LS75 Advice on Tuning Stablity?

guitar_man · Jul 20, 2004

Hi guys,

I've got a little problem with my LS75 and tuning. I use 11-52 gauge strings and once tuned up my guitars fine and will stay in tune pretty good. Until I start bending strings above the 12th fret where they start to knock themselves out of tune quite badly.

it's mostly the high E and B string with the occasional G going out of tune.
I'm pretty sure that the bridge end of things is okay but I'm unsure if the nut is the problem. You see the strings are quite a tight fit in the nut because of how thick they are and i'm not sure if they are catching or sticking.

My guitar has vintage Kluson type tuners, could these be the problem?

Slash uses those tuners and he bends like mad and I dont suppose he would put up with tuning problems? Anyway any help on resolving this from someone who has had similar problems would be great. Cheers Steve

Paladin2019 · Jul 20, 2004

I'd bet a month's wages it's the nut. People jump to the tuners way too often - 95% of the time it's the nut or their restringing technique that's at fault. In your case the high guage strings are probably binding in the nut slots as they're too small to take the strings.

You could get a pencil and penknife and scrape some graphite powder into the slots to lubricate them, but this is a temporary fix. Your best bet is to get the cheap and nasty plastic nut prefessionally replaced with bone or Tusq. About ?25 when I had it done last.

Tatter75 · Jul 20, 2004

Had the same problem myself, the nut slots were just cut too tight, take it to your local guitar shop and they should be able to sort it out. Also try getting a tin of vaseline lip balm and putting some in the nut slots to lubricate it. I've had no problems since.

Hope this is of some help

guitar_man · Jul 20, 2004

Cheers man, I thought it was probably the nut and I have been thinking that if i needed to replace it bone or tusq would be a good choice.

Thanks again, Steve

Steve250SWB · Jul 20, 2004

I thought it was probably the nut and I have been thinking that if i needed to replace it bone or tusq would be a good choice.

If you are going to replace it you may as well try opening up the slots first just to check. Nothing to loose and all that. They nuts generally come slotted for 9's or 10's as a standard gauge. Sharp fold a piece of 1200 grit wet'n'dry paper and run it a couple of times in the slots for the first three strings, rub sideways rather than down. Have a string handy to test the fit with. It should be tightish, but not binding. If it works you don't need to replace the nut, if it doesn't you are going to a techie anyway.

Paladin2019 · Jul 20, 2004

Steve250SWB said:
If it works you don't need to replace the nut, if it doesn't you are going to a techie anyway.

Might be a good experience to try it. But plastic is such a horrible nut material anyway, so I'd replace it no matter what. The only 'essential' upgrade on a Love Rock IMO.

Novosel · Jul 20, 2004

To my surprise, the factory nut on my '84 LS60 is bone. Make sure you check this out before you pay for a new one.

OakleyVisor · Jul 28, 2004

Just food for thought....

I found my 2003 Love Rock had similiar problems - would go out of tune after heavy playing after about an hour or so.

Took it back to the shop where I bought it and explained the problem. The tech adjusted the truss rod, and then the proceded to stretch the slack out of the strings. He said the key is to be aggressive when stretching the strings. Lo and Hehold once he tuned it up it stayed in tune.

I am sure that you probably did that already, but it might help someone who is having similiar problems. I was prepared to buy locking Sperzels but the tech said it likely wasnt necessary!

luis · Jul 28, 2004

I had a similar trouble with my '01 LS-70.There was a buzz coming from the bridge when I played 3 and 4 strings.I took it to my luthier and told me the tune-o-matic was not correctly placed,so he drill a new holes and placed it correctly.Problem solved.Could it be caused by a wrong CNC machine programing maybe?

LS75 Advice on Tuning Stablity?

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