Members Grant Harding Posted June 4, 2017 Members Share Posted June 4, 2017 Pearl of wisdom that many here already know: If you tuned your guitar but after a bit of playing the tuning gets sour DON'T reach for the tuning machines automatically! Even with a well cut nut and lube the down force is so great with 12's or 13's that binding is almost inevitable. So reach your fretting hand index finger behind the nut and gently give all 6 strings a gentle push down. I do a lot of bending in some songs, so I do this a few times per song for those. If you've got new strings stretching or problems with the guitar that's one thing, but my best results have been when I assume (correctly) that the tuning problem isn't the tuning machine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Delmont Posted June 4, 2017 Members Share Posted June 4, 2017 That's a great tip - Heloise-worthy! Glad I clicked on this thread. There are also nut lubricants that help. And Graph Tech nuts. But giving the strings a squeeze at the headstock? Brilliant! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Emory Posted June 5, 2017 Members Share Posted June 5, 2017 and then go to auto parts store and get some powdered graphite to slip into slots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted June 5, 2017 Author Members Share Posted June 5, 2017 Yeah - I've used several types of nut lube and they all make a big difference. I've yet to find a perfect solution for my playing style on acoustic though. When I bend the wound G a whole step it usually doesn't come all the way back immediately and I have to give it a bit of a push behind the nut. Obviously this isn't a very relevant thread for open chord strumming or traditional finger picking, but even on electric if I notice the tuning out I always check that before retuning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FretFiend. Posted June 5, 2017 Members Share Posted June 5, 2017 "...reach your fretting hand index finger behind the nut and gently give all 6 strings a gentle push down." Also useful while you are tuning. If the string goes sour after you do this, it would have likely gone sour after you played a little anyway. And it proves you have some nut friction problems you need to address. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted June 5, 2017 Author Members Share Posted June 5, 2017 Yeah - good call. The indicator is when you turn the key a bit and the pitch doesn't change. Don't keep turning, just give the string a nudge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Queequeg Posted June 6, 2017 Members Share Posted June 6, 2017 Once I have it properly tuned, I grab my acetylene torch and weld the strings to the tuners to keep it that way. Problem solved! Use caution so you don't mar the finish on the headstock with your torch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted June 6, 2017 Author Members Share Posted June 6, 2017 Is there an optimal mix ratio of oxygen and acetylene for haunting mids? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members strayGoat Posted June 8, 2017 Members Share Posted June 8, 2017 Nut lube. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted June 8, 2017 Author Members Share Posted June 8, 2017 There's no nut lube that makes this completely go away, but that's an essential step for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members strayGoat Posted June 8, 2017 Members Share Posted June 8, 2017 No, I was just saying, "Nut lube." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted June 9, 2017 Author Members Share Posted June 9, 2017 haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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