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JeffS65
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Joined: 10/07/08
Posts: 1,602
JeffS65
Registered User
Joined: 10/07/08
Posts: 1,602
03/19/2018 6:55 pm
Originally Posted by: mruniverce

I just bought a new Les paul standard pro epiphone guitar ...It sounds amazing and I love it. But I can't keep the G string in tune. I took the guitar back to the store and told the guy I wanted to exchange it with the same model. tried 3 different guitars of the same model and they all kept going out of tune. looked it up on the internet and come to find out the gibsons/lespauls are notorous for having tuning problems. what can I do to fix this problem, without having to buy a (string Butler) and yes they exist google it.

Got a Les Paul (Gibson) a handful of months ago and the G was a bit vexxing for me too. I've been playing for decades and my first guitar was a Les Paul with Grover Kidney-style tuners. Never had an issue with my old Les Paul. But when I got my first/old Les Paul, it had been played a lot. So it didn't have a funky little issues.

My new Les Paul? G has been a bit of a pain. I'm not going to say that Les Paul's can't be a pain but the issue is generally overstated. My first/old Les Paul nearly never went out of tune. A couple of thoughts though;

1) I have locking tuners and I'm not sure I dig them. Something about almost no wrap around the string feels unstable for me. I might be wrong but something about that is not overly groovy for me.

2) Stretch the strings out. Gotta learn how much stretching you can do on a string but when new strings are put in a guitar, they are not at their most stable state. They will stretch naturally and will create tuning instability until their at their 'final' stretch'. Just learn to pull up on your strings to help them along to that. This does mean that you'll pull>stretch>tune>pull>stretch>tune>pull>stretch>tune>pull>stretch>tune. That is; until you finally get the string to the final stretch. This goes for any guitar and strings. Even more in a Floyd Rose guitar. So, just learn to work with new strings.

Also, there are other factors in getting your guitar to its most stable tuning. A good setup by a pro. Make sure that the nut is smooth and the bridge saddles are smooth. That your intonation is good and all that stuff.

If your having issues with multiple guitars, its not the model. Otherwise pros would not use them. And lets face it, the Les Paul is kind of a biggie. It's getting it set up right and learning how to work with it overall.