Machine head height

[trikky]

I am having trouble with my MIA tele (made 2009, gauge 0.010-0.046) staying in tune - if I bend any of the strings, they always drop pitch slightly. It is probably worst on the G string. I have tried graphite to reduce nut friction, but that hasn't helped.
I noticed however that the machine heads for the 1st to 4th strings are noticeably lower than those for the 5th and 6th strings (see attachment), and was wondering if this contributes to the going out of tune? Or is it the way I have strung them? Otherwise the guitar plays just beautifully ...

PS: I have already ordered some Big Bends Nut Sauce to see if this solves the problem

[TeleTramp]

Originally Posted by trikky

I am having trouble with my MIA tele (made 2009, gauge 0.010-0.046) staying in tune - if I bend any of the strings, they always drop pitch slightly. It is probably worst on the G string. I have tried graphite to reduce nut friction, but that hasn't helped.
I noticed however that the machine heads for the 1st to 4th strings are noticeably lower than those for the 5th and 6th strings (see attachment), and was wondering if this contributes to the going out of tune? Or is it the way I have strung them? Otherwise the guitar plays just beautifully ...

PS: I have already ordered some Big Bends Nut Sauce to see if this solves the problem

Those are staggered machine heads. I've got them on mine. They're designed that way. Some people don't even use a string tree with them. As far as staying in tune, I would guess that it's not the machine heads. I know that intonation problems could be one cause. I know that when I'm not properly set up, a string bend puts me out of tune pretty quick.

[trikky]

Yeah I also find it hard to believe there is something wrong with the machine heads (they are all solid and turn smoothly).
Looking for culprits is all... Hmmm I would imagine that bad intonation shouldn't contribute to tuning problems, but anyway the intonation on my tele is correct.
I would guess that tuning problems (assuming strings are stretched) could only be due to machine heads, nut or bridge.
I hope that lube sorts it out, still find it weird that a good quality (and not used that much) tele has tuning problems.

[TeleTramp]

Originally Posted by trikky

Yeah I also find it hard to believe there is something wrong with the machine heads (they are all solid and turn smoothly).
Looking for culprits is all... Hmmm I would imagine that bad intonation shouldn't contribute to tuning problems, but anyway the intonation on my tele is correct.
I would guess that tuning problems (assuming strings are stretched) could only be due to machine heads, nut or bridge.
I hope that lube sorts it out, still find it weird that a good quality (and not used that much) tele has tuning problems.

Good luck. When you find out, let us know what it was. I'm curious.

[KokoTele]

Biggest culprit of tuning problems is winding technique. The video below is very good, though it goes a little slowly. Fast forward to 5:00 to see about actually winding the string on the tuner.

The 2nd biggest culprit is binding in the nut. If it goes 'ping' when you bend strings or tune up to pitch, the slots are too narrow.

Problems at the bridge on a fixed bridge guitar very rarely cause tuning problems. It happens, but it happens less often than my neutered dog getting lucky.

[trikky]

Hey friends.
I have somewhat mitigated my tele's tuning problems by adequately *stretching* the strings. I used to think that constant playing and bending would stretch the strings anyway, but this seems to be incorrect. I stretched them by yanking them away from the fretboard, until the pitch stopped dropping noticeably.
I also wound the strings according to that video you posted, @KokoTele. I am not sure how much difference it makes, but it definitely makes it easier to wind the strings with less wraps, which obviously means less play and hence better tuning stability.
I also put on gauge 0.011-0.049 strings and I think this contributes to keeping the tele in tune (I also prefer this gauge - fatter sound and feel high up the neck on the first three strings).
Thanks for the help everyone.

[boris bubbanov]

Trikky, there's a locking version of these staggered post die cast tuners, which can be switched in just minutes and do not leave any marring, and doesn't require new holes or leave old ones exposed.

You could buy and install them and see if the tuning issue resolves. If it does, that means your winding technique was not good enough. If the tuning issue does not resolve, normally it is the nut slots. if they can't be improved on, you may have some monkey motion in the neck pocket - debris in there, loosened screws, screws binding up in the holes through the body, etc. Do an Advanced Search for the TDPRI thread by Carzee about "neck pocket luthier trick" or something like that. Oh, and make sure the truss rod is not slack.

[Bartholomew3]

Installing and winding properly with .11 or even .10 should solve the problem plus you may have to do some sandpaper of the nut slots to open things up.

Some strings stretch more than others and may take a few days to settle in.

[Vizcaster]

Nut sauce won't fix the problem if the nut slots are binding; if that's what's going on then they need to be opened up with the proper tools (gauged nut slot files) by a qualified luthier or tech. Please don't believe that you can do it with a kitchen knife or torch tip cleaners unless you've already got plenty of experience and just the right touch.

[Colt W. Knight]

Originally Posted by KokoTele

Biggest culprit of tuning problems is winding technique. The video below is very good, though it goes a little slowly. Fast forward to 5:00 to see about actually winding the string on the tuner.

The 2nd biggest culprit is binding in the nut. If it goes 'ping' when you bend strings or tune up to pitch, the slots are too narrow.

Problems at the bridge on a fixed bridge guitar very rarely cause tuning problems. It happens, but it happens less often than my neutered dog getting lucky.

+1. Tuning machines get blamed for a lot of tuning problems, but are very seldom ever an issue.

Originally Posted by Vizcaster

Nut sauce won't fix the problem if the nut slots are binding; if that's what's going on then they need to be opened up with the proper tools (gauged nut slot files) by a qualified luthier or tech. Please don't believe that you can do it with a kitchen knife or torch tip cleaners unless you've already got plenty of experience and just the right touch.

+ 1

[drvoodoo]

Best thing I ever bought for adressing tuning problems are my trusy nut file set. Took a while to learn and maybe a lifetime to master but much better results than a kitchen knife etc.