade on the road. The guitars displaying NO other problems that have locking tuners stay in tune better, in my experience.

actually just now remembering that my american standard stratocaster would never stay in tune, EVER. Through refrets, levels, different string gauges over the last 20 years, it never stayed in tune until i put sperzels on it. Didnt do any real testing, maybe the tuners were faulty or something but man the sperzels changed that guitar forever, now its in tune for weeks instead of seconds.

as always YMMV.

 

[Chris6870]

Really its just the G String that is the Major Culprit. Will have to get some nut sauce, always sounds a tad dirty saying that.

Chapstick works.

 

[Badronald]

I had a real nice Les Paul Custom and an SG Standard and they stayed in tune as well as my Stratocasters.

Not sure why, but they were solid.