#881570 - 08/29/00 12:42 AM
staying in tune...
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greg@alchemywebdesign.com
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Registered: 08/28/00
Posts: 2
Loc: ,CT,UNITED STATES
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I've recently purchased an Epiphone dot (an admittedly cheap guitar) and have been having lots of problems with staying in tune (I hit hard) and string breakage (.010 E). Can anyone reccomend a good set of replacement tuning keys (that will retrofit) and a good, retrofittable replacement bridge? Any other thoughts?
Thanks,
Greg Garcia
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#881571 - 09/04/00 01:37 AM
Re: staying in tune...
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screamin@stratos.net
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Registered: 09/03/00
Posts: 5
Loc: Strongsville,OH,UNITED STATES
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Greg,
As far as the tuners go, if you have those vintage "Kluson-style" machines, I had those on my Gibson Flying V. I replaced them with a set of Ping tuners with Gibson-style keys...the Pings only cost about $25 and they work 100 times better. They're not direct retrofits but I don't know if there is a direct retrofit for that style of tuner. I recommend you also check the Stewart-McDonald catalog. You can find them on the Web at http://www.stewmac.com or something like that. They have a plethora of guitar parts - no guitarist should be without their catalog!
Hope this helps at least a little...
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#881572 - 09/04/00 08:35 PM
Re: staying in tune...
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greg@alchemywebdesign.com
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Registered: 08/28/00
Posts: 2
Loc: ,CT,UNITED STATES
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Thanks for the reply! I ended up buying Grover tuners and they've produced excellent results under gig conditions. I still have a string breaking problem that I attribute to My Epi Dot's bridge (the stock "tune-O-matic" style)...any suggestions there?
Thanks,
Greg G.
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#881573 - 09/04/00 10:42 PM
Re: staying in tune...
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Pro Jules
MP Hall of Fame Member
Registered: 03/11/00
Posts: 2729
Loc: A yank living in London, UK si...
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I had a string breaking problem which in parallel with an amphetamine problem, led to me breaking 4 strings at once at a gig! Anyway... I digress, your bridge saddle & the groove the string sits in must have too sharp an edge on it, a guitar repair center could round it off for you and cure it...
Do you by any chance play with a totaly thick, unbendable pick? whacking the strings (especialy the low ones) hard with that type of pick can make the guitar go wildly out of tune on each 'hit' as the string goes sharp due to the extreme impact then settles down a second later to the correct pitch....
Other tuning nightmares are people that grip chords like a gorilla, I mean HARD. That also stretches the strings sharper than intended....
The light grey Jim Dunlop picks are ideal.
Have the guitar shop set up the intonation for you, but remember to suply the type of strings you will use, then never change gauges, as your axe will be custom set up for your favorite brand and gauge.
good luck
Jules
[This message has been edited by Julian standen (edited 09-04-2000).]
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#881574 - 09/19/00 03:08 PM
Re: staying in tune...
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maxpanic@hotmail.com
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Registered: 09/18/00
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Loc: ,OH,UNITED STATES
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I've got 3 Epi's, they all break (broke) strings. Graph tech makes replacement saddles for most Epi's made out of a teflon composite. A guitar tech can round off the stock saddles but in time they will start doing the same thing. Or, you can take a piece of 320 grit sand paper and "dress" them yourself. Good luck
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#881575 - 09/20/00 02:36 PM
Re: staying in tune...
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alanschmitz@hotmail.com_dup1
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Registered: 09/06/00
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Loc: La Mesa,CA,UNITED STATES
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Nobody mentioned this so I will... always make certain that your last adjustment on a string is to tighten it. This is particularly true with old or loose tuners. I'm not sure how well I can describe the physics but here goes:
When you tighten the string, you take up all the "slack" in the gears. When you loosen them, you get them started in the direction they want to go "naturally."
Prestretching is also important. After all the strings are approximately at the right tension, gently pull each string a few inches in front of the bridge while moving a finger up and down the fret board. This changes the point of greatest stress on the string to evenly stretch them. Keep stretching and tuning until the guitar stays in tune through a round of stretching.
Good luck,
Jeff
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