My guitar keeps going out of tune!! - Guitars101

delpreston47 · 07-31-2006, 11:06 PM

My les paul keeps going out of tune all the sudden! I havent changed the strings in forever... could that be it? I'll tune them all and then play one song and they'll go out of tune... and this just started happening. What do you think?

Cheers

JeffHanneman · 08-01-2006, 12:23 AM

If you say you haven't changed them in forever well...lol.

If you play at least an hour a day I'd change them AT LEAST every month.

**T.A.Z** · 08-01-2006, 01:32 AM

Yeah change your strings dude! You need to change them at the very least every month, but ideally i've heard you should change them every two weeks! But then we're not all Steve Vai and Satriani!

**VHF** · 08-01-2006, 04:43 AM

Les Pauls usually stay in tune like a rock. If those old strings are stretching out that bad one would break. I would change the strings first, but you may have another problem, such as loose tuners.

El_jalepeno · 08-01-2006, 04:48 AM

Be sure to wash your hands with soap everytime you pick up your guitar so you minimize the gunk from your pasty paws

If the strings are getitng dark or dull sounding, it's time to change them, but like VHF said, check the tuners are not loose as well.

Rythameen · 08-01-2006, 06:46 AM

They're right, look at how grungy the strings are and replace them, if that doesn't fix it, look to the tuners.

marcus_29_66 · 08-01-2006, 09:08 AM

Just change the strings ....

delpreston47 · 08-01-2006, 10:37 AM

Thanks, I hate changing strings because i always have a hard time stringing my guitar. I want to install those new tuners that compress on the string after you turn them once so i wont have to worry about properly stringing the guitar. Thanks again guys

TRox · 08-01-2006, 09:22 PM

Get used to it. I have 5 axes and change the strings frequently on my most played guitars. If I'm gigging every two weeks.

**T.A.Z** · 08-02-2006, 01:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by delpreston47

Thanks, I hate changing strings because i always have a hard time stringing my guitar. I want to install those new tuners that compress on the string after you turn them once so i wont have to worry about properly stringing the guitar. Thanks again guys

You've got it easy!! I have 4 guitars, and everyone of them has a Floyd fitted apart from my acoustic. Les Pauls are a walk in the park to change the strings!

haakon · 08-02-2006, 05:08 AM

Old strings don't strech..

Since you don't "like" changing strings, i'm guessing that you probably did a bad job when putting them on.. Most likely they're slipping on the tuners as mentioned earlier here.. Read a tut. on "stringing". Not that hard, especially on a Lester.. good luck!

El_jalepeno · 08-02-2006, 05:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by haakon

Old strings don't strech..

Since you don't "like" changing strings, i'm guessing that you probably did a bad job when putting them on.. Most likely they're slipping on the tuners as mentioned earlier here.. Read a tut. on "stringing". Not that hard, especially on a Lester.. good luck!

What strings do you use? Most of us have used Fenders, Ernie Balls, D'Addario and currently I use DR,and they all stretch and lose their brilliance over time.

**eamon7** · 08-02-2006, 05:58 AM

heres a little trick i learned from a guitar tech. when you wrap the string on the machine head have the first wrap go above the hole where you stick the string through and the rest go below it. it helps clamp the string end tighter and reduces slippage. yea les pauls take less than 10 minutes to change strings on so change them often. your tuning problems can also be from dirty strings screwing up your intonation. does the tuning get worse as you go up the neck? change the strings you cheap bastard.lol

haakon · 08-02-2006, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by El_jalepeno

What strings do you use? Most of us have used Fenders, Ernie Balls, D'Addario and currently I use DR,and they all stretch and lose their brilliance over time.

Old strings don't stretch like he's describing. He's playing one song and the guitar goes out of tune..

PowerBastard · 08-02-2006, 02:22 PM

first, check your ears...

I used to kind of just twist 'em around and hope for the best, but there is a quick and easy technique that assures a good solid hold every time.

http://www.fretnotguitarrepair.com/stringing.htm
http://www.guitarlessonworld.com/les...ategory=Lesson
http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/colum...ng_guitar.html